Fallout from the Tea Party-NAACP not a barrier to formation of Tea Party Caucus

There have been casualties on both sides of the Tea Party-NAACP dust-up.  As a result of the Tea Party Resolution the NAACP passed last week, The Tea Party Federation (the defacto governing body of the movement) have expelled the Tea Party Express and it's leader, Mark Williams, because of a racist satirical blog post in response to the NAACP resolution calling elements of the Tea Party Movement, of all things, "racist."  As a result, leaders from both the NAACP and The Tea Party have been engaged in dueling interviews and sometimes being interviewed at the same time.   

It appears that the NAACP, and people tied to the civil rights organization, are also being caught up in the aftermath.  Because of a video tape that surfaced and has caught fire in the conservative bloggaspher, the United States Department of Agriculture has sacked  Shirley Sherrod, its Director of Rural Development in Georgia.  In the excerpt that has been circulating, Sherrod speaks at an NAACP event where she talks about how a white farmer she was trying to help, was being difficult and because of his race, she admittedly doesn't bend over backwards to help resolve his problem with possible foreclosure on his farm.  This occurred over 24 years ago and while she was at a different job.  According to interviews with Sherrod, she had repeated calls from officials at the White House pressuring her to resign, because the story was going to be on Glenn Beck. 

Some notable members of the GOP, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner, are putting as much distance as they can between them and the Tea Party.  But, with all the public discussion about the racists and extremist elements within the Tea Party Movement and the recent moves by the Tea Party to address these issues, it has not diswayed Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann from filing paperwork to form the Tea Party Caucus in Congress. 

Its pretty clear that the Tea Party has made an indelible mark on the GOP and the candidates that are running under their banner for the 2010 Election Cycle.  The movement has propelled some of the GOP's most conservative and extremist members to the primary nominations over more establishment candidates.  An election cycle that was shaping up to be the best for the GOP since the 1994 GOP tsunami is now looking less like a probable wave and more like a ripple in a small pond because of the rift(s) that are forming within the Tea Party Movement. 

With the newly formed Tea Party Caucus being led by Michelle Bachmann, it will be interesting to see who will self-identify with the Tea Party now that the labels of racists, bigots, and extremists are permanently tattooed to those that stand with the movement. 

Picture found at:  http://www.indecisionforever.com/files/2009/11/michele-bachmann-rally-podium.jpg 

Tea Party: Would there be a movement without Nativists, Birthers, Bigots, Anti-Semites, Gay Bashers, Ultra-Nationalists, and Racists?

The NAACP has passed a resolution labeling the Tea Party Movement as racists.  The Tea Party has denounced it calling the resolution "unfair."  Sara Palin, darling of the Tea Party Movement, has quickly fired back calling the NAACP resolution "false, appauling, and a is a regressive and divisionary tactic to change the subject at hand." 

The real simple way to prove the Tea Party Movement isn't racist is to kick these people out of the movement. But wait,... would their be a Tea Party Movement with out the racists, nativists, birthers, bigots, Anti-Semites, gay bashers, and ultra-nationalist that have taken over the movement?  

I understand the anger and frustration with the mismanagement of our Federal Government and its finances, but the watershed event by which the movement has galvanized around, The Boston Tea Party, was not a reaction to being taxed but being taxed without their representation, input, or consent. 

In the modern world, governments cannot function without tax revenue by which to reinvest into it's citizens and create the conditions of individual liberty and freedom for private citizens to live free or die.  Things like roads for the commerce of our nation and individuals to be able to participate in that commerce.  Schools, so that individuals can gain knowledge and understanding to see how people with power and money manipulate the uneducated to advocate for the benefit of the few rather than the greater good. 

Americans have representation, can provide input into the democratic political process, and can offer their consent or opposition. The Tea Party Movement is a shame and is represented by those that the NAACP has accurately labeled, racists.   

So again, would their be a Tea Party Movement with out the racists, nativists, birthers, bigots, Anti-Semites, gay bashers, and ultra-nationalist that are the face of the movement? 

Racism in America: Has the scab been ripped off because of the Gates-Crowley event?

Earlier this week, I posted about the Professor Gates-Sergeant Crowley event in Cambridge, Massachusetts and how there had been little focus on who made the 911 call. Since then, that person has been identified and the recording of the call made public. My questions about the “nosy neighbor” were fully answered as I listened to the 911 call as reported on TV. Lucia Whalen, at the urging of an elderly neighbor who saw two men trying to gain entry in to Professor Gates’ house, called 911 and never mentioned the race of the two people in her call. Despite this revelation, Lucia Whalen was called a racist, bigot, and labeled in other similar ways, compelling her to hold a tearful press conference yesterday. So, because of this incident and the series of events that have followed since the 911 call to the Cambridge Police, has the scab of racism been ripped off in America?

In many ways it has. This went to a whole different level when President Obama called the Cambridge Police Department out and said that they acted “stupidly” when he didn’t have all the facts. Then it went back and forth on was Sergeant Crowley a rouge or racist cop? Turns out that he’s a police veteran of more than 10 years, and has taught other police officers how to avoid Racial Profiling tactics and techniques. Then it came back to Professor Gates and how he acted. Did he overreact? Did he deserve to be handcuffed for disorderly conduct in his own home? The discussions and debates took off from there.

Former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell, added his assessment of the whole situation saying on Larry King Live, “When you’re faced with an officer trying to do his job and get to the bottom of something, this is not the time to get in an argument with him.” Powell went on further to say “I would have thought at that point some adult supervision would have stepped in and said, ‘Okay, look, it is his house. Come on, let’s not take this any further. Take the handcuffs off.”

Things seemed to start settling down a bit and some substantive discussions about Racial Profiling were happening. Several well know African Americans, including Colin Powell, came out and said that during their lives they had been Racially Profiled. During my time as a Community Organizer, I heard this all the time from the black community and when it was addressed with white conservative lawmakers in Virginia or with local Police Chiefs or Sheriffs, they either said that Racial Profiling doesn’t happen in Virginia or our officers don’t use Racial Profiling. But, it does happen. The only other debate at this point was about the beer that President Obama, Professor Gates, and Sergeant Crowley were going to drink at the White House. Then, Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh weighed in. Listen to what Glen Beck and then what Rush Limbaugh has to say about race and racism:





After these two excellent displays of white privilege and superior intellect by Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, it’s fair to say that the scab of racism has been ripped off. I hope that their racist and hate filled rhetoric brings them all the ratings and attention they truly deserve.

It is clear that there is still a lot of work to be done by everyone (White, Black, Hispanic, etc.). Whether it’s playing the race card at the drop of the hat or white people being oblivious to the fact that white privilege gives them a huge advantage in our society, there is still hard, hard work to be done to overcome the stigmas and stereotypes that come with every color of skin. It’s just that knuckleheads like Beck and Limbaugh make millions off of the trash that comes out of their mouths and millions of people absolutely agree with every word they say. When no one tunes in to watch or listen to boneheads like them anymore, then we can say that we've turned the corner.

Racial Profiling: Henry Louis Gates vs. James Crowley – Who’s right, who’s wrong, or can they blame the nosy neighbors?

In what was a relatively local event that started with a 911 call about two black men who appeared to by trying to break into a house in a Cambridge, Massachusetts neighborhood, the nation will now have a long overdue discussion about racial profiling. As it now appears, this is not a simple case of a young white police officer hassling a black man and presuming that because he is African American that he’s got to be up to no good. It also appears this is not an incident of a white police officer answering this call and not following proper procedure.

This story is now several days old but the discussions continue. Distinguished Harvard scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, who also taught at Duke University for a time, came home and discovered that he either left his keys inside or left them somewhere else. He and another man tried to gain entry through other means. A person in Dr. Gate’s neighborhood sees these two gentlemen at the house, looking through windows and other doors, makes a call to 911 to report suspicious activity. Arrives Cambridge Police Sergeant James Crowley with another officer (who is African-American) and begins to interact and question Dr. Gates. Dr. Gates becomes upset and the rest of the story unfolds.

So, who is right and who is wrong? It seems that Professor Gates overreacted when questioned by Sergeant Crowley. This isn’t to say that he was in the wrong, but it probably could have gone much differently if he hadn’t. And what about Sergeant James Crowley? He’s been a police officer for more than 10 years and he has taught at the local Police Academy about Racial Profiling and how to avoid those policing practices. This story went to a totally different level when President Obama, the first African American elected President of the United States, made the statement that he thought the police acted “stupidly” in this situation. The President has sense walked that statement back and has invited both to the White House for a beer. In all the ruckus, the one thing that I haven’t read or listened to about this event is the person who made the 911 call.

Now, they should remain anonymous because to identify this person or people that made the 911 call would set a bad precedent and would negatively impact the ability to bring criminals to justice. But, how well did Professor Gate’s neighbors know him? Did Professor Gates interact with his neighbors or did they try to get to know him? Even if Professor Gates and the neighbors did know each other and spoke civilly, when they see a black person around someone’s home is it their first reaction to call the police even if they think they know who it is? There are still lots of questions being asked and the national discussion has begun on racial profiling, but does Professor Gates have a good reason for being defiant, defensive and assuming a bunker mentality whenever he might be questioned by police?

Here are some things to consider about being black in America. Around 26% of the United States population is non-white as of 2007, with whites making up the majority at 74%. As of June 30, 2007 there were 2,299,119 inmates in jails and prisons in the United States. 70% of all prisoners are non-whites. Nearly one million are in prison for non-violent crimes. Over 93% of all prisoners are male. As of July 1, 2007 there were 40.7 million African American residence in the United States, making up around 13.5% of the total United States population. Out of all African American Males between the ages of 25 to 29, about 10.4% were in jail or prison compared to 2.4% of all Hispanic males and 1.3% of all white males.

Here are some other numbers to consider about being black in America. According to an article by Philip Walzer of the Virginian Pilot this past weekend, 14.7% of all African Americans were out of work in June of this year in the United States, compared to 8.7 percent for all whites. Historically, the African American unemployment rate has always been higher than whites and other non-white minorities. But this was of significance because of the current Recession. Nationally, around 30% of whites have at least a bachelor’s degree while around 20% of African Americans do. Barely half of all African Americans and Hispanics graduate from High School, 58% for Hispanics and 54% for African Americans, while nearly 78% of white students graduate.

These are some very sobering numbers to consider. There are white people out there that will roll their eyes and say “Give me a break. Stop already. They (those people) need to take responsibility for themselves and quit blaming others for problems they bring on themselves and blaming white people for all their problems.” But, you cannot deny the disproportionate number of non-whites in this nation living in poverty, not graduating from High School, not going on to college, not graduating from college, and that are also locked up in our jails and prisons. 70% of all prisoners in the United States are NON-WHITE.

So, with all these numbers stacked against non-white people of the United States can whites still claim that they don’t see the color of a person’s skin when they decide to not hire a person or when they see a non-white person walking around a nice house in a nice neighborhood? Did Professor Gates overreact? Likely. Did Sergeant Cowley follow proper procedure? Probably. Does Professor Gates have justification for being defiant, defensive and assuming a bunker mentality whenever he might be questioned by police? With the numbers listed above, yes. Why wouldn’t he? He’s an accomplished and highly educated African American male. Why shouldn’t he be defensive and upset when questioned by police at his own home? But again, the people or person that called 911, did they see a Harvard Scholar or just another black male up to no good?