Posted on 07/18/2004 5:12:08 PM PDT by zeebee
Sylvester Brown Jr.
President George W. Bush deserves credit for his candor, if for nothing else.
Black leaders and Democrats have been bashing Bush for refusing to attend the 95th annual NAACP convention in Philadelphia last week.
When asked why he skipped the convention, Bush didn't mince words.
"You've heard the rhetoric and the names they've called me," Bush said. "I would describe my relationship with the current leadership as basically nonexistent."
Now, that's a refreshing, nonpolitical response. Basically, the president said, "Hey, they don't like me. I don't like them. Why should I kiss up to an organization that opposes my party and my politics?"
That would be a legitimate question. Another question is why the NAACP leaders even expected Bush to attend their conference given the way they've treated him.
Last year, chairman Julian Bond said Republicans appeal "to the dark underside of American culture." In June, he said the conservatives' idea of equal rights is the "American flag and the Confederate swastika flying side by side." Bond and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume have repeatedly claimed that Bush practices "racial division."
Sensing relationship trouble, Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry jumped at the opportunity to woo conventioneers. With Sister Sledge's song "We Are Family" as a convenient backdrop, Kerry added fuel to simmering racial embers. Bush has divided the nation by "race and class," he preached. Under his leadership, Kerry promised, the door would always be open for dialogue with black leaders and Democrats would respect and respond to the needs and issues of black voters.
What needs? What issues? Kerry made minor promises based on his assessment of black needs. He committed to nothing substantial because NAACP leaders demanded nothing of substance.
Kerry's appearance was a familiar, kissy-faced, well-choreographed political routine. In the end, the NAACP promised to do what they planned all along: support Kerry's campaign.
My prediction if Kerry wins: Four years from now, the same black leaders throwing their support behind him now will whine that he and the Democratic Party are taking black voters for granted.
Just once, I'd like to see black leaders and organizations force presidential candidates to commit to something more than a chance to keep Republicans at bay. Before pledging the loyalty of black voters, I want to see the heads of these elitist organizations promote a plan that black people have developed.
Where is the outline for a domestic "Marshall Plan" that Al Sharpton and others claim would revitalize urban areas and businesses? Where's the plan to build better schools, address inadequate health care in black communities or tackle the disproportionate rates of unemployment and home ownership?
I'm no fan of George Bush. Lying about the war and allowing rich cronies to profit from its aftermath is reason enough to boot him back to private life. But I applaud Bush's decision not to play nice with established black leaders. He will gain or lose votes based on his efforts to attract black voters. That is more than I can say for Democrats.
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
...while throwing support behind him one more time.
No need to provide antidote. No need to fight back against those that would use race to divide us for their own political gain. No need to try to create a better country with a brighter future. No need to try to win the election for all the right reasons. Just sit on your ass and do nothing. You are only slightly smarter than those clowns who use racial stereotypes to make themselves feel better. Our party has a a great message, and we need to reach out and share it whenever and with whomever we can.
Pay no attention to this shameful leftist. You should have read the trash he put out when the Right-to-Carry fight here in Missouri went our way. You would have thought that we would have another Stalingrad here if it passed. His style of assassination journalism against Conservatives is beyond the pale.
He is wrong about GWB lying. Just ignore this so-called journalist.
Slyvester Brown is a liberal. But he's one of the few thoughtful ones around who haven't gone off the rails when the Michael Moore Wing took over the Democratic Party. He doesn't agree with President Bush's policies but he doesn't slam him either for not meeting the NAACLP. Its rare to find Lefties who can admit that a non-liberal is entitled to not associate with people who disagree with him and his politics.
me and george. thanks you put me in pretty good company.
It's like Armstrong Williams stated on FNC, the NAACP has strayed from it's true purpose. Mr Williams raised the fact that this administration has chosen quite a few black members to it's cabinet not just because they were black but because they were the most qualified for the jobs. And that is the way it always should be.
Your mistake, and its a pretty big one, is equating the NAACP with the black community. If you can separate the two, like George has, you'll be on the right track.
Uh huh. And the NAACLP's objections to people being chosen because they can do the job apart from being appointed merely cause they have the right skin color would be what, exactly?
Misquoter? There were no quotes. Go jump in a lake? Ouch. I did make one mistake. Nobody's a bigger ass than you.
If the NAACP was willing to have meaningful dialogue with the President I'm sure he would listen. But, just like Jesse Jackson and his rainbow push, the NAACP is out of business if they see real progress being made toward racial equality-which I believe is happening. They resent that President Bush has appointed the best who also happen to be black, asian, hispanic, etc. It slaps their own racist mentality in the face. They don't have faith in their own community and they want to lash out at the President for his faith in it.
Well, not this Mr. Brown.
And I agree. He was on a good roll until that rather obligatory statement. It's like he has a foot on each side of the divide.
At any rate, I applaud that much of an honest effort. He's gone much further than most.
$710.96... The price of freedom.
No one is asking you to provide anything.
$710.96... The price of freedom.
He made an unsubstantiated accusation, stated, as fact, that the President is a liar thereby destroying both my opinion of the author and this otherwise well written piece. End of story.
If he did, they'd be a lot more civil toward him than the NAACP was toward President Bush.
Guess he hasn't had a chance to read the latest Senate & British intellegence findings.
Cleveland. All the weird stuff comes outta there, doesn't it?
$710.96... The price of freedom.
This from Julian Bond when asked if the NAACP was endorsing Kerry: "We never endorse political candidates and we don't intend to start now."
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