Yes, but it’s important to remember the rest of the story — that it was the Republicans who created these predominantly black, predominantly liberal-Democrat districts by forming coalitions of convenience with black Democrats, who happily colluded in diluting the overall electoral strength of their own party in order to increase their power.

Once these crazily gerrymandered districts were created, you had the spectacle of McKinney and conservative Republicans arm-in-arm, invoking the Voting Rights Act whenever anyone challenged them. There was a lot of shameful behavior — and a lot of ugly, unfounded accusations of racism by extremists in both parties. The European Press and the New York Times, of course, reported these events in the argot of Jim Crow, as ‘Mary’ points out.

This strategy greatly assisted the Republican takeover in Georgia and drove a deeper wedge between rural, moderate, white Democrats and their liberal, urban black counterparts, fragmenting the Democratic Party. McKinney happily hopped into bed with conservative Republicans, and they happily hopped in with her.

Why is this important? Because it perfectly illustrates the way racialized politics destroys real racial progress. By exclusively promoting (and wielding) race over the issues and causes she claimed to stand for as a Progressive Democrat, McKinney gained power at the expense of Democrats of all races in Georgia and at the expense of southern voters, who continue to be held to unique scrutiny under the Voting Rights Act. And guess who re-upped the Voting Rights Act, which only affects voters in certain states, when it was due to expire? George Bush, precisely because it worked to strengthen this style of Republican gerrymandering.

Reckless racial politicking always seems to breed more of the same — until people go off the deep end, like McKinney did. She started out as a bright, energetic legislator, albeit of an old-school political machine. And she ended up bobbing around in a boat off the Gaza Strip, hurling accusations of racism at Israelis and Americans and the West.

Shame on everyone, including George Bush and Karl Rove, who made her journey so eminently possible.

Facts:
Israel has commited war crimes against the US Navy: google USS Liberty (it doesn’t matter if you believe the lie that they thhought it was Egyptian – they machine – gunned lifeboats – WAR CRIME)
Google me this:
israelis bombs mexican parliament (that is if you have any intellectual integrity)

Google me this:
Lavon Affair

Youtube this:
911 Israeli spies (huh – they didnt tell us it was coming???)

Not nice!

Facts:

Bombs were fired out of Gaza in to Israel – continuously. They were NOT harmless bombs.

Bombs were fired out of Gaza to Egypt – continuously.

Tunnels were dug under the border of Gaza and Egypt. The cry for humanitarian aid being denied makes no sense. If bombs could be smuggled into Gaza via tunnels – and there is proof they were – then why wasn’t food and medical supplies for the starving children also smuggled? Or were they?

Israel got tired of being bombed continuously. Egypt got tired of being bombed continuously. Years ago, Jordan got tired of being bombed and threatened by suicide bombers so they threw these Arabs who lived in Gaza out. (They did more than that but I’ll let you read about it on your own.)

Those Jews in the Ghettos NEVER bombed the Nazis who were outside the Ghetto. If the Gazans had NOT bombed Israel, then this war would not have begun.

Palistine is the name the ancient Romans gave to that part of the Middle East. Everyone – present day Jews, Egyptians, Jordanians, Iraqi – plus – can be considered people who have lived in Palistine – Palistinians. It is not the name of a people – but a place. Those Arabs in Gaza are as Palistinian as the Jews, Egyptians, etc. are. History is being ignored or rewritten so that there is a reason for Arab militants to further their cause to destroy Israel. Hamas has held these people hostage. They are the ones who need to be held accountable.