Even Michael Steele can't utterly repudiate Farrakhan? [updated]
By gamecock Posted in Archived — Comments (74) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
My eyes just opened wider than when Michelle Obama told the whole truth concerning her lack of pride in America until her husband got white votes in Iowa.
My conservative black friends told me long ago of the taboo subjects in black America. I have seen Clarence Thomas and others attacked over same. John McWhorter outlines them best in his "Losing the Race." But I have to admit I was shocked tonight, when...
On Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes just now, Michael Steele came to the defense of Black Americans who have worked with the nation's number one racist "in the field" due to the "black" perspective as opposed to Sean Hannity's "white" perspective.
[UPDATE]
"When we are talking about a president of the United States, we are not talking about the fate of one individual, but the fate of a nation and of generations yet unborn," conservative commentator Thomas Sowell wrote last month on National Review Online. "This is no time to get squeamish or politically correct, when talking about whoever is to carry the load of the free world on his shoulders in the White House."
Hannity challenged a black liberal democrat on the show to admit what the liberal democrat would think of Hannity if he continued to attend a church that honored David Duke like Obama's church honors Farrakhan.
America, especially including those that propose to unify said America, lend me your ears: There is no legitimate perspective from which one could do anything but be repulsed by Louis Farrakhan.
This issue is on the order of Holocaust denial. The rise of Obama proves Shelby Steele's conclusion that white racism is no longer a significant factor in America life, but...
Apparently, given that even republican Michael Steele is willing to give Obama a pass on his Hate America Church/Black nationalist, separatist church and his stuttering 30 sentences vague half ass denunciation of something-Farrakhan, there is a cancer on Black America.
Well, we are about to cut it out. The occasion of Obama's inevitable nomination makes the long needed operation imminent. And while we operate on blacks, we will finally have that conversation on race that Bill Clinton so craved yet saw within 25 minutes of the convening of the conference that no honest dialogue could be had since any white getting too close to the truth would be deemed a racist.
I thought to myself the other day, who are the top ten known prominent racists in America. Farrakhan came to mind first. Slam dunk number one.
People, the politically correct police are on the beat, and they apparently have already mugged Michael Steele.
Barack Obama is a card carrying member of the cancer. He must not be given a pass.
More importantly, we must use this occasion to force the lid off the pathologies in the Black community, one of which reserves respect for Farrakhan.
This is a deep sickness. A sickness so deep in white and black America that my first dead-tree MSM column with the Charlotte Observer addressed the issue:
Now, what about Caucasians?
I became active in the Democratic Party mainly due to my disdain for the racism I saw in the 1970s. Happily, I watched most of the Republican racism melt under the weight of King's mainstream American and Judeo-Christian moral arguments. Unhappily, I watched disturbing pathologies develop within my party and its members.
Then, during my five years in Atlanta before moving to the Queen City, I experienced what I call a "conservative epiphany," in large part due to the covertly racist behavior of fellow liberal Democrats in their treatment of blacks as inferior victim dependents and their overt disdain for the Christian faith that inspired King.
Radio talk show host Dennis Prager recently described being shown a video of people reacting to a talk show organized by a firm that specializes in analyzing such shows for their producers. Prager noticed that the carefully chosen panel included no blacks. The firm explained that in their previous experience they discovered that after a black person gave their opinion about a show, white people would rarely offer differing opinions for fear of being deemed racist.
This condescending and misplaced white guilt and fear of the Political Correctness Police must end.
Face down the PC crowd
I don't remember Daddy's answer to his eldest son's innocent inquiry some 39 years ago, but there is nothing I better remember than the way he lived his life. Dad employed the non-race-based Golden Rule found in Matthew's Gospel as he coached some of the first racially integrated little league baseball teams in my hometown and insisted that blacks employed with him at Southern Railway be held to the same standards as whites.
King based his civil rights message largely on that New Testament passage, which admonishes us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, as well as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, which acknowledge equality before our Creator and require equal treatment under the law.
Quite simply, whites must stop treating blacks as inferiors, and muster the courage to face down the PC crowd to make King's dream more of a reality.
That was my admonition to whites. Well, now Blacks, you can't use the guilt of whites to hide your cancer now. Barack wants his hand on the button.
Yet, despite the above, Michael Steele's comments tonight shocked me, and I guess I learned only recently how bad the sickness is from a man that has been a lifelong republican. A black man who was shocked at the level of inferiority shown by a lifelong black woman that wrote a letter to me objecting to my column on The Jena One.
I am not going to reveal either's identity.
The issue is crystallized by Michael Steele. He was honest. He gives the black nationalist portion of the black community a pass.
I won't. I wouldn't have given them a pass even if one that attends such a church for 20 years wasn't running for the most powerful job on Earth and who pretends to want to unify the nation while he and his children get schooled in the opposite in comfy pews.
I won't give Obama or anyone that turns a blind eye to racism and hate. Why? Because I hate racism and love humanity, and because I have a special love for Black people, Black Americans. I spent 18 years in the party that egged this bullS**t on. I feel I was an aider and abettor in the destruction of the black family and in this PC pathology that gives Farrakhan, FARRAKHAN DAMMIT!, a pass.
I will not be silent.
I called out white racists and those that stayed silent in the 70's, and I am calling out the black racists and those that turn a blind eye now.
Michael Steele, you insulted black people tonight, suggesting that the history of blacks has created a different perspective from which to view the relationship of Black America with Farrakhan.
I am reminded of the different perspective of plantation owners on the issue of slavery.
The perspective of the GOP was founded on the moral bankruptcy of the latter, and it stands now on the moral bankruptcy for the substitution of Farrakhan for Simon LeGree.
Simply put: Obama's 20 year attendance at his church disqualifies him to President.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/us/politics/30obama.html?_r=3&oref=slo...
Period.
Mike Gamecock DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
The HinzSight Report
The Minority Report
Race 4 2008
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
about this issue. Do you remember how mad you got on the phone one night when I told you the story of why the Telco exec in Mississippi wouldn't speak to me?
It is so hard to for me to believe this sort of thing is still carried on.
A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have - Thomas Jefferson
What else can one say but keep up the good work.
John
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Why would God invent something like whiskey? To keep the Irish from ruling the world of course
and destined to the top of the heap, which I have already highly recommended it to.
And, I can't believe that Michael Steele said what he said, I had so much respect for the man. And so it goes....
A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have - Thomas Jefferson
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
them a pass, like the white guilt America has given them for so long.
But the pass can no longer be given. This is a sickness in white and black America that will finally be dealt with.
Whites, to ridden with guilt for the past to call out blacks for lunacy.
Blacks, for the lunacy of deeming the racist as legitimate.
It is not easy even for gamecock to say this, but the occasion is forced upon us. Obama wants to be President, and he will get the anal exam all do.
The bigger issue even than that is that Black America is going to be violently forced to deal with its illness as whites that feared a discussion of race will be forced to finally have the talk.
Obama sat in the pews of a hate America church for 20 years.
It will be dealt with.
This guy wants to be the boss.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Or is he asking people not be so judgmental of those that worked with him ? Its a fine line but its still a line.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
The second, and there's nothing wrong with that.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Steele is just overly careful about offending anyone because he may have to win an election in the liberal state of Maryland again someday and must be viewed as a moderate to have any chance.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
If the rules are transparent and clear, and if the state has no authority to license businesses or restrict exports and imports, there will be no opportunities to pay bribes in those areas. Mart Laar
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
has to. Not to repudiate, and dilly dally about Farakan, one of the worst hate monger racist loony ( spaceship etc) and to somehow justify it as a black American understading it differently? I was disgusted at his appearance on hannity and he has to resign. No one can respect him. can not. Sorry . Its over for him
to confront. This is huge.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
If the rules are transparent and clear, and if the state has no authority to license businesses or restrict exports and imports, there will be no opportunities to pay bribes in those areas. Mart Laar
I know how Michael Steele feels-he has placed special emphasis on recruiting Blacks to the GOP. He feels smacking around black leaders is not the best way to achieve that goal.
Only JC Watts had the courage to call the race baiting poverty pimps out for what he was-and was called out by Gingrich, one of the reasons I will never support Newt.
It's an ugly conversation that has to be had, but I disagree with you that Obama means that race is over in America. Obama's the affirmative action candidate if there is one. Look at the abroad amount of white liberal support-Obama is a way to for liberals to shed their white guilt once and for all without ever actually looking inside of the Black community.
Race is not over in America until both parties can acknowledge the fact that race still matters, but not in the way that either party thinks that it does. Racism is a problem because of the slave owner mentality that the liberals have, and it is a problem because the GOP doesn't have the balls to question it, and when we do question it, we get smacked around by our own leadership. Newt is the reason JC won't come back to politics.
Great as always GC-more later ;-)
"Do not yield. Do not flinch. Stand up. Stand up with our President and fight. We're Americans. We're Americans, and we'll never surrender. They will."-John McCain
McCain/Rudy 08-kill the terrorists and punch the hippies.
to be had, but it will be had now. That church is so far outside the mainstream, that it will be examined. Obama will get the anal exam that all in is position get, and in the process, white American libs and blacks will get the exam, and those latter exams will be huge. We are at the precipice. A turning point. But not the one that liberals and conventional wisdom expects. No. The pathology that has allowed a Farrakhan to be legitimized on MSM and to too many blacks will be hammered.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Excellent comment. I had forgotten about the Watts-Gingrich mess. Its too bad, because Watts would probably be my second or third choice for VP.
I agree, BlackRepub, with everything you wrote but especially when you write:
Racism is a problem because of the slave owner mentality that the liberals have ...
But I would also add that it is part of the "slave owner mentality" that many conservatives have, too. Indeed, I think your accurate comment that
Newt is the reason JC won't come back to politics
illustrates my point. Yes, I think Newt Gingrich developed a sort of "slave owner mentality" that JC Watts picked up on in his dealings with him.
And quite frankly, I'm not sure that Newt Gingrich is anymore ready and able to address his "slave owner mentality" than Ted Kennedy is willing to address his.
The way that conservatives think that they should talk about race is to sound as much like Democrats as possible. That's what Huckabee did at the Tavis Smiley debate, and thats what Newt did when he bent over for Jesse Jackson crossing party lines to stab us in the back.
Conservatives should be stand athwart this racial politics yelling stop, instead we feed into the myths and make them untouchable. Steele disappoints me but he's by no means alone.
If we want to be taken seriously as the party of ideas, than we need to comeup with some fresh ideas on race, not rehash the same tripe that we get from Democrats. We need to argue for school vouchers, argue against affirmative action and the reasl reasons why it is a problem. And when I say the real reasons, we need to talk about the inferiority complex that peopel like Clarence Thomas felt when he said he was treated liek his whole degree had no merit when everyone treated him like he only got it because hewas Black. Pragmatism and reality need to kick in to-opposing affirmative action because it is racist against whites is only going to harden black an white liberals against it and further convince them that they are right. Opposingit on the gorunds of inferiority and merit makes a lot more inroads for Blacks to break freely-when I have phrased this to Black liberals they come away agreeing with me.
I agree that Newt isn't ready to address his complex any mroe than Ted Kennedy, which is why both are the problem. Blacks can think for themselves, and until we get more people to treat Blacks as adults instead of an infant constituency to be coddled, than it will remain the same.
"Do not yield. Do not flinch. Stand up. Stand up with our President and fight. We're Americans. We're Americans, and we'll never surrender. They will."-John McCain
McCain/Rudy 08-kill the terrorists and punch the hippies.
I have long felt that the issue of racism was still a very powerful under current in the body politic of America. It is a hard subject to broach though, because if you say the wrong thing or imply something just so, you are labeled a racist. Given my husband's profession, that was just never something I have ever felt comfortable discussing with my black friends. But I have ached to do so because I don't think we will ever get past the past without the discussion.
BR-excellent points.
I can't say I am ready to have this discussion, but I know it needs to be had. Racism is never going to go away until EVERYONE comes to the table with an open mind and a clear repudiation of the ills of the past.
means that we will have the discussion that no one has wanted to have, save gamecock. The table, IE the presidency , is set. He will not, nor will black America or the PC white guilty America, get a pass any longer. The stakes are to high to ignore that the emperor has no clothes.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
.. I think you are absolutely correct in asserting that it is well and truly past time for the discussion. But I'm willing to bet that you and a few of the rest of us will be voices crying in the wilderness. The MSM is never going to place this into debate and John McCain is going to stay as far away from it as he can.
Unfortunately I think far too many people have been indoctrinated to believe that they carry around some phony guilt for something that happened, and was redressed, long, long before they were born. And the guilt industry is not going to go gently in the the night.
Keep plugging.
John
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Why would God invent something like whiskey? To keep the Irish from ruling the world of course
If Obama is the candidate, and if he loses, they will say it's because of the prevelant racisism in the country and not because of his positions, ideas, or lack of qualifications. The race problem is addressed each and every day. How a supervisor handles employee relations makes the difference. During my carreer I had at times near 150 subordinates working under my command in the field of Law Enforcement. They were of all races, religions, and sexual orientations. I treated each one of them as I would my own family. When they screwed up I gave them hell. When they did good I gave them the pat on the back they deserved. I did not let anyone off the hook because they were of another color, religion etc... True equality means each of us is responsible for his or her actions. Strangely enough in my 25yrs as a supervisor no one ever confronted me with a race, religion or sexual orientation issue. What really counts is that you truly care about each of the folks around you. I believe that is the real secret..
MH, I have given quite sufficient thought to the msm pc police. They will not be able to stop the anal exam, and what I am talking about here is not what happens if Obama loses, but rather what will happen before election day.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
John
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Why would God invent something like whiskey? To keep the Irish from ruling the world of course
I wasn't sure anybody still realized that white guilt is just another name for racism.
"Land of the Free and Home of da Whopper" Peter Griffin...Family Guy
conform and celebrate diversity....or else!!!
Your excellent post deserves a longer, more indepth reply than I am currently able to give -- note that the number of my posts have declined over the last few days -- but I do want to make a quick response. As a conservative African-American myself, I think I understand and even somewhat agree with many of Micheal Steele's comments about Louis Farrakhan.
Farrakhan is a racist, anti-Semite and a "nut"; however, for many years he was one of the foremost Black proponents of the idea of Black self-empowerment. Whatever bad you can say about Farrakhan, and yes there is an awful lot bad you can say about him, I remember him as one of the few African-Americans who would take on the welfare establishment and the victim mentality of the Black community.
Note that while Farrakhan does blast white racism as the cause of all Black problems (a position with which I disagree with him, by the way), at least until recently he would have the courage (compared to the Black liberal establishment) to say that regardless of how the problems of African-Americans started, Blacks had the ultimate responsibility to improve the situation themselves.
Indeed, as a African-American growing up in Chicago in the '70's and '80's, I heard Louis Farrakhan blasting the "poverty pimps" long, long before JC Watts arrived on the scene.
Now does these excuse Louis Farrakhan's racist lunacy? Absolutely not!
Does it mean that I in any way support Louis Farrakhan? No!
But I confess that it does put him in a different, even better category than Black racists like Leonard Jeffries and even Jesse Jackson in my book. Whether you like it or not, Farrakhan appeals to a certain genuinely conservative (self-help) streak within the African-American community. And while I cannot and will not say he does it better than anyone today, I will say he has been doing it longer than anyone still around today.
Indeed, I am constantly amused by White conservatives who constatntly tote Martin Luther King, Jr. as their model for American race relations. King, for good or bad, was a liberal through and though. The real pioneer of modern Black conservatism was el Hajj Malik el Shabazz, better known to most as Malcolm X. It was el Hajj Malik el Shabazz, not King, who wrote and spoke about self-empowerment and the responsibility for your own life and family.
And yes, I know (probably more than most of you) about the involvement of Farrakhan in el Hajj Malik el Shabazz's assasination. Just another reason to dislike Farrakhan but, for better or worse, it still does not change the fact that for a while it was Farrakhan who most vocally took up the call of Black self-empowerment. Black conservatism doesn't mean White conservatives must be involved or even agree.
Giving credit where credit is due. I disagree with Louis Farrakhan but -- perhaps as Michael Steele was trying to do -- I can acknowledge and even agree with that part of his appeal to Black self-empowerment. Because, in my mind, that is conservative.
Farrakhan's white Jew exterminator hero, Hitler made the trains run on time.
King's color blind message was conservative and he did not preach hate. Quite the contrary. That he was liberal on some issues is quite different in kind from Farrakhan's departures from a positive message.
Farrakhan is not worthy of admiration by any group. If people are dependent on this monster to receive the message of personal responsibility, then they are in a sad state.
Obama's position as a front runner for the nomination coupled with his 20 year association with his Hate America Church will not be given a pass, and neither will those in the black community that consider Louis a hero. The stakes are too high to tiptoe around this any longer out of fear of offending anyone.
Farrakhan offends humanity.
Buckley purged the conservative movement of The John Birch Society in the 50s and David Duke was denounced by the GOP, despite the fact that he was kind to animals.
MLK's dream will be achieved thru equal treatment.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
As someone who grew up on the southside of Chicago in the '70's and '80's, I can honestly say that Louis Farrakhan spoke (and did more did) more than Jesse Jackson on the issues of personal responsibility, self-empowerment and getting off of drugs. As much as you may legitimately hate the man, that is a fact.
And quite frankly, this is an area where many African-Americans justly give him credit, even as they do not support him. In fact, Clarence Thomas has said much the same things about Farrakhan.
Indeed, Rush Limbaugh used to have a segment on his radio station called "Farrakhan without the hate" wherein he [Rush Limbaugh] lauded Louis Farrakhan for his calls for personal responsibility.
And I do want to emphasize that it is the White conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh who has praised those genuinely positive statements from Louis Farrakhan.
For many African-Americans, Louis Farrakhan is the Confederate flag.
Personally, I have said, and still say, that the Confederate flag is a symbol of hate, racism and disregard the rule of law that no American should be proud of. I wholeheartedly stand by my position and make no hesitation in saying it.
Yet many Whites (and BlackRepub {grin}) proudly display the Confederate flag as part of their heritage. Again, I thoroughly and wholeheartedly disagree with them. Personally, I think the Confederate flag stands for something at least as reprehensible as Louis Farrakhan. However, I am constrained to admit that others, many on this site, disagree with me.
The difference between you and me is that, while I vehemently disagree with those who proudly display the Confederate flag, I do not call upon them to denounce it before I "accept" them. Indeed, as I have often wrote before, my first choice for McCain's VP pick is our own governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford.
In that regard, even as I probably disagree with Michael Steele's comments -- and the only reason I add the word "probably" is because I have not heard them first hand -- I can also probably support them. If his argument was, he will not condemn those African-Americans who do not themselves condemn Louis Farrakhan, then I have no problem with him: Just as I do not condemn those White Americans who do not condemn the display of the Confederate flag.
However, if Michael Steele is supporting Farrakhan himself, then I disagree with Steele: Just as I disagree with those who display the Confederate flag. No more but no less.
As for Martin Luther King, Jr. being a conservative, that wil have to wait. At the risk of being pedantic, I suggest that you read more of his speeches and positions. He is an extremely laudatory individual but I am afraid he was not quite as "colorblind" as you and many of his more conservative "supporters" mistakenly believe. One good source is the book, A Testament of Hope
I really would like to engage in a civil, in-depth, intelligent debate with you on this subject -- and your posts and replies qualify on all points, please do not misunderstand me -- but I am pressed for time. Perhaps later this weekend I can give a better response.
The Devil's most successful tactics in causing man to stray are those that mix truth with lies.
The message of MLK of judging men by character content and not skin color is to what I refer. His other messages that may contradict are not on the order of Louis's hate mongering.
Many black people have preached personal responsibility from 1865-today. That msm and dem lib elites hold up Farrakhan and not those black men that preach Christ instead of an Allah that says all whites are devils and that Jews have a gutter religion and (STOP Mike, it is useless to list all Farrakhan's legion of sins and re-debate them.)...
That some blacks have such moral blinders is a legacy, not of slavery and segregation, but rather, is a legacy of the 1960s and modern liberalism and its cultural relativism.
White southerners had to deal with the proper denunciation of the Jim Crow culture they took for granted. In many ways they had to endure a shame on their whole lives. Even though the segregationists also had some good points in other areas of life.
Blacks that revere the likes of Farrakhan will have to endure the same thing now that Obama's relations are thrust upon us at the same time he would seek to unify us?
please
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
You explained it just fine for me, Zoot. Life is not always all black and white (pardon the pun), there are complexities. Just get the information out there and let the people decide.
Carrie
I, too, was surprised and disappointed with Steele's response last night.
Kudos to Hannity for his persistence in calling out Farrakhan.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
You shouldn't be surprised. Steele is no conservative. As I wrote in a blog last year, he is one of the founding members of the liberal republican group "Republican Leadership Council (RLC-PAC)" formed by Christine Todd Whitmann.
The Miranda rights are read to any arrested person to inform them they have the right to remain silent. This political correctness in play is basically informing that you have the right to make someone else be silent. In other words Steele tells Hannity to shut up about the hate mongering because it is politically incorrect speech.
If the rules are transparent and clear, and if the state has no authority to license businesses or restrict exports and imports, there will be no opportunities to pay bribes in those areas. Mart Laar
mikeleader
I bow in respect to the common sense wisdom of the great
Gamecock!....the Rush Limbaugh of the writtnen word!!!
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
When I was a young man I thought glory was the highest ambition and all glory was self-glory. My parents and the Naval Academy tried to teach me otherwise but it wasn't until I had to rely on others to an extent I never thought would be necessary that I understood the lesson. I had to have faith in something greater than myself not only to survive but to survive with my self-respect intact: faith in my comrades; faith in my country; and faith in my God. That faith helped me not only to endure but to understand and respect the values it encompassed. And, thus, in a moment of unexpected compassion that God ordained, I could learn the most valuable lesson of all: how to forgive and to escape the bitterness that could have destroyed my life.
If the rules are transparent and clear, and if the state has no authority to license businesses or restrict exports and imports, there will be no opportunities to pay bribes in those areas. Mart Laar
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
When Dr. King gave his "I have a dream" speech, I believe he made a declaration to the white community. That declaration came in the form:
"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
It is the last part of this frame that he challenged the white community to no longer "judge by the color of skin”, but “by the content of character". I believe, after watching the black community of that day, that they understood that challenge and agreed. I believe the white community heard and has for the majority accepted that challenge. But time after time, when the white community has applied that challenge, it is meet with calls of racism. In other words, when the character of the individual is in question, black leaders resort back to applying the “color of skin”, and denounce the accusers as racist.
We have experienced this with our local replacement for Sheriff in Mr. Nick Mackey. Even though the evidence of his questionable character was open for the world to see, local black leaders, including Al Sharpton (who approached this wearily), came out against the investigation of his past transgressions calling it a racist witch hunt. Please note the story Judge Alcee Hastings was well.
Why is this? We in the white community were called to account for using color to judge, with black leaders all over America nodding in agreement, and now when character is used, which might deny access to power, we are condemned as being racists. No wonder there are still race relation issues in the US.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
and the perfect demonstration of that is happening today in Detroit. Four years ago when charges were leveled against him for firing three police officers who were investigating his wrong-doing, he claimed it was racism against a black mayor. Never mind that the three fired officers were also black, he claimed racism, the community rallied around him on those grounds, and he we re-elected.
When the case finally came to trial and the officers won, and the city had to pay them over $8 million, it was a racist jury.
And now that it has come out that he covered up -- lying under oath to a jury -- the fact that he was having an affair with his chief of staff and they were conspiring to fire those officers for the very reason that they claimed, he is now once again playing the race card, blaming it on the White Media -- out to get the Black Mayor.
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of sentient age in the 1960s, you have no idea just how incendiary that speech was. The very notion of the "sons of former slaveowners" sitting down at a table with "the sons of former slaves" was in and of itself enough to send the average white Southerner into a fit of apoplexy. And I assure you that the white people of Mississippi thought Mississippi was just fine as it was and wanted absolutely nothing to do with MLK's notions of "an oasis of freedom and justice."
The very fact that that speech could be delivered with great acclaim to a huge throng on the Mall in Washington, DC by a Black man sent a shockwave through The South. I remember it well, or at least all the talk about it. I didn't actually hear it. Like so many things, most of the people who now claim to have heard it are lying. There was almost no live television in those days and the evening news was still only 15 minutes. But I assure you that the very audacity of it and the audacity of all the "Yankee" acclaim was all the talk.
In Vino Veritas
I too was born and raised in the South during the late 60s/early 70s. Your comments above are very true. They are what make this issue more upsetting. To know that the guantlet was thrown down with the north to south motion of heads in agreement by the black community to later learn that "we didn't really mean it" remains the reason why many get angry at people like Sharpton and Jackson who were part of that crowd. What other recent group has done this...
I see Steele as a moderate Republican. He has stated in the past (after the SC debate mind you on Hannity and Colmes) that Reagan conservatism is no longer and needs to be redefined for the future. Bah hum bug. Principles are principles. You can have him big tent folks.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
"I don't have to agree with everyone who endorses my
candidacy. They are supporting my candidacy. I am not endorsing some of their positions."
Who said that?
Was it McCain referring to Hagee's endorsement, or Obama referring to Farrakhan?
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
I guess it's easier to dismiss this than address it. For now.
But if you do want to address it at some point, these would be my questions:
Can you point out the differences in the endorsements between the two "haters" and their prospective candidates, and how the candidates responded to the endorsements?
Do you think that McCain is going to get a free pass on Hagee from the press, despite momentum in the other direction and Hagee's "treasure trove" of hateful remarks?
Do you seriously think that there isn't a valid comparison?
Do you think McCain will be forced at some point to elaborate on what positions held by Hagee that McCain shares?
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
I guess the elephant in the room was just a figment of my imagination.
Carry on!
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
I guess I am a bit confused.( you know how absent minded professors can be!)
Awhile back on RedState, Alexham authored a post titled "Huckabee to speak at church pastored by anti-Catholic bigot", so I was under the impression that Hagee wasn't too popular with this blog.
http://www.redstate.com/stories/elections/2008/huckabee_to_speak_at_chur...
Has that changed now that Hagee is supporting McCain?
Is he no longer an anti-catholic bigot, but a mere "talking point"?
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
McCain has certainly not done the "renounce and reject" dance demanded of Obama's ties to Farrakhan. Bill Donohue is unlikely to let this drop, and has a very large megaphone.
I guess I am a bit surprised that there isn't more debate on the subject on this blog, as it is certainly getting attention from both sides of the blogosphere elsewhere.
But I have a feeling McCain is re-tooling his Hagee strategy as we speak and will have a slightly modified attitude towards Hagee in the days to come. Should be interesting!
much so that recently he declared that all but catholicf churches are illegitimate, and hence, can't lead one to salvation. Who knew that catholic and Protestants had theological differences?
Hagee is no Farrakhan. Speaking at his church would not be a problem.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
some are that Catholics and Protestants have theological differences. I will go as far to say various Protestant denominations have real differences (gasp). Some think that ecumenicalism is some sort of theology, or some great good, with little or no knowledge of the differences, where they came from and why they existed for so long.
However, I disagree with your claim that the Pope said Protestand churches can not lead one to salvation. In fact, he said quite the opposite.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR200707...
He said that they DO have a role in salvation. He simply believes that the Catholic church is the one true church, the church founded by Christ and Saint Peter. This is not a knew concept at all, in fact, it is the foundation of the Roman Catholic faith.
___________________________________________________________
Molon Labe!
would not be offended. I leave salvation to God!
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
I think what Hagee has said goes beyond theological differences. He called the Catholic church the "Great Whore". I mean, I have theological differences with all Christians, in that I don't believe that Jesus was the son of God, but I don't go around calling any church "the great whore." Neither do the vast majority of authority figures of most any religion.
You're really reaching. This attack is as dumb as the one the NYT made.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
"Hagee, who is known for his crusading support of Israel, backed McCain's presidential bid Wednesday, standing next to the senator at a hotel in San Antonio and calling McCain "a man of principle."
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/02/28/mccain_endorsement_a...
Shouldn't McCain denounce Hagees' anti-Catholic remarks for what they are: Bigotry:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uViQ0hVV57Q
As I see it McCain has accepted the endorsement and aligned himself with one Americas' most powerful evangelical anti-Catholics. In the context of Obama's "equivocations" with L.F., what are we to make of the story of McCain and Hagee?
The comparison with the Huck situation is false until McCain takes action in support of Hagee, such as speaking at his church.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
Obama rejected Farrakhan's support.
McCain both pursued and welcomed Hagee's (although he is showing a bit of buyer's remorse)
I would consider those acts fairly supportive.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
Did he reject Farrakhan, really? Or did he say, "yeah sure -- refute, reject, whatever you say. [wink - wink] [nod - nod]
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Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
How about focusing on the candidate's views and discuss them instead. If you don't like McCain's views, we're happy to hear your reasons. That's enough accountability for a candidate.
If we have to go down every highway and byway of every supporter to dissect their views...life is too short, and besides it's immaterial.
But I'd recommend McCain avoid Tim Russert (who happens to be Catholic).
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
America there is a special PC driven species. White guilt and MLK's dream and the bible has made most whites, not only not racist, but actually pro-black.
But the real racism is when we don't hold all to the same standard. See the update in my blog.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson