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King Day and issues of racism
Knoxville News Sentinel ^ | 1/16/6 | Editor

Posted on 01/15/2006 11:28:48 PM PST by SmithL

Racism was once an important issue in this country. Martin Luther King Day reminds us of the time and the struggle. Unfortunately today, a once-important issue has been so politicized and exploited, it has been cheapened into meaninglessness.

The character attacks by Sen. Edward Kennedy and his Democratic colleagues on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito are a good example of this.

The contingent of Democratic senators, with no substantive arguments to question the stellar credentials of Alito, chose instead to smear him, and of course the brush that liberals predictably reach for in smear operations is racism.

The allegations that Alito's brief encounter more than 30 years ago with the Concerned Alumni of Princeton, an organization supposedly unsympathetic to affirmative action, point to his being a closet racist were quickly shown to be absurd. Aside from the far-from-clear issue of whether the organization itself had racist leanings, investigation into attendance records and minutes showed Alito absent and unengaged. Alito, hardly able to remember his involvement, recalled that the organization possibly appealed to him because it opposed the banishment of ROTC from the Princeton campus.

Racism is a serious charge, and I certainly would oppose the appointment of a racist to the Supreme Court or to any court. But the issue here is not whether Samuel Alito is a racist. It is obvious he's not, and these Democratic senators know that. The issue is public posturing to cast aspersions on a man's character to undermine his confirmation prospects.

It is no wonder that, according to a just-released poll from the Pew Research Center, a whopping 14 percent of the American public is paying very close attention to the Alito confirmation hearings. The public sees the hearings -- and increasingly the general proceedings of government in Washington -- as a sideshow and has better things to do.

Only about a third of those polled felt that either party governs in an honest and ethical way. Regarding the scandals currently in the news in Washington, 81 percent of the public feels that lobbyists bribing members of Congress is common behavior.

The performance by Kennedy and his colleagues at these confirmation hearings provides good evidence as to why the American public is as cynical and disaffected as it is regarding its public officials.

From my perspective, the behavior of the Democratic senators on the Judiciary Committee conducting the hearings is more characteristic of racism than anything that could be remotely attributed to Alito.

If they truly cared about the plight of blacks, they wouldn't be casual in using racism as a political tool to further another agenda, and they would be paying attention to the real problems in the black community.

Even liberal black commentators are starting to understand that the problems in the black community stem from family breakdown and destructive social behavior, not from racism.

As Sen. Tom Coburn pointed out regarding the hearings, they are really about Roe v. Wade. Alito's impeccable credentials are irrelevant to the Democrats. They just want a judge who will uphold the current liberal abortion regime.

However, there's no way that a rubber stamp on Roe v. Wade is a pro-black stance. Black women constitute 7 percent of the American population, yet account for almost 40 percent of our abortions. The abortion scenario in America today is one of white liberals rolling out the welcome mat for black women to destroy their babies. Black America is destroying itself under the encouraging and approving eye of white, liberal, elitist America.

About 400,000 black babies are destroyed each year. Thirteen million have been destroyed since the Roe v. Wade decision. Why isn't Kennedy thinking about this rather than grasping for ridiculously tenuous claims to smear Alito and brand him a racist?

Blacks, as well as all Americans, need courts that are not about politics but about law. We need judges who preserve the integrity of the Constitution and who will protect life, liberty and property. Despite scurrilous behavior on the part of Senate Democrats, prognostications are that Alito will be confirmed - good news for Americans who care about integrity and good government.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: happyholiday; king; mlkday; racism
If you can't debate the issues, charge racism.
1 posted on 01/15/2006 11:28:50 PM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL

Bottom line for liberals: If you oppose race based quotas, you are a racist.

Call it affirmative action, but it is quotas.

Everywhere you turn, government is tracking statistics by race and ethnicity. I always decline to answer race, if possible.

The education statistics reveal the highest achieving students are asians.


2 posted on 01/16/2006 12:01:43 AM PST by truth_seeker
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To: SmithL
=>Even liberal black commentators are starting to understand that the problems in the black community stem from family breakdown and destructive social behavior, not from racism.

Why would it take them so long to understand economics, finance and english?

Was it Ebonics, Ebola or lack of English that (your verb here) led them to (your depraved destination here)?

Maybe the NEA and unions in general?
3 posted on 01/16/2006 12:08:34 AM PST by Txshep
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To: truth_seeker
Actually, Chinese, Japanese and Koreans. Filipinos and Vietnamese are on par with, or slightly below, white folks.

At the University of Chicago, white Christians were a minority. Did I care. HELL NO! My Asian (mostly Christian, btw) and Jewish classmates were outstanding individuals who more than deserved to be their due to a culture of acheivement.

Compare that to the anti-intellectual attitude of many African Americans, Mexican Americans, to say nothing of many lower middle class white Americans.

4 posted on 01/16/2006 12:10:46 AM PST by Clemenza (Smartest words ever written by a Communist: "Show me the way to the next Whiskey Bar")
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To: SmithL

"About 400,000 black babies are destroyed each year."

Anyone know if Blacks are reproducing at replacement rate in the US.


5 posted on 01/16/2006 1:33:40 AM PST by kublia khan (Absolute war brings total victory)
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Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: SmithL
Martin Luthor King FBI Files.

Martin Luthor King and communist connections.

Everyone has learned about the surface of the movement. Very noble at a first glance. However, some of the motives are far more concerning.

That being said, all men are equal in God's eyes and we should all see each other that way.

Still, if you are a communist or socialist you threaten the future of my family. You will treated accordingly and history will judge you for it.

7 posted on 01/16/2006 4:11:05 AM PST by Caipirabob (Democrats.. Socialists..Commies..Traitors...Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Caipirabob
MLK has been turned into a saint. As a southerner in my childhood years, I was raised during segregation and have some guilt associated with my youthful opinions. However, I have believed for many years that segregation was another example of the outrageous use of state power against the individual. People should be treated as people, regardless of race. MLK's "I have a dream" speech is spot on about equal treatment of all.
MLK the individual did lead the Civil Rights movement toward the necessary changes in the south. However, in my opinion, if he had not been assassinated, he would be considered another Jesse Jackson.
To create a national holiday for him is in effect to give Black Americans a day on the calendar. I thought what MLK wanted was for all to be treated equal. Our previous holidays recognized George Washington and Abraham Lincoln (Americans) and Columbus. Historically, MLK is not even close to being in the same class with these individuals. Since we now celebrate a half day for Washington and Lincoln in February, the MLK holiday makes even less sense.
8 posted on 01/16/2006 4:57:48 AM PST by GeorgefromGeorgia
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To: tickedoff
Now that you mention it...a first-hand report.
9 posted on 01/16/2006 5:14:53 AM PST by Ed_in_NJ (Who killed Suzanne Coleman?)
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To: SmithL

I wonder. Would I be called insensitive, politically incorrect or bigoted if I proposed a "Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Long-range Rifle Match?"


10 posted on 01/16/2006 5:44:47 AM PST by oldfart ("All governments and all civilizations fall... eventually. Our government is not immune.)
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To: tickedoff

What does that have to do with me????


11 posted on 01/16/2006 3:08:36 PM PST by kublia khan (Absolute war brings total victory)
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