NAACP is right to call out racists within Tea Party movement
Since February, I have been sounding the alarm against the radical voices that have attached themselves to the Tea Party movement. That is, the racists and the birthers and the Tenth Amendment-types who show up at Tea Party rallies with their hyperbolic signs comparing President Obama to Hitler, Stalin and other dictators who subjugated their countries through mass murder. Not the majority of folks in the movement who have legitimate concerns about the direction and size of government and the explosion of debt undertaken to sustain it. They are tired of Washington not listening to them. Well, Washington and the nation are listening to them now -- and to the crazies among them.
It’s the racists who have compelled the NAACP to vote unanimously on a resolution calling on leaders in the Tea Party movement to disavow them. As E.J. Dionne brilliantly points out today, the venerable civil rights organization isn’t asking Tea Party leaders to do anything less than what conservatives have consistently called on liberals to do.
The NAACP is doing what conservatives have done for decades in demanding that liberals and progressives separate themselves from left-wing extremists who trashed America, burned flags and praised foreign dictators. The racists are the Tea Party's flag-burners. It's fair to ask the democratic left to condemn extremism. It's fair to ask the same of the democratic right. (Note the small "d.")
Here's a specific example: Remember in the 1990s when Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan was fanning racial animus, spewing anti-Semitism and spinning conspiracy theories about the government actively targeting black men for annihilation? African American lawmakers were called upon nationally and locally, particularly in New York, to denounce Farrakhan. It was unfair to ask elected officials to condemn his every crackpot utterance. But it was also a no-brainer for serious politicians to make clear that Farrakhan didn’t speak for them lest their work and priorities get derailed. Tea Party leaders who don’t want their real concerns crowded out by the radical elements around them must -- MUST -- do the same.
By Jonathan Capehart | July 15, 2010; 8:23 AM ET
Categories: Capehart | Tags: Jonathan Capehart
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I've been reading a lot of the material being written about this, and honestly, I'm left scratching my head. The vast majority of these articles don't point out a single substantiated instance of racism in the tea party movement. This article at least linked to another post referencing some public opinion poll data. I would suggest the author look into similar polling done on Bush in 2006/2007. Calling the president a socialist because he favors an enlarged government, and the takeover of a few key sectors of the economy (financial services, cap and trade, single payer healthcare, etc) is a far cry from the truly frightening threats that were made against the life of GWB. The left needs to stop using ad-hom attacks and start making policy arguments. Americans are not persuaded by the assertion that a vast majority of the country are racist bigots. Either that, or y'all need to substantiate one of your claims. This is a massive movement, so it shouldn't be difficult to find one bad apple, but as near as I can tell the left hasn't done its research to do that.
Posted by: rybo123 | July 15, 2010 9:20 AM | Report abuse
Blah - "racism", per capita, is more pervasive within the brown community. The majority of the white community doesn't dare utter a racist word. Time for the NAACP and other african american organizations to get their own house in order. btw - the comparison to Farrakhan is a huge stretch, since he is/was the leader of his organization. The leaders of the Tea Party movement stand up every day to denounce racism. Name one tea party leader that has used the term "black devils"
Posted by: Stevenj974 | July 15, 2010 9:21 AM | Report abuse
Mr Capehart, IF you are right that the naacp is calling out The Tea Party Activists on Racism then whatever ARE you going to do when the Republicans win back the house in November 2010 and Boot obama out in 2012?? Maybe Whine Louder???
Racism is a "losers limp", An Excuse, and besides not everyone who hates COMMUNISM is a racist!
Posted by: crackshot1 | July 15, 2010 9:21 AM | Report abuse
".... comparing President Obama to Hitler, Stalin and other dictators" does not necessarily mean someone is a racist. It is obvious the point being made here is that they think Obama is a "Socialist."
What does this have to do with race?
Can the NAACP please provide real evidence of racism?
Posted by: DAS2 | July 15, 2010 9:24 AM | Report abuse
Typical liberal BS and journalism at it's worst. The only racism I see is this journalist and the NAACP. Notice neither condemn the Black Panther tyrades. Plus they cannot produce evidence of the signs they say exists. But then again. I quess if someone is against policy and not the person that's racism. Like they say, you can't fix stupid....
Posted by: sonnyphillips | July 15, 2010 9:26 AM | Report abuse
I do not have a problem with anyone complaining about racists. I have a problem when it is used as a political tool to smear opponents, as this was done to smear the entire tea party movement.
It is racially divisive to play the race card OVER AND OVER. Think about it, when was the last time you even thought about a problem between races? When Obama got elected? or when false claims were made against activists days prior to the UNWANTED healthcare vote? Someone offered $100,000 to anyone that could show proof of racial slurs and spitting, AND NO-ONE HAS CLAIMED THE MONEY. No-one recorded it? No-one had a cell phone camera or video clip of it? The liberal media didnt get it on tape? COME ON. we know it didnt happen!
I believe in the sanctity of life that babies should have rights, that life begins at conception. You call me a "birther"? and put me in the same catagory as racists? What?
You are as divisive as the NAACP! You should work for them!
Posted by: JBfromFL | July 15, 2010 9:29 AM | Report abuse
The rest of America is right to call out the black racists in the NAACP and to call Capehart out on his continuous victimhood racist rants.
Posted by: wjc1va | July 15, 2010 9:32 AM | Report abuse
NAACP is right to call out racists within Tea Party movement
Since February, I have been sounding the alarm against the radical voices that have attached themselves to the Tea Party movement. That is, the racists and the birthers and the Tenth Amendment-types who show up at Tea Party rallies with their hyperbolic signs comparing President Obama to Hitler, Stalin and other dictators who subjugated their countries through mass murder. Not the majority of folks in the movement who have legitimate concerns about the direction and size of government and the explosion of debt undertaken to sustain it. They are tired of Washington not listening to them. Well, Washington and the nation are listening to them now -- and to the crazies among them.
It’s the racists who have compelled the NAACP to vote unanimously on a resolution calling on leaders in the Tea Party movement to disavow them. As E.J. Dionne brilliantly points out today, the venerable civil rights organization isn’t asking Tea Party leaders to do anything less than what conservatives have consistently called on liberals to do.
The NAACP is doing what conservatives have done for decades in demanding that liberals and progressives separate themselves from left-wing extremists who trashed America, burned flags and praised foreign dictators. The racists are the Tea Party's flag-burners. It's fair to ask the democratic left to condemn extremism. It's fair to ask the same of the democratic right. (Note the small "d.")
Here's a specific example: Remember in the 1990s when Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan was fanning racial animus, spewing anti-Semitism and spinning conspiracy theories about the government actively targeting black men for annihilation? African American lawmakers were called upon nationally and locally, particularly in New York, to denounce Farrakhan. It was unfair to ask elected officials to condemn his every crackpot utterance. But it was also a no-brainer for serious politicians to make clear that Farrakhan didn’t speak for them lest their work and priorities get derailed. Tea Party leaders who don’t want their real concerns crowded out by the radical elements around them must -- MUST -- do the same.
By Jonathan Capehart | July 15, 2010; 8:23 AM ET
Categories: Capehart | Tags: Jonathan Capehart
Save & Share:
I've been reading a lot of the material being written about this, and honestly, I'm left scratching my head. The vast majority of these articles don't point out a single substantiated instance of racism in the tea party movement. This article at least linked to another post referencing some public opinion poll data. I would suggest the author look into similar polling done on Bush in 2006/2007. Calling the president a socialist because he favors an enlarged government, and the takeover of a few key sectors of the economy (financial services, cap and trade, single payer healthcare, etc) is a far cry from the truly frightening threats that were made against the life of GWB. The left needs to stop using ad-hom attacks and start making policy arguments. Americans are not persuaded by the assertion that a vast majority of the country are racist bigots. Either that, or y'all need to substantiate one of your claims. This is a massive movement, so it shouldn't be difficult to find one bad apple, but as near as I can tell the left hasn't done its research to do that.
Posted by: rybo123 | July 15, 2010 9:20 AM | Report abuse
Blah - "racism", per capita, is more pervasive within the brown community. The majority of the white community doesn't dare utter a racist word. Time for the NAACP and other african american organizations to get their own house in order. btw - the comparison to Farrakhan is a huge stretch, since he is/was the leader of his organization. The leaders of the Tea Party movement stand up every day to denounce racism. Name one tea party leader that has used the term "black devils"
Posted by: Stevenj974 | July 15, 2010 9:21 AM | Report abuse
Mr Capehart, IF you are right that the naacp is calling out The Tea Party Activists on Racism then whatever ARE you going to do when the Republicans win back the house in November 2010 and Boot obama out in 2012?? Maybe Whine Louder???
Racism is a "losers limp", An Excuse, and besides not everyone who hates COMMUNISM is a racist!
Posted by: crackshot1 | July 15, 2010 9:21 AM | Report abuse
".... comparing President Obama to Hitler, Stalin and other dictators" does not necessarily mean someone is a racist. It is obvious the point being made here is that they think Obama is a "Socialist."
What does this have to do with race?
Can the NAACP please provide real evidence of racism?
Posted by: DAS2 | July 15, 2010 9:24 AM | Report abuse
Typical liberal BS and journalism at it's worst. The only racism I see is this journalist and the NAACP. Notice neither condemn the Black Panther tyrades. Plus they cannot produce evidence of the signs they say exists. But then again. I quess if someone is against policy and not the person that's racism. Like they say, you can't fix stupid....
Posted by: sonnyphillips | July 15, 2010 9:26 AM | Report abuse
I do not have a problem with anyone complaining about racists. I have a problem when it is used as a political tool to smear opponents, as this was done to smear the entire tea party movement.
It is racially divisive to play the race card OVER AND OVER. Think about it, when was the last time you even thought about a problem between races? When Obama got elected? or when false claims were made against activists days prior to the UNWANTED healthcare vote? Someone offered $100,000 to anyone that could show proof of racial slurs and spitting, AND NO-ONE HAS CLAIMED THE MONEY. No-one recorded it? No-one had a cell phone camera or video clip of it? The liberal media didnt get it on tape? COME ON. we know it didnt happen!
I believe in the sanctity of life that babies should have rights, that life begins at conception. You call me a "birther"? and put me in the same catagory as racists? What?
You are as divisive as the NAACP! You should work for them!
Posted by: JBfromFL | July 15, 2010 9:29 AM | Report abuse
The rest of America is right to call out the black racists in the NAACP and to call Capehart out on his continuous victimhood racist rants.
Posted by: wjc1va | July 15, 2010 9:32 AM | Report abuse
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We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.