‘Fred Barnes, Karl Rove, Who Cares? Call Them Racists’
For a long time, while the bias in the media has always been obvious, I’ve always assumed that it was something in the water around the media coolers — that these people all lived in a self-reinforcing cocoon, marinating in confirmation bias, in which the correct attitudes were subtly rewarded and the incorrect ones not-so-subtly punished. If someone had told me that they actively conspired to drive the message, trumpet and even make up stories that served their narrative, and suppress those that didn’t, or undermined it, I would have said that it was both unnecessary and that even they weren’t that stupid.
But now, even without Breitbart having to pay the hundred Gs, the contents of the JournoList are starting to dribble out, and it’s not a pretty picture.
During the campaign, it almost looked as though there were a media conspiracy to avoid discussion of Jeremiah Wright. Well, now we know why. Simply put, there literally was.
But the ugliest thing is this:
Spencer Ackerman of the Washington Independent urged his colleagues to deflect attention from Obama’s relationship with Wright by changing the subject. Pick one of Obama’s conservative critics, Ackerman wrote, “Fred Barnes, Karl Rove, who cares — and call them racists.”
Emphasis mine.
Again, it was always obvious that this was their tactic when confronted with dissident views, but also again, one would have assumed that this was just the way their minds worked (if that’s not being too generous a word) — not that they actively conspired among themselves to employ this odious tactic, which I’m glad to see that even some of them abjured when it was proposed so blatantly (though it seems more because they thought it would be ineffective than because they thought it was wrong).
In light of these new revelations, and the blatant displays of racism by those who accuse others of it (even if one buys the absurd leftist notion that one must have the power to be a racist, if a government bureaucrat doesn’t have power over a supplicating farmer, or a uniformed man slapping a baton doesn’t have power over an unarmed voter, who does?), it seems safe to say that the former epithet “racist” has been completely devalued at this point by the left. As a commenter to Ed Driscoll’s post on CNN creating a “Wright-Free Zone” one week after praising Wright’s racially obsessed speech to the NAACP notes:
McCain was a weak and bumbling candidate. He didn’t articulate ANY of the issues particularly well. Palin got skewered daily and his defense of her was faint, often nearly invisible. Either take her and defend her … or choose someone else.
However, the entrenched media would have played the “racist” card … which they have now ADMITTED is a fraudulent tactic used for the purposes of distraction and distortion … and McCain would have been helpless against it.
As are ALL non-leftists. The conspiracy to use the charge of racism as a weapon AGAINST the truth is out in the open. It’s much more important to address that issue going forward … AND the rest of the entrenched media’s conspiracy, in my opinion, than to ponder what improvement an otherwise weak and feeble McCain candidacy would have enjoyed, if only … he had dared to stare down the conspiracy mounted against him … and “manned up” on the Wright issue.
In my opinion, they would have circled the wagons and crushed him and he would have folded like an Origami cutout kitten in their wake.
One man can’t stand up to this. And, if EVERY good person doesn’t take a stand, on perhaps the greatest disgrace in this nation in our lifetime, this story will be killed off and die. And, our national integrity along with it.
Perhaps it’s time to finish the job, and own the word, proudly.
Let’s see Jessie Jackson is not a racist Big Al Sharpton is not a racist. The NAACP is not a racist organization, but the TEA Party is racist organization. La Raza? No? I call BS on all of them and Obama I call BS on him too.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4288023/racial-double-standard-in-white-house/
Spencer Ackerman of the Washington Independent urged his colleagues to deflect attention from Obama’s relationship with Wright by changing the subject. Pick one of Obama’s conservative critics, Ackerman wrote, “Fred Barnes, Karl Rove, who cares — and call them racists.”
I wonder if there’s an opportunity here. It’s very hard to win a libel case. From what I’ve read, you have to prove malice. That comment above sounds rather like malice to me. It’d be interesting if someone who was accussed of racism by one of the JournaList members sued for libel and demanded access to the list archives during the discovery process. Who knows what other lies would be found there. This could do a lot of damage to the list members and it couldn’t happen to a more deserving bunch of people.
You also have to prove harm. However if the slander placed upon you is an illegal activity it is “slander per se” and you don’t have to prove you were harmed. Now this is a stretch but discriminating against someone based on race is illegal, does being called racist meet this test?
According to liberal theology, being a racist is one of the worst things a person can be. It places someone completely outside of polite society.
No self respecting person would have business relationships with a racist, or allow their children to play with the children of a racist.
I would say that they themselves prove that the the charge of racism is defacto harm. They wouldn’t be making it if they didn’t believe so.
‘Racism’ is technically a belief that science somehow proves that one race is superior to others. Science proves that races are different from one another, but doesn’t make value-judgments. In practice, racism today is when white people respond in any way to provocations from non-white people. I’m wondering why accusations of acts in self-defense would be libelous.
I watched whoever it was from the NAACP race baiting the Tea Party on CNN. The only reason I saw it was because the low class motel in the east coast back woods only had CNN as a news channel. (At least they had access to the truth on the internet.) The #1 commenter referred to Jesse Jackson and does anyone remember during the election when the tape was revealed of what Jesse Jackson called then candidate Obama? Now if anyone from the other side had said that what a storm it would have created.
It’s simple folks, Ackerman and the other “journalists” who engage in the Alinsky inspired behavior of attempted character destruction to further insulate their chosen radical leftist candidate from condemnation for consorting with bigots, are themselves bigots. They are coconspirators in a cover up and in abetting a lie.
It is interesting as to whether NYT vs Sullivan permits this behavior, it smacks of being malicious. It would be something else if the revelation generated defamation litigation by one of the victims against Ackerman and the other participating ‘Journolists’.
Times v Sullivan is crap. The First Amendment never protected lies, pornography, libel/slander, or fighting words. What the Court did in Sullivan was to remove the Common Law/Constitutional protections of libel/slander law from targets of the press. Totally bogus. If somebody had ridden the Sullivan majority out of town on a rail, we’d be closer to the Founders’ America than we are today. Important questions like freedom v. slavery are never settled except by violence or the believable threat of violence. You can look it up, it’s called ‘history’.
Watch out there, Rand. If you’re not careful with your words someone’s likely to accuse you of — well, you know.
By the way, the Shirley Sherrod affair (which at first glance seemed pretty clearcut) seems now to be a bit contextually-challenged.
Odd business, that. Someone reportedly posted a YouTube video that seems to’ve intentionally omitted the I-was-wrong part of Sherrod’s speech, which she claims was the whole point of her admissions. Elsewhere I read that the incident pre-dated her government service. This was taken up by Fox and others and the pilloried gal was told to resign.
So what we have NOW (in the views of some) is a purported case of the Evil Teabaggers (whoever they are) getting this poor woman fired by means of a deliberate propaganda lie. Fingers will point all directions, and likely nobody will gain any ground.
Meanwhile I’m left with just ONE question, which I think is the only one of any importance. Precisely WHO was it that produced and posted that video? I’m short of time to go on that hunt at this particular moment, and I wonder if you’d consider it a good subject for your efforts.
If you go to Breitbart’s site, you’ll see that the title of the story is “Video Proof: The NAACP Awards Racism – 2010.” The focus of the story is the approval the audience gave to Ms. Sherrod’s story of her initial unwillingness to help someone because the man was white.
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.
The primary focus of condemnation in the article is the NAACP more than Ms. Sherrod.
My point was that, even if she is to be commended for her later repentance (and I’m happy to do that), her act was racist, even by the postmodernists’ definition.
Yes, by her own words, her hesitancy to help the farmer was due to racial considerations. My point is that Breitbart’s primary focus of his article from the title on down is to show how the NAACP (or at least the NAACP audience) approves of racism when it is against whites. He’s making this point to directly counter the NAACP’s statement about the Tea Party movement being racist.
I’m not a religious person, but Matthew 7:5 addresses Brietbart’s point about the NAACP.
“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Interestingly, until I looked up that verse, I had no idea how many different translations and commentaries on the Bible existed. The one I selected is the International Standard Version from 2008.
Whenever I do a Bible study, I try to read each verse in several different translations. People forget how difficult it can be to get an accurate translation that carries ALL of the nuances of the original language. In many cases, a full translation is impossible, or only possible if you include side bars that try to expound on the nuances.
It’s a half assed mia culpa: “I was speaking to that group, like I’ve done many groups, and I tell them about a time when I thought the issue was race and race only” when it was about race and poverty.
“I was speaking to that group, like I’ve done many groups, and I tell them about a time when I thought the issue was race and race only”
And the group loved it (listen to their response). That’s the biggest problem.
Sorry. This woman’s defense is that she learned that the ‘struggle’ wasn’t between blacks and whites, but between rich and poor. I repeat, this was her defense. Having some G-ddam bureaucrat discriminate against me because I have more money than her doesn’t seem that much better than having her discriminate against me because I’m white.
While we’re on the subject of Bible quotes: “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.” Leviticus 19:15
Scum. That aptly describes “journalists” like Spencer Ackerman. They do for the profession of journalism what the pedophiles have done for the Catholic priesthood – they are no better and are capable of doing nearly the same kind irreparable harm. Posing as independent, unbaised professionals is nothing more than a lie – and those who participate are nothing but liars. Like you Spence – may I call Spence? It’s so disgusting. I don’t know if the profession will ever right itself and regain public trust. As of now, the profession certainly doesn’t deserve it.
I call everyone with any opinion now a racist. It doesn’t matter what the conversation, what the argument, everyone but me is a racist. The only way to get rid of this word in our arguments is to make the word meaningless. Try it…it’s great so liberating to finally turn the tables.
A key strategy of Obama’s political tactics – is racism. He ran the 2008 campaign with race as a basic axiom.
He cannot handle dissent, questions or criticism of any kind, and his first tactic to deflect it – is accusations of racism. His minions are busy now with such accusations against the Tea Party, Republicans – any and all.
Obama polarizes people; he manipulates them and reduces their individual power by openly telling them that any criticisms they may have against Him, are due to their own ignorance or, to their biases. Political, ethnic, religious or racial bias.
He is currently setting up the 2010 and 2012 election races within the perspective of race. As noted, he defines the Tea Party as racist and anti-black; his lawsuit against Arizona is pure racism, for he is after the hispanic vote and is ignoring the federal duty to secure the borders. He defines any vote that rejects increasing govt dependents as ‘racist’; that’s his current health care agenda and unemployment agenda – to increase government dependents..and votes.
He is probably the most dangerous and demogogic president the US has ever had. Watch him incite racial riots and declare martial law.
EXACTLY. And very well put. It’s too bad that so many people are still blinded to these facts. Hopefully, they will wake up before it’s really too late, though, I’m afraid, that time is coming much sooner than anyone thinks.
Yes, it is the 29th day
We are already out of design margin. It is all over. The ONLY question is how much can we slow the growth of the monster of the state? How long can we forestall the inevitable debt crash?
Not long. “Buy more ammo”
You’re just suspicious because of his middle name.
Racist.
It seems that the time has come for some new bumper stickers:
I am a proud Al Sharpton certified RACIST
I am a proud Michael Moore certified MORON
I am a proud Cathy Couric certified IDIOT
I am a proud MSNBC certified CUCUMBER
Ladies and gentlemen, start your keyboards…
mmmmm, seems a little flimsy. MOST racists are republicans, so let’s not get carried away here.
Prove it. And provide substantive evidence, meaning no NAACP press releases, HuffPo pieces, or similar leftward-biased stuff.
Good call. Those Republicans, who maintain against all logic that minorities are capable of competing with everyone else are racists. The Democrats, who hold that those people (we know who we’re talking about, wink wink) cannot get into good schools or find good jobs unless requirements are reduced or even waived are not. Not even Exalted Cyclops Byrd, the one who filibustered the Civil Rights Act was racist.
Racist? That your A Game, you wienie? That the best you got, you whining puke?
You screw up your little face, drum your little heels on the floor, pound your little fists of rage against your thighs, and invoke the magical leftist talisman that causes all to shrink into abject self recrimination?
Waaaaaacist!!!!!!
Shriek away. All you’re showing is that you are too lazy and stupid to defend your position.
It seems that kevin (with a small k) has come in here, thrown his blind punch, and probably peed his pants as he ran away. Don’t come back little boy unless you want to grow up and leave your immature ideals behind.
Blindly believe what you want but when you grow up, you’ll realize that the real racists are the people you’ve been listening to and following the advice of.
I, too, say PROVE IT with FACTS.
Don’t anyone hold your breaths for little kevin to answer. His kind always performs these “drive – by” swipes and then runs for cover. Kind of like the cowards and bullies of our grade-school years…
Most leftists have stagnated at about grade-school level, so “kevin” is typical.
Oh, “kevin,” if you want proof of that claim, your own hit-and-run tactics will be Exhibit A. (evil grin)
Post-Racial America? Part Two
President Obama promised Americans that if he were elected, this nation would experience “a post-racial society” for the first time in our history. As with so many other of his changes and buzz words, he never bothered to define what he meant by “post-racial.”
It was widely assumed that he meant that he would work to accomplish that which Dr. Martin Luther King only dreamed of, “a nation where men will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
More relevant today is another quotation, “When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me,” because any white person who believed Obama and his administration would strive to effect a truly color-blind society would have to be considered a total ass.
Indeed, what we have witnessed in only the first 18 months of Obama World has been the absolute antithesis of color-blindness and post-racialism. It’s been more like retribution time and payback time; reparations time can’t be too far down the road. . .
(read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=1795)
Remember: A racist is a Conservative who’s beating a liberal in an argument
Nothing more.
You’re being too complex. To a leftist, a racist is a conservative. Full stop.
Maybe not, since the ability of a conservative to beat a liberal in an argument is usually taken as a given.
…it seems safe to say that the former epithet “racist” has been completely devalued at this point by the left.
That’s the point.
Racism, being a species of collectivism, must eventually return home — to the Left, a fundamentally collectivist movement.
They know this. They know that the myth of the Left as “anti-racist” was concocted by Leftist intellectuals in the aftermath of World War II as damage control, and that they can’t keep the mask on forever. They needed to keep it there long enough until those who knew WWII and Hitler as news rather than history, become too few in number to matter.
That time is now upon us, and time for the Left is short. Their goal for the past four decades has been to scramble and devalue the mainstream concept of what actual racism is, badly enough that when the mask finally comes off completely, the mainstream reaction to the few voices that scream “racism” for good reason will be an indifferent, irritated yawn. “Aw hell, for all I know everyone’s racist. Who am I to know?”
Fred Barnes, Karl Rove, Who Cares? Call Them Racists’
If I have one objection at all, it is how the Left successfully works to pull the opposition offside by intentionally generating bullsh!t.
It’s time to laugh at all these people, like the NAACP under the new tutelage of its new brain dead (“seeking my 15 minutes of fame”) 37 year old guy, Ben Jealous.
I think whenever anyone tries to label you a racist, say it is the new word for “Patriot.”
Grabski,
I like your answer.
Hey Rand, I thought that photograph was you … but it’s apparently Ackerdolt. When did the format change from putting up the writer’s picture like they still do in the newspapers?
Sign me,
Another Racisct
It has never been PJM’s policy to put up writer’s pictures with the articles.
(holding hand up),,, me too.
2012 can’t come too soon.
Here is what the NAACP should deal with. These are real people, committing real crimes, mostly against THEIR people. They need to forget about a few signs at Tea Parties and worry about this. 13% of the population, 40% of the serious crimes, 90% of the victims.
http://www.thugreport.com/
Definition of a racist?
Someone who is winning an argument with a liberal.
I remember when everything was done, “For fairness.”
I remember when everything was done, “For the children.”
I suspect that the new motivator for electoral success was to be, “To fight racism,” but the Jeffersonian ideal of the internet derailed the power behind that accusation.
It makes me happy that the information got out, and a little sad to see that such blatant manipulation still causes such consternation and feelings of guilt in good, kind, people. This article, and the feelings behind it, give me hope that we may actually be able to move into a post-racial America. To become a people that can laugh off the race-baiters, and judge with a guilt-free eye the people we see.
Mostly I’m happy that voters now have a chance to see how they are manipulated, and can finally fight back.
No. 10 Kevin: …”Most racists are republican…” is what you have been told by liberals, and you apparently believed it without questioning it. Republicans/conservatives are concerned about ideas; liberals have no ideas so they need distractions of which “racism” is the cheapest, easiest and least creative. Did it ever occur to you that obsessing about race is in fact racism? I once told a Black woman who was complaining about racism that I, a white male, was a proud racist because I gave my full support to any member of the HUMAN race.
Where else but in Obama’s AFFIRMATIVE ACTION America would you have a RACIST Attorney General who REFUSES to charge the blatant Black racist voter intimidators the New Black Panthers against whom there there is incontrovertible visual and recorded evidence and who the RACIST NAACP ignores and instead cries RACIST at the Tea Party with NO evidence whatsoever.
I just read that now that after 18 months of Obambi 26% of GOVERNMENT Jobs are filled by Blacks who only form 13% of the Population. Time for some AFFIRMATIVE ACTION for White People as it seems as though they are being DISCRIMINATED against by this Government. I mean how many times have the AFFIRMATIVE ACTION moonbats used the idiotic ‘REPRESENTATIVE proportion” argument to over recruit and promote Blacks???
There was a time when I like most ‘thinking’ Brits wished the UK would act and Govern itself far more like America DID. Now however with the final surrender by the STUPID naive, gullible , hysterical majority of US Voters and a pathetic left wing biased Lame Stream Media the USA is the LEAST of the Countries I would like UK to emulate.
We do indeed have a ‘full on’ moonbat SOCIALIST Government in UK even though they call themselves Conservatives but they do not hold a candle to the RACIST , Left Wing, Islamophile, Western Democracy hating, antisemitic, anti White , debt ridden , AFFIRMATIVE ACTION REGIME being installed and inflicted on America by the BOGUS POTUS and his acolytes .
The average British voter is not as dumb as the average American voter and they have largely seen through the Obama MYTH all except the dyed in the wool moonbats, Racists and left wing idiots . As can be readily seen by reading lead articles and readers comments in most British Newspapers which puts the pathetic biased American Lame Stream Media and populace to SHAME.
A racist is a conservative who has just entered the room.
The left is losing the GOP-Conservatives-Sexist battle with Sarah Palin. So now because Sarah Palin is a woman but still “White”, is the race card that they are pulling out. We need all those minority conservatives to start speaking up and show up so we can send those minions home.
I declare myself an unabashed racist. I’m white and I celebrate my race the most accomplished and enlightened group on the planet. Look around the world and compare the achievements of us white folks with those of the non-whites. It’s no contest. And please don’t drag up all the negatives of white behaviour over the centuries. Simply compare them to our fellow non-whites and on the horror scale we’ll still come out ahead as less cruel and barbarous. So give up the guilt wallows and celebrate our greatness.
You are also an unabashed idiot.
You forget the acheivements of the Chinese, who had an advanced civilization while our ancestors were still living in hide covered huts.
You forget the acheivements of the S. Americans, who around 1000AD, had cities larger than anything in Europe 500 years later.
You forget about the acheivements of the Egyptians and Babylonians, who invented the concept of civilization in the first place.
You forget about the handicaps that the Africans had to deal with. An almost complete lack of navigable rivers and quality ports. A climate that did not permit large scale agriculture, without which large scale civilization is pretty much impossible.
Why don’t you try learning a little bit about history and stop embarrasing the rest of us.
You forget the acheivements of the Chinese, who had an advanced civilization while our ancestors were still living in hide covered huts.
Define ‘advanced’. Early Western civilization appears to predate China. African and Indian rhinoceri are still suffering from ‘advanced’ Chinese medicine. Just because it’s weird to 21st century folk, doesn’t make it ‘advanced’.
You forget the acheivements of the S. Americans, who around 1000AD, had cities larger than anything in Europe 500 years later.
I’m sorry, you’re talking about the people who couldn’t quite grasp the significance of the wheel, right? The people who were still living in those not-quite-bronze-age cities when Europeans arrived in the Americas, right?
You forget about the acheivements of the Egyptians and Babylonians, who invented the concept of civilization in the first place.
The poster you take offense to was pointing out the accomplishments of ‘whites’–caucasians. Egyptians and Babylonians are in that family.
You forget about the handicaps that the Africans had to deal with. An almost complete lack of navigable rivers and quality ports. A climate that did not permit large scale agriculture, without which large scale civilization is pretty much impossible.
Sub-Saharan Africans lived in a climate similar to that of the S. Americans you lauded earlier. When Europeans colonized Africa they didn’t seem to see these things as ‘handicaps’. They managed to farm, to ship, and to build large cities.
Why don’t you try learning a little bit about history and stop embarrasing the rest of us.
Just because history doesn’t make us all look equal doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Very well said Mark. You trully are GREAT. millie stinks to me of being a vicious troll.
NAACP: Corrupt organization of black racist Liberals.
Back in 1995 NBC aired a report that Phil Gram was a rasist with reported ties to the Arryan Nation. Thing is Wendy Gramm Senator Gramm’s wife is an adopted Korean War Orphan. NBC’s Tom Brokaw took steps to see that did not happen. There were probabley three or four percent of the population who knew what they were doing but the WWW was only two years old and there MSM could get away with any lie. (Two Years later they saved Clintonn.)
The point is that there is no limits to MSM lies about racism.
I’ve decided that liberals screaming ‘racism’ at the drop of a hat is like a little child screaming ‘mommy’s mean, mommy’s mean’ when she want give the kid exactly what he wants. There’s no real discussion of the issue at hand (billy you might get hurt playing with the loaded gun) – its just the kid trying to denigrate mommy into compliance with his wishes.
LIBERAL: “You’re a racist!”
ME: “Yes. And you’re a child molester.”
Play them off, Keyboard Cat.
Why are we worrying more about what was said that we are about the fact that this is the second genuine left-wing conspiracy to come to light.
The first was the collusion of left wing scientists to alter/hide/misrepresent data to promote the AGW theory and the leftist remedies that accompany that theory.
Now we have this. These are not fake conspiracies like the truthers wallow in–you can tell. Real conspiracies don’t stay hidden.
They are more important that who called who racist.
Mark and Steve G, far from being a vicious troll I do not resort to vile insulting nonsense. If I want to celebrate white accomplishments that’s my choice and if you don’t like it that’s yours. BTW I happen to be a inguistics professor who has been a government consultant published abouit a dozen textbooks and authored an educational software system – all under my maiden name which I use professionally not my married name which I post under. Both of you should, Mark and Steve G., need some anger management as well as common politesse.
Mark and Steve G, you both need some anger management as well as a dollop of politesse. The bash whitey meme might make you feel all warm and fuzzy but since I am a linguistics professor with degrees and publications galore and you two are rude young men I won’t rub your noses in my credentials or my right to hold and express an opinion. I don’t particularly like your views but long experience of brainwashed academic know-nothings allows me to deal with your types with a shrug. BTW I post here under my married name and not the one I use professionally so don’t bother googling Millie Woods.
It’s far more likely that you’re just another sock puppet for one of the handful of trolls that gets their jollies bothering us here.
A linguistics professor would have a much better grasp of spelling, grammar and punctuation than you’ve exhibited. Next time try a different cover profession… “community organizer” seems to fit your mental capacity.
Now go on back to KOS and proclaim how you told us all.
Yes indeed. Someone is splashing around in the Modern Liberal Cesspool.
“…publications galore…”
Persons Galore.
when i was 6 y/o in catholic school patricia & her sister were the only black kids in my school. those wacky God-fearing nuns treated them like dirt.they were brutal. at age 10 while in a spelling bee, a boy slugged me in the back & called me a dirty spic. i had no idea what that meant but i have never forgotten his name.(forgive/never forget) now I’m called the racist cuz i have a different worldview, because i can think for myself, discern truth & like guns! WOW, its a grand time to be alive in America.
Ackerman, Alterman, Krugman, Conason, etc, etc. Who cares? Just call them fascists.
(The National Association of White People) Wouldn’t that be racist?
We should change the conversation to issues of consequence and governance.
Explain to everyone that the government that governs least governs best.
Rise above this distraction.
I think I love you. Thank you for writing this article!
Is Fred Barnes a racist?
Well, I can’t know for sure, but I know that I’ve disliked him since the late 80′s, when I attended something called “The National Young Leaders Conference” in Washington, DC, which gathered high-school students interested in politics from across the country.
Barnes and several other journalists spoke to our group at The National Press Club, and afterwards made themselves available for further discussion with any students who wanted to approach them.
I (a black h.s. senior) got on line to speak to Barnes, and while I was a little startled by how nastily he responded to an Arab-American kid in front of me who brought up Middle Eastern politics, lighting into him about how Palestinians had to civilize themselves before the world cared about their concerns, with a venomous tone that left the kid dazed and confused at how harshly this respected and much older journalist had spoken to him, I tried to put this unpleasantness aside and when it was my turn to speak to him, I approached with a grin.
I mentioned my love of The McLaughlin Group, which was very popular at the time and where Barnes was a regular panelist, and asked him something related to the show… he reacted with icy disdain, and answered with borderline hostility… it was such a strange reaction to a young person who had shown interest in part of his work, especially as he was presumably at this event because he wanted to interact with young people.
I most certainly wondered on that day if he exhibited such bizarre hostility to any young white fans who approached him, especially at an event like this where such an approach should logically be welcomed.
Oh, and if any of you are going to tell me that Barnes couldn’t possibly be a racist because he’s a fan of Thomas Sowell’s work, please save your breath… I’m sure that many white racists are big fans of Sowell’s work.