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Only the Good Ole Boys of the GOP, after abandoning Chairman Michael Steele's urban-suburban hip-hop strategy, would attempt to solidify and expand their African-American support by embracing the one black man in the country who is bold enough to give voice to his Islamophobia. It says to independent voters. "Look! It's not just white, radical, Tea Party activists who are racist! Black people are too!"
Or does it?
YouCut.com is a website that allows Conservatives to vote on which items should be cut from the congressional budget. The winning item is offered to the full House for an up-or-down vote, enabling constituents to see where their representative stands on various priorities. The platform is simple and allows a level of transparency previously absent from the Republican agenda.
"This week's winning YouCut proposal is sponsored by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO), and would terminate all taxpayer funding of National Public Radio (NPR),saving taxpayers potentially tens of millions of -- perhaps even over a hundred million -- dollars," read a release from Rep. Eric Cantor's (R-Va.) office. "Implementing this initiative would signal that the days of bailing out irresponsible decision-makers at taxpayers' expense are over.
The primary purpose of this measure was to protest the firing for Williams for the controversial statements he made on The O'Reilly Factor, with Cantor making clear "it is not the government's job to tell a news organization how to do its job. But what's equally certain is it should not be the taxpayers' responsibility to fund news organizations with a partisan point of view."
Let's be clear: This is Republican maneuvering at its finest. What wasn't said is a majority 'yes' vote on defunding NPR would also be a 'yes' vote for defunding all public radio and TV programs -- including PBS -- which are funded with over $400 million in direct federal handouts and tax deductions for contributions made by individual viewers, as well as various state grants and subsidies.
NPR chimed in with this statement:
"Federal funding has been a central component of public radio stations' ability to serve audiences across the country," says NPR. "It's imperative for funding to continue to ensure that this essential tool of democracy survives and thrives well into the future."
While Democrats shot down the long-shot initiative with a vote of 239-171, and the vague underlying threat of governmental media suppression averted, a larger issue lingers:
Have the Republicans stumbled upon a noble cause? Is supporting Juan Williams actually the right thing to do? It is true that Juan Williams made the following statement:
"...political correctness can lead to some kind of paralysis where you don't address reality I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."
But it is also true that his fears were placed into context when he elaborated on his anxiety:
"But I think there are people who want to somehow remind us all as President Bush did after 9/11, it's not a war against Islam. President Bush went to a mosque... if you said Timothy McVeigh, the Atlanta bomber, these people who are protesting against homosexuality at military funerals, very obnoxious, you don't say first and foremost, we got a problem with Christians. That's crazy."
So why is Mr. Williams being vilified? Why is that when Don Imus or Dog "The Bounty Hunter" utter blatant obscenities against African-American people, they are excused, forgiven, and returned to their positions? Yet, Shirley Sherrod and Williams dare to speak on hidden prejudices that have been shaped by our experiences in this country, and they are cast as racist, evil, black people who should be burned at the stake.
Yes, it is wrong for Mr. Williams to feel that way, but it was honest. Not only did he address a very real fear that numerous Americans have, no matter how unfounded, he admitted that it was wrong, and acknowledged that his internal bias needed to be addressed.
However, it was proven long ago that where "political correctness" is concerned, at least when it comes to such outspoken figures as Juan Williams, and the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and Shirley Sherrod, or even the President of the United States -- if you happen to be an African American, avoiding race is the safest way not to lose your supporters and throw away your career.
Sadly, most of the censor has come from African Americans so quick to prove that we are above racism that even organizations such as the NAACP will distance themselves from honest racial discourse that has the potential to show black people not as the victim, but the perpetrator.
Honesty is not always easy.
The Republican Party may be using Mr. Williams as a pawn, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. The illumination of this issue will hopefully spawn an honest, long overdue debate about race that black people need to have...with ourselves.
Comments: (22)
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By: what! on 11/20/2010 12:43AM
Savali,WHAT???
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By: bruceshelaby on 11/22/2010 11:48AM
WOWOWOWOW“....！！！~~~~ B l a c k W h i t e S i n g l e 。。c 00o m ~~~ which is a hot community for whites and blacks to find their interracial love.,there has been thousands of single members online and many black and white single girls or guys waitting for you maybe you will like it.
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By: Beatrice on 11/22/2010 9:13PM
When black people act racist, it makes me want to be white.
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By: sshng7 on 11/30/2010 7:04AM
Who could have predicted that when Juan Williams (above) revealed his prejudicial fear of Muslims he would become the "Joe the Plumber" of the First Amendment? Not I, but in the Republican Party, all things are possible.I am an Air Force and single at present .I need a woman who can love me back ..I also uploaded my hot photos on militaryloves.c om under the name of hoho212..It's the largest and best club for seeking Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Police Force, and the admirers of those who wear the uniform.I just hope you don't mind me being a soldier ...Please Check it out!I'm serious.
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By: Derek on 4/11/2011 6:16PM
When, oh when, will the black race quit voting like a flock of sheep, grow some b*lls and say "no" to their Masters in the Democratic Party? Republicans and Libertarians want you all to make it on your own merits, whereas Democrats continue shoving handouts and entitlements down your throats. Yet, for whatever reason, you continue to lap up their handouts-for-votes like a cat laps up its milk. Well, a cat isn't supposed to have milk, and human beings aren't supposed to accept handouts. Members of the two-party system are nothing more than corporate puppets for their Masters, and it will only change when certain things begin to happen (i.e., blacks consistently voting as one singular person such as they do is a big problem in this country and does no good for anyone). Quit being the flock of sheep you vote as and start thinking independently and for youself!
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By: Marztinez on 11/20/2010 4:30PM
Beatrice,
Your misguided anger/criticism is part of the answer to what is wrong with black folk. Let's see, you first start out labeling the President a whitey wannabe. Well, he is white as well as black. Thereofre,who are you to tell him which race he should identify with? Blacks didn't get him elected, so he doesn't owe black folk anything. By they way, explain what a white wannabe is..your were very vague. You go on to criticize Mrs. Obama's clothing and hair style choices and even here little stint in the garden. Let's put this into perspective miss fashion expert. The very clothing you wear, from your panties and panty hose to the dew rag that you wear around your Knappy Africana scalp, is made by whitey, and I'm sure your black behind wasn't what they had in mind when they created the prints. They same go for the little accessories,ie.Coach, Doonie etc..in which you gleefully spend your black dollars on,to make you feel special. Even the weave you sistas wear, and i'm sure you have it,is made by whom?? And it comes from where??? Not black folk "BAMA"!!! And your perm serves what purpose??? To make your hair look strait like "whitey's". So you see, you are as much of a disgrace to the race as she is if you want to go down that road. As for the garden,what was she supposed to plant, collard greens and cotton??? And I supposed they should have did the "BUS STOP" at the Inagural Ball and thrown a BBQ in the Rose Garden to prove their blackness. And yet, you still would have criticized. You can't possibly be that that shallow. Ya see, the problem with black folk like you and Williams is that you don't know whether you're coming or going. Sometimes, a silent mouth totes a wise head. He is spouting the same racist venom that whitey has been spouting off and continues to spout off about black folk. Blacks have been terrorized by whitey for centuries, nevertheless, does he (Williams) feel uncomfortable when whitey gets on the plane and sit in the cockpit??? Yet he feels a so called sense of danger from a people that has never did anything against the African American. If a white woman would have said to him, I hold on to my purse when a black man/woman stands beside me, he would have been offended. Why,because all black folk doesn't steal. It's not about speeking the truth, but about being sensitive to other races just as blacks have wanted others to be sensitive to their plight. And ya know what's really funny, Williams speeks about the Muslims as if blacks are held in a higher regard than Muslims are. What a naive black man. The bottom line is, the Obamas is not the problem. It's silly blacks like yourself who can't seem to recognize an opportunity to push forward. Instead you look for reasons to complain about foolishness instead of building each other up, now that's disgraceful and whitey knows blacks will always be dependable in that regard.
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By: Rene on 11/20/2010 5:46PM
Blacks come in all colors, ranging from Midnight Sky, to Marble White and every shade in between. Our eyes may be brown, green, or blue. Our hair tightly curled to naturally flowing to the hips and beyond. Why is it that we tear each other down for some of the STUPIDEST THINGS? We work against ourselves trying to PROVE our Blackness. We rip those who recognize their Blackness, yet embrace other cultures, and different ideas. Some of our bi-racial children are torn between love for their White, Hispanic, Or Asian fathers and mothers (President Obama..remember?), and what they hear in the media that caters to a predominately African-American audience. Juan Williams is entitled to his OPINION. HE IS STILL A PROUD BLACK MAN. HIS POLITICS WILL NEVER TAKE THAT AWAY. AND NOT EVERY BLACK PERSON WHO MAY BE A REPUBLICAN OR WHATEVER IS ANY LESS BLACK EITHER. If it's good enough to tell our children to recognize different people, respect them, and watch what they say, we adults should walk the walk as well.
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By: KingCast on 11/20/2010 6:43PM
GOP are jerks and they hate free press, Senator Kelly Ayotte and GOP sued for threatening black reporter with arrest three times, in violation of NAACP v. Thompson 648 F.Supp. 195 D.Md.,1986.
http://tinyurl.com/2fqr3kw
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By: HaFAA on 11/21/2010 5:17AM
The person that wrote this article must be deluded to try and justify Juan Williams comments as being 'honest'. A lot of people may be worried about Muslims but based on some terrorists whom may I add have killed more Muslims back in their own countries than non-Muslim victims of terrorism put together, it doesn't mean that you can go around and say the things that Juan Williams said because it was 'honest'. I respect his opinion but he's a public figure and sometimes being 'honest' isn't the best thing.
And as for people not doing much when people make racist comments towards blacks, in cases that's true unfortunately but it won't go unnoticed ! We are the most powerful minorty remember that!
This is coming from someone who is both Muslim and black so I've got it twice as bad!
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By: Herby-J on 11/20/2010 10:58PM
juan williams can't serve two master
npr & fox! ps he is a big ass hole!
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