Copycats: Liberals to hold their own Beck-like rally on Oct 2

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.  If that is the case, Glenn Beck should be quite flattered by this news.

The Daily Caller: Labor

leaders, liberal religious leaders and the NAACP will hold a rally on the National Mall on October 2, one month before the fall midterm elections, in an attempt to show they too have political clout and momentum in response to last Saturday’s massive gathering of Tea Party types led by Fox News host Glenn Beck.

“The AFL-CIO is determined that the Tea Party and its corporate backers are not going to get the final word,” said AFL-CIO executive vice president Arlene Holt Baker. “We will expect tens of thousands of union families to come.”

Besides the NAACP, the Oct. 2 rally will be supported and organized by other labor organizations such as the SEIU and the American Federation of Teachers.[…]

And Jim Wallis, a liberal evangelical leader who is CEO of Sojourners, will lend a religious flavor to the event.

“As people of all faiths, backgrounds, beliefs, orientations and heritages, we must move this country forward beyond divisiveness and hate, to rebuild and reclaim our destiny,” Wallis said in a press release put out by the group formed to promote the rally, One Nation Working Together.

Clearly something about Beck’s rally struck a nerve on the left. Otherwise why do they feel the need to mimic the event?  The fact that this event will be organized by unions and leftist organizations rather than one man saying “please join me”, is pretty telling.  It says that there is no one person on the left with enough influence to get 300,000 people to come on their own accord.

No matter how many people show up to this copycat event, I fully expect the media to treat it like the entire world attended. I also expect the media to drone on about how much more diversity there is at the event, no matter what the ratio of black to white will be.

In the end, the left will get to “feel” good about their selves, but as far as the event switching the mood of the country towards leftist policies, nothing will change.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Daily Caller

Shirley Sherrod caught in the crossfire

In the great pitch battle between the NAACP and the Tea Party movement over politically motivated charges of racism, USDA Georgia Director of Rural Development Shirley Sherrod got caught in the crossfire.

After viewing the full video of Sherrrod’s remark it becomes clear that her story wasn’t one of black vs. white, but rather a shift in attitude from black vs. white to rich vs. poor. Ms. Sherrod also makes clear that this story happened before the USDA employed her. Ms. Sherrod goes on to state that she became good friends with the white farmer in the end and the white farmer’s family confirms Ms. Sherrod’s claims.

Before the full video was made available, Ms. Sherrod was asked to resign her position from the USDA. In a CNN interview, Ms. Sherrod says the request for her resignation came from the White House and that she was disappointed that the NAACP did not bother to hear her out.

Between the administration and the NAACP, the NAACP’s actions are most egregious. The NAACP’s initial reaction was to condemn Sherrod without hearing her side of the story. Once the full story got out, the NAACP claimed that they were snookered by Fox News and Andrew Breitbart.

With regard to the initial media coverage of the resignation of USDA Official Shirley Sherrod, we have come to the conclusion we were snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart into believing she had harmed white farmers because of racial bias.

Having reviewed the full tape, spoken to Ms. Sherrod, and most importantly heard the testimony of the white farmers mentioned in this story, we now believe the organization that edited the documents did so with the intention of deceiving millions of Americans. 

This is complete nonsense. The NAACP was in possession of the full video before anyone else yet they did not bother to view it before condemning Sherrod.  They only people who snookered the NAACP was the NAACP themselves when they decided that covering their own ass was far more important than defending Sherrod.

Regarding the administration, their actions were completely political.  In typical Obama administration fashion their goal was to take a hot subject off the front burner any way they can. So Shirley Sherrod was tossed under the bus just like Rev. Wright, Van Jones and Yosi Sargent.  The administration’s claims that it had no input into the request for Sherrod’s resignation and that the decision came from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack alone.  This is baloney. The Sherrod story was top news and whatever decision was made about her was going to reflect on the administration one way or another. Are we to believe that the White House did not care about the outcome?

Again, in order to remove the hot glare of attention from the Sherrod incident, the administration did a 180 just like the NAACP and is offering Sherrod her job back.

Regarding Andrew Breitbart, his goal was to launch a broadside at the NAACP. Mission accomplished, they made fools of themselves and pulled the administration along with them.  Where Breitbart can be faulted is for using the edited clips without knowing what the full story was about. In doing so, he has left himself open to criticism from the left and has caused most of the focus to go to Ms. Sherrod rather than the NAACP.

That being said, the left and Ms. Sherrod herself seem to think that all this is the fault of Breitbart and Fox News. Nope. Neither Breitbart nor Fox News fired Ms. Sherrod. It was the administration that chose to do that.

Each and every day, both the Democratic Party and the NAACP put themselves out there as great defenders and champions of the black community. Yet when a black person needed some defending, neither this Democratic administration or the NAACP defended her. Instead their first instincts were to defend themselves by throwing Sherrod under the bus. So in the end, the very people Ms, Sherrod is still putting her faith in are the very ones who betrayed her.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Mediaite

Via: CNN

Via: Big Government

Via: NAACP

Via: The Washington Post
Via: Media Matters

Full Video: Shirley Sherrod’s comments to the NAACP

As we all know many things have come out about USDA Director Shirley Sherrod’s speech to the NAACP. This is the full video of her remarks. A few commenters on the previous post seem to think I was throwing Sherrod under the bus for racism. Perhaps if they actually read my post they would have seen I was only critical of Sherrod for her love of government largess and the full video doesn’t change my mind on that score. I did come down harshly on the NAACP for racism and that still stands too, because the audience is approving when Sherrod tells of how she initially discriminated against the white farmer.

I will be posting shortly about the various plot twist concerning Sherrod, the NAACP and the administration.

Video h/t: DaTechguy’s Blog

BUSTED! Video of USDA Director Shirley Sherrod sharing a racist moment with the NAACP

 

Big Government: We are in possession of a video from in which Shirley Sherrod, USDA Georgia Director of Rural Development, speaks at the NAACP Freedom Fund dinner in Georgia. In her meandering speech to what appears to be an all-black audience, this federally appointed executive bureaucrat lays out in stark detail, that her federal duties are managed through the prism of race and class distinctions.

In the first video, Sherrod describes how she racially discriminates against a white farmer. She describes how she is torn over how much she will choose to help him. And, she admits that she doesn’t do everything she can for him, because he is white. Eventually, her basic humanity informs that this white man is poor and needs help. But she decides that he should get help from “one of his own kind”. She refers him to a white lawyer.

Sherrod’s racist tale is received by the NAACP audience with nodding approval and murmurs of recognition and agreement. Hardly the behavior of the group now holding itself up as the supreme judge of another groups’ racial tolerance. [MORE]

What was all that chatter from the NAACP last week about how the Tea Party must remove racists from their ranks?  The good Lord says; “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.  Well, it is time for the NAACP to put down its bag of stones and time for them to do a little house cleaning of their own.

It is rather sad to see what the NAACP has become over the years. Here is an organization that once stood boldly against racial discrimination. Today, the organization is chock full of small-minded bigots who prefer to wallow in hypocrisy rather than stand as vanguards against discrimination for all Americans.

When the NAACP decided to take on the Tea Parties, they clearly thought they would be dealing with your typical elected Republican. Instead they are finding out the hard way that conservative activists are not the same as elected Republicans. Wantonly chucking around the race card simply won’t do. The NAACP is now set to have it biases, hypocrisy and foolishness exposed for all of America to see.

Aside from the racism in the video above, Andrew Breitbart exposes another problem (perhaps America’s biggest problem) from the same event with Ms. Sherrod. Ms. Sherrod is caught out there bragging about how great it is to work for Uncle Sam. How despite hard times for the private sector, good times are rolling on the public nickel.

This is exactly what the Tea Party is fighting against. Why should government employees enjoy better job security than the people who actually pay their salary? American Spectator had an article this Saturday called America's Ruling Class -- And the Perils of Revolution. It is a long read (21 pages printed) but well worth it. In it the author Angelo Codevilla spells out where attitudes like Ms. Sherrod’s come from. Take time to read it. It will enlighten you as to what a big task we have ahead of us if we truly want government to work for the people again.

Oh, and before I forget, after her big YouTube moment, Ms. Sherrod has resigned.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Big Government

Via: American Spectator

Via: The Other McCain 

Epic Fail: Mark Williams’ [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People change minds about emancipation

Mark Williams, radio host and Tea Party Express spokesman has been out in the media firing back at the NAACP for the anti Tea Party resolution. While calling out the NAACP for their divisive racial politics is generally a good thing, Mark Williams has made a fatal mistake with his blog post titled: NAACP Resolution: [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People change minds about emancipation.

Basically the post is a fictional letter written to Abraham Lincoln by Ben Jealous of the NAACP speaking for its members. 

Dear Mr. Lincoln

We [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People have taken a vote and decided that we don’t cotton to that whole emancipation thing.  Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards.  That is just far too much to ask of us [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People and we demand that it stop!

In fact we held a big meeting and took a vote in Kansas City this week.  We voted to condemn a political revival of that old abolitionist spirit called the ‘tea party movement’.

The tea party position to “end the bailouts” for example is just silly.  Bailouts are just big moneywelfare and isn’t that what we want all [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People to strive for?  What kind of racist would want to end big money welfare?  What they need to do is start handing the bail outs directly to us[National Association for the Advancement of]Colored People!  Of course, the NationalAssociation for the Advancement of Colored People is the only responsible party that should be granted the right to disperse the funds.

And the ridiculous idea of “reduce[ing] the size and intrusiveness of government.”  What kind of world would we have is I  ever  to control and be responsible for my life own?  As [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People we must have somebody care for us otherwise we would be on our own, have to think for ourselves and make decisions and if you do not agree than there is not enough Colored in your People, as we labeled Ken Gladney [source]

The racist tea parties also demand that the government “stop the out of control spending.”  Again, they directly target [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People.  That means we [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People would have to compete for jobs like everybody else and that is just not right.

Perhaps the most racist point of all in the tea parties is their demand that government “stop raising our taxes.”  That is outrageous!    Totally racist!  The tea party expects [National Association for the Advancement of] Colored People to be productive members of society, especially when our mission is to convince them that progress is impossible for them based on the color of their skin?

Mr. Lincoln, you were the greatest racist ever.  We had a great gig.  Three squares, room and board, all our decisions made by someone else.  Please repeal the 13^th and 14^th Amendments and let us get back to where we say that belong.

Sincerely

Ben Jealous, Tom’s Nephew  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Head Colored Person 

While I understand that Mark Williams is trying to make a point of how backwards the logic of the NAACP has become, the execution of that point is a complete failure. This “letter” is the kind of thing that simply strengthens the left’s argument about racism in the Tea Parties. So much of it reads like the stereotypical accusations that have been leveled at blacks for eons. Without full background behind the debate between Williams and the NAACP, it is too easy to read this letter and assume the charges are being leveled against all black people. It’s an Epic Fail in execution.

Another reason why this letter is a failure is because it doesn’t directly address the true problem with the NAACP. The NAACP’s problem is that they are using the good they did in the past like a mask.  The mask is designed to look like they are defending or advancing the black race, when what they really are doing is launching racial attacks in order to defend the liberal agenda. Getting into a battle over the term “colored people” does little to remove the mask and expose the true goals of the NAACP.

It is high time we all started challenging those who play the race card for political gain. However, race is still a flashpoint for controversy and thus requires a very thoughtful and tactful approach. Sloppy ill-conceived approaches like this one can only backfire and end up doing way more harm than good.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Marktalk.com 

NAACP: Backpedals on calling Tea Party “racist”

I guess the Race Card isn’t the trump card it used to be.  After passing it’s Anti-Tea Party resolution, the NAACP is now backpedaling and saying they never called the Tea Party racist. 

Politico: NAACP President Ben Jealous said Thursday that the resolution passed by the group on Wednesday does not call the tea party "racist."

The resolution the NAACP approved Wednesday at its annual conference in Kansas City alleges that the tea party has used racial epithets against President Barack Obama and has verbally and physically abused African-American members of Congress. 

A portion of the resolution does indeed characterize the behavior as “racist,” but Jealous said Thursday during an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that the resolution was not intended to condemn the entire movement as such. 

“We aren’t saying that the tea party is racist,” Jealous said. “What we’re saying is that with their increasing power comes an increasing responsibility to act responsibly…and to call out when they see those things on those signs.” […] 

Asked if he thought members of the tea party are racially insensitive, Jealous responded: “No, not at all.”  

Well if that is the case, why even have a resolution?  If the NAACP thinks that the Tea Party isn’t racist but are concerned about fringe element within the Tea Party, why didn’t it just offer to assist the Tea Party in identifying and removing those questionable elements?

The NAACP didn’t do that because the Tea Party is a treat to the NAACP’s true concern … the liberal agenda. Anti-big government, anti spending and anti higher taxes are things that are an anthemia to the liberal agenda.  That is why smearing the entire Tea Party movement was the goal of the NAACP.

I think the only reason why the NAACP is backpedaling now is because the pushback is causing people to focus on the NAACP’s own actions of late. What we are seeing is what has been true for too long, the NAACP has lost it way from its original ideals. The NAACP like so many of the left’s special interests groups has long abandoned championing special causes like women’s rights or gay rights and have instead set themselves up as the attack dogs of the left. Today these organizations simply exist to throw around “isms” and keep their followers in lockstep with the leftist agenda. 

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Politico

Via: Gateway Pundit 

St. Louis Tea Party Condemns NAACP as “bigoted”

If the NAACP thought that it could play the race card against the Tea Party with the same effect it has against Congressional Republicans, the NAACP is going to be in for a rude awakening.

Before the NAACP could pass their anti-Tea Party resolution (away from the public eye), the St. Louis Tea Party got the drop on the NAACP and called the once respectable organization “bigoted”.

Unlike Congressional Republicans whose main concern is reelection, the Tea Party is free to push back against racial hucksters like the NAACP. The Tea Party can call out the NAACP and be as dismissive of the NAACP’s trumped up racial charges, as they want to be.

You know what?  It is about time. The NAACP has abused its illustrious past of good deeds for the sake of becoming the racial attack dogs of white liberals. In the last 18 months the race card has been played so fast and furiously that it is beginning to lose all meaning. The NAACP’s charges of racism no longer sound like the growl of a Pitbull, instead more and more they are starting to sound like the annoying yap of a Chihuahua.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Michelle Malkin

Via: St. Louis Tea Party

NAACP to condemn Tea Party as racist and Michelle Obama’s keynote address

ABC News: The nation's largest and oldest civil rights organization will vote on the resolution Tuesday during its annual convention inKansas City, Mo.

In her speech, the first lady focused on the issue of childhood obesity and her "Let's Move" initiative, but outside of her remarks, anti-Tea Party activism has been a key focus of the gathering, which conservative leaders say is driven solely by a political agenda.

Tea Party members have used "racial epithets," have verbally abused black members of Congress and threatened them, and protestors have engaged in "explicitly racist behavior" and "displayed signs and posters intended to degrade people of color generally and President Barack Obamaspecifically," according to the proposed resolution.

"We're deeply concerned about elements that are trying to move the country back, trying to reverse progress that we've made," NAACP spokeswoman Leila McDowell told ABC News. "We are asking that the law-abiding members of the Tea Party repudiate those racist elements, that they recognize the historic and present racist elements that are within the Tea Party movement." [MORE] 

Once again the NAACP is still trying to fight pre Civil Rights era struggles in a post Civil Rights era world. They will even go after a media made racial boogeyman to do it.  The NAACP is working with the false story from the media that Tea Partiers hurled racial slurs at black congressmen. To date not a single video of the incident has ever emerged and the media itself has seems to drop the story all together. Yet here is the NAACP getting all fired up about it now.  If the NAACP thought there was truth to this story, they should have made noise when it happened, instead of waiting until now.

Why did they wait you ask?  Because the midterm elections are now four months away and the NAACP is more about shilling the leftist agenda than they are about the “advancement of colored people”. Rallying blacks against the Tea Party is more important to the leftist agenda than tackling the real issues facing the black community like poor schools, unemployment or the devastating effects of drugs and crime.

Regarding Michelle Obama’s speech to the NAACP, I think Drudge gets it wrong. Yes, Michelle Obama does call for the NAACP to turn up the intensity and the NAACP is going after the Tea Parties, but they are two separate events. If you watch the whole speech below, you see she was speaking in terms of the organization’s historic context and then goes on to push her child obesity initiative.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

After watching Michelle’s speech, I cannot help but think of what a lost opportunity this was. Here is Michelle Obama, the first black First Lady of the United States speaking to the NAACP, both she and her husband to do so much to put this organization back on track with a well thought out speech.

Instead, Michelle uses her time to address childhood obesity. While it is a problem within the black community, it certainly doesn’t rank as one of the top ten problems that plague the black community. It is even more disappointing when in the first five minutes of her speech; Michelle correctly identifies some of the real major issues.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: ABC News

Video h/t: Mediaite

NAACP gets Hallmark to pull “racist” graduation card

 

Fox News: LOS ANGELES --- A space-themed, talking Hallmark graduation card is being pulled from store shelves because of the card’s reference to a black hole.

But members of the Los Angeles NAACP say the message sounds like "black whore" in the card's audio recording. That's how they hear it, and they say it's racist,  KABC-TV in Los Angeles reported.

"That was very demeaning to African-American women when it made reference to African-American women as whores, and at the end it says 'watch your back,'" said Leon Jenkins of the Los Angeles NAACP.

The Hallmark card reads, "Hey world, we are officially putting you on notice," before playfully touting the ambitious future of the new graduate.

Characters known as "Hoops" and "Yoyo" banter on: "And you black holes, you are so ominous. Watch your back."

Hallmark calls the outrage a misunderstanding, claiming that the space theme emphasizes the power the graduate has to take over the universe, even energy-absorbing black holes.

"The intent here is to say that this graduate is not afraid of anything," explained Hallmark spokesman Steve Doyal.

Apparently, NAACP members heard something different. 

Could the NAACP be any more useless to the black community? This has to be the most ignorant $%*@ I ever heard! I am truly embarrassed by these clowns. This is a classic example of how the Raaaaacism Industrial Complex makes up racism out of thin air. 

LA NAACP = Epic Fail!

Conservative Black Woman and The Last Tradition both have an excellent take on this piece of manufactured racism. 

Via: Memeorandum

Via: Fox News

Video h/t: Hot Air