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The National Tea Party Federation, a group that represents the interests of Tea Party movements across America, has just expelled a prominent conservative commentator for making racially divisive remarks. Mark Williams (pictured), spokesman for the Tea Party Express, earned the ire of his colleagues when he wrote a racially insensitive blog post this past weekend.
Tea Party Federation spokesperson David Webb said that Williams and the Tea Party Express are no longer part of the Tea Party Federation:
"We, in the last 24 hours, have expelled Tea Party Express and Mark Williams from the National Tea Party Federation because of the letter that he wrote," Webb said.
The blog post, which Webb defines as being "clearly offensive," is a fictional letter to Abraham Lincoln called "Colored People." The letter starts off as follows:
Dear Mr. Lincoln, We coloreds 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 Colored People and we demand that it stop!
He also goes on to say that the Tea Party movement can't be racist because it wants to put an end to big-money bailouts for Wall Street. In the words of Williams:
"Bailouts are just big money welfare and isn't that what we want all coloreds 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 coloreds!"
When I heard about Williams' remarks, I was surprised, but only because I could tell he's a novice at this whole "subtle racism thing." Rush Limbaugh would never have been so blatant, because he knows the game of being racist without using language that will publicly indict you.
Williams clearly hasn't learned this lesson, because a letter like this will cause even the strongest conservatives to walk in the other direction. The rule is that you can be racist, as long as you don't use derogatory terms like "colored" or the N-word. Also, your negative statements about people of color must have an alternative explanation, like "I don't like Barack Obama because he's a Nazi, communist and a radical." You can't say you don't like him because you've been socially trained to be petrified of having a black man tell you how to live your life.
There's a famous scene in the movie "Menace to Society." A police officer is interrogating a suspect who trips over his story with a glaring inconsistency. The officer looks the young man in the eye and firmly states, "You know you done f*cked up, don't ya?"
I am reminded of this scene when I think about the recent resolution passed by the NAACP regarding racism within the Tea Party Movement. The Williams incident represents a check-mate on the Tea Party, and NAACP President Ben Jealous (and whoever else is behind this resolution, which was a bit confusing to me) is probably smiling over this one.
At this point, many fair-minded Tea Party members are experiencing a heightened degree of self-consciousness, since most of them truly believe they are not racist. So to have Williams write a letter like this at such a sensitive time was one of the most ill-conceived political moves I've seen in quite a while. His letter proves the NAACP's point very clearly: Racism is a problem within the Tea Party. If your leaders are racist, then what does that say about those who follow?
This is also a win for President Barack Obama, since this strong move by the Tea Party Federation clearly communicates a shift in alliances within the organization. The Tea Party Express is likely the most visible and energetic wing within the Tea Party Federation. For Williams to be quickly expelled over his remarks (and not suspended or simply admonished) sends a signal that the group is serious about cutting ties with its own racism and also willing to cut off its nose to spite its face. Personally, if I were a strategic leader within the Tea Party Federation, I wouldn't have expelled Williams.
I am convinced that there are hundreds of thousands of Tea Partiers (perhaps including David Webb, who is a black spokesperson) who truly believe that this movement has nothing to do with race. These individuals are going to end up disillusioned by those within the organization who have a deep resentment over the fact that a black man is telling them what to do.
There will surely be a strong split within the Tea Party, and the NAACP will end up winning the battle through divide and conquer. The Tea Party is going for the jugular already by demanding that Webb continue to expel other factions of the party that are racist. The problem is that if Webb keeps making such powerful moves and statements, he's going to end up ostracized in the same way as Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele. Both Webb and Steele are perhaps a bit too idealistic to realize exactly what they are dealing with.
This is going to get interesting.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here. 
Comments: (32)
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By: Frank Talk on 7/19/2010 10:17AM
This expelled Tea Party member, like other "white folks," should learn to respect their fathers. Where would 'non-Coloreds' be without the back-breaking and ideological [forced] support of us "Colords?"
Geraldo Rivera recently said he didn't agree with Black Reparations as it makes us more dependent than we already are. That being the case, why do we almost daily give aid to other nations, and give welfare to Wall Street and the [white] like. Still, the makers of this slave wealth have to suffer and swim without financial fins?
This demo[N]cracy is steadily falling; and rightfully so. This tactic of disrespecting and blaming Blacks for all ill-wills is just to keep our females grabbing for their testicles, while making our men, financially wise, "boys."
Don't be mad at us Tea Party. Be mad at your lazy, devilism practicing, enslaving ancestors who came and stole us, thn your great and grandparents for not repatriating us.
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By: alie on 7/19/2010 10:01AM
We get people like joe biden saying the tea party is not racist? maybe joe but has anyone published the tea parties mandate? we know what the KKK mandate is and other facists, we have seen the placards and signs displayed on the street and on websites, next i expect the same comment from president Obama, politicans stop playing political games with people we are not deaf, blind, or stupid politicans these days don't have a back bone like MLK who called a spade a spade!back in the day the people of america would march against the tea party, but not today racism has come out of the wood work with the election of americans first black president, because in their eyes he is not qualified to do the job, mmmmmmmmmmmm I have meet more qualified black people that could do the job than most but they were held back by sceptics! I think the people of the sixties generation had more guts they new when to take on a fight, when can't they say that racism is in the very fabric of american society which it is, instead of mambie pambie statements, are you all worried (both parties about) Mid terms elections or 2012 cops killing innocent people tazering a 57 women in the south and the naacp says nothing? amensty international asking why are they so many african americans in prison? with young black men who should be getting a college education instead of selling drugs, illegal immigrants crossing the border and know planting bombs like iraq, crime and violence out of control,oil leak in the gulf immigrants leaping froging over us and turning around and saying we didn't get any help, help yourself, my reply really!the tea party wanting to put us back in shackles because in american's mindset this is where all blacks belong at the bottom of the heap with a begging bowl and amongst the rubbish heap in section 8. I won't be long before BillW & BillS come on here with there rants or some other nutter with their racist point of view.
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By: JUDY LYNN CLARK FERGUSON on 7/19/2010 11:59AM
WILLIAMS IS IGNORANT AND I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHY THE NAACP HAS ADDRESSED A BUNCH OF IGNORANT PEOPLE.
WHY DID THE SLAVE MASTERS BRING SLAVES TO AMERICA TO BEGIN WITH MARK? I BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS TO "WORK FOR REAL" WITHOUT COMPENSATION. YES, THE LETTER AND THE BILLBOARD WAS OFFENSIVE TO SOME, BUT NOT TO ME BECAUSE I AM COMFORTABLE IN MY PRETTY, PRETTY,PRETTY BROWN SKIN. THE PETA AND ANIMAL ACTIVIST HAS MORE COMPASSION FOR PETS THAN HUMAN LIFE, SO GO TELL THE STORY THAT WE ARE THE PERSECUTED PEOPLE THAT GOD SPOKE ABOUT AND WE WILL, WE WILL RISE ABOVE THE OPPRESSERS IN AMERICA! NO ONE HAS SEEN HELL YET,BUT LET SOMETHING HAPPEN TO OUR PRESIDENT AND ALL HELL WILL BRAKE LOOSE ACROSS THE WORLD. AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE NOT ENTERTAINED THE IGNORANCE OF THE TEA PARTY AND THE NAACP DOES NOT SPEAK FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS THEY SPEAK FOR THEIR NON-PROFIT GROUP, SO GO TELL THAT. MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE TAKEN CHARGE OF THEMSELVES AND DO NOT NEED KKK, OR THE NEW BLACK PANTHER PARTY GROUPS TO SPEAK FOR THEM. THE RACIAL TENSION THAT MARK WANTS HE WILL NOT GET UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING CRAZY THEN IT WILL BE ON. STICKS AND STONES BROKE OUR BONES, SO THEY SHOULD KNOW PICTURES AND WORDS CAN'T HURT US! WE ARE A STRONG PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD JUST AS LONG AS YOU KNOW!
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By: victoria on 7/19/2010 1:22PM
I am sick and tired ofv these insecure white males spilling their hatered of Blacks and other cultures because they are not in full control of the situation! To say Blacks are not entitled because we do or give nothing, that just shows how ignorant that idiot is, because it is in the HIS STORY how we as a people have contributed to this land! Sure there are lazy people , but they come in all colors!! He needs to SHUT UP!!!
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By: alie on 7/19/2010 1:37PM
Just to prove a point remember in the sixties when they boycotted buses and shops and the effect it had on the economy and businesses, wouldn't that be a trip if all people of colour down tools to say you do need us even though you don't want us how quickly supporters of the tea party would shut up!they would quickly see that infact we all need each other regardless of the colour of our skin so that this country would function as the greatest nation on earth, one nation under God.
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By: Mr. Benz the Psychiatrist on 7/19/2010 6:06PM
Alie i'm a white male. My wife is a beautiful woman who happens to be black, and I have to agree with you on this one. My father is a Minister and he marched with the late, great Reverend King. He said he was a true christian who was courageous, and noble gentleman. I think if black people along with people of any color go against bigots, this world would be a much better place. My wife and I would be the first to sign on to such an important and necessary event! God Bless.
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By: david on 7/19/2010 1:55PM
if they start booting all of the racists out of the Tea Party there won't be anyone left.
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By: Mimi on 7/19/2010 7:08PM
LOL!
MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY.
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By: whitey Mcdevil on 7/20/2010 12:46PM
The same senario would ensue if you kicked out all the racists in the naacp and the black panthers. They would be shut down IMMEDIATELY.
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By: Patricia on 7/19/2010 1:58PM
Post-racial the U.S. is not. The Tea Party is no more "racial" than the NAACP. Why is Obama using the group to stir up racism charges? Might it be an election in November where the Dems are going to lose control? Same methods that were used to control the black populations vote in 2008? McCain-White= racism?
Negative reaction to Obama's Progressive/Socialist agenda by the non-colored of course will be considered racism. That's the psycological method African/Americans use to demean any dislike of their agenda. Too many black men in jail = racism. Too many Black unwed mothers = racism. Not enough welfare money to live like kings and queens = racism. Racism is the cause celeb for all the black populations problems. Where are the "answers?" Or will that be avoided while the excuse of racism is used? Remember the white? races evolved from the same DNA stock that the Negro evolved in Africa. We are you! You are we! We are all in this experiment in history and we all have to take responsibility for our lives and for the welfare of this nation!
Wake up Americans Obama is importing enough "illegal" voters to make anyone black or white unneeded in the next election. Racism claims are a ruse to hide the reality.
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