Minorities At Risk For Drowning
Obama Honors Fallen Troops
The conservative sting artists are at it again. A Republican activist used a hidden camera to catch NPR fund-raising executive Ron Schiller (pictured) saying that the Tea Party Movement consists of "seriously racist" people.
Schiller was also caught saying that NPR would be better off without federal funds. The attack on Schiller and NPR serves as additional fuel for Republicans seeking to cut federal funding for the radio network.
In the video, Schiller went further than calling the Tea Party members "racist." He also said that the group consists largely of "white, middle-America gun-toting" people. He was captured on tape by James O'Keefe, the man responsible for undermining ACORN in a similar sting last year.
Schiller's controversial comments were made during a luncheon in Washington, where Schiller was meeting with two men pretending to be from a fictional group called the "Muslim Action Education Center."
The video has sent ripple effects throughout NPR management, with the group quickly backing away from Schiller's remarks. Dana Davis Rehm, NPR's senior vice president of marketing, communications and external relations, said that the group is "appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for."
Most interesting about this "scandal" is that much of what Schiller said is true: The Tea Party movement is largely fueled by racism and hatred toward our first black president. The lynch mob mentality that Tea Party members have toward President Barack Obama leads them to disagree with him in a way that is incredibly disrespectful to the presidency and counterproductive for our nation. What's most interesting is that millions of Americans agree with what Schiller said, so his words are hardly shocking in their own right.
Second, Schiller makes it completely clear that these opinions are his own and not those of NPR. So, if we're going to assume (as Fox News would like us to believe) that Schiller was speaking on behalf of his employer, then what was the point in Schiller providing his caveat?
I can't imagine that any of us would expect that any broadcaster or employee of any news network in America wouldn't have a personal opinion about issues that impact our country. Tea Partiers may not like what Schiller said, but sometimes the truth hurts: If they are concerned about being perceived as racists, then perhaps they should stop behaving in a racist fashion.
With regard to the politics behind NPR's struggle to maintain their funding, the government money is only 10 percent of NPR's total operating budget. Therefore, one can only hope that, at some point, they can replace federal funding with a source that allows them the freedom to speak the truth.
The Tea Party movement does not represent the best of America, and without racism, they would have no fuel for their poisonous and destructive political fire. I'm glad Schiller made his remarks and so are many other Americans.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here. To follow Dr. Boyce on Facebook, please click here. 
Comments: (30)
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By: Shanda Minter on 3/08/2011 6:09PM
The tea Party is Racist with a capital R! This is a shock to nobody, not even to the tea party members. They know they're bigots, it's the rallying cry that brings these nuts together. Nobody believes their fake sincerity of gov't. spending and taxes; if so, they would have been out in full force during the huge government of Bush/Cheney!
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By: Hector on 3/12/2011 2:29PM
RACIST?? Are you stupid!!! The Tea Party's presidental candidate in
2012 is a Black Man. I am Latino and I support most of what the Tea Party stands for which is primarily holding Government accountable for outlandish spending and limiting the growth of too much Government.
You need to read a little before you make such dumb comments. (don't judge a groups of hundreds of thousands because of a few bad apples).
Why don't you ever complain about a real racist person like Louis
Farrakhan. Now that is one sick person.
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By: Bruce on 3/08/2011 6:40PM
The only reason black propaganda spinners like Watkins believ the Tea Party is racist because they threaten the welfare system.
I'm glad the NPR guy got caught saying what he did. Sweet justice to a left wing racist organization.
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By: Arthur on 3/08/2011 8:06PM
Its corporate America who are the biggest welfare recipients. If you have a problem with welfare how about speaking out about evening a level playing field so people of color can get off of welfare. Its whites abuse of people of color which causes the mental health problems and racist hiring practices in the first place. You know that its cowardly racism that causes these problems.
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By: bugs hunter on 3/08/2011 7:21PM
"Tea Party Movement consists of "seriously racist" people"
Yep! The same rednecks who were silent as GWB & Cheney flagrantly violated international laws while they bankrupted the country fighting illegal wars for white corporations..smiled as Obama bailed out Wall Street thugs! Corporate welfare is fine with them as long as the corporation is lilly-white!!!!!!but these same racist thugs go stark raving mad when a humane thing like health care for all citizens gets mentioned!
The thought of blacks getting to enjoy the fruits of their labor and tax dollars drives them crazy!!!
Not only are they racist, many of them are secret Nazis,White Nationalist,Aryan Brotherhood, Ku Klux Klaners,Skin Heads,Gothics,SS,together, they spew their hate from klaverns,caves, dungeons, amongst other redneck secret rat-holes they cower and raise a stink, attracting flies like whites always do!!!!
These white Troglodites hate natural progression and a Black President says... they're history!
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By: tired of POOR ME attitude on 3/09/2011 10:07PM
I'm sure a BRILLIANT person like you has proof of all this. Moron
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By: Hector on 3/08/2011 9:13PM
If anyone is racist it possibly the author of this very article, Dr Boyce Watkins. His articles unfortunately appear to always contain the same similar theme and accusing people or groups on racism. This man appears to be hyper critical to anyone he disagrees with on the ideological sphere. If he doesn't agree with something some politician is saying. "He must be a racist." Or If he doesn't understand or disagrees with a group ... " oh well they must be racist." Dude stop looking over your shoulder all the time trying to decipher what is racism and what is not.
Where is your article criticizing people like Louis Farrakhan or the Nation of Islam. Louis Farrakhan is the biggest racist around. You can see crowds of black people cheering when ever he makes some hateful anti-Semitic rant. Where is your article on FARRAKHAN?
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By: bugs hunter on 3/09/2011 3:09AM
hekter, Black people ARE a Semetic people!
We are the Israelites!
Don't you know that, yet?
...if you don't...get the "hec-tor" outta here!
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By: drehd2 on 3/09/2011 9:26AM
quit living in la la land! You act as though racism dont exist on the why side, I think your comments you make shows nothing has changed the usual white denial blame the black guy grow the f#$k up dude really!
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By: Gbroth77 on 3/08/2011 10:25PM
@ Hector, I couldn't agree with you more.
Where are the articles condeming Louis Farrakhan and other black folks who make racist statements?
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