Posted on 11/16/2007 8:10:31 AM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
The Anti-Defamation League plans to ask Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul to distance himself from extremist groups.
Paul, a U.S. congressman from Texas, has come under fire for the support his campaign has enjoyed from leading white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups.
His campaign reportedly has accepted a donation from Don Black, the owner of the white supremacist Web site Stormfront. Sites for several extremist groups also feature prominent links supporting Paul's candidacy.
ADL's assistant director of civil rights, Steven Freeman, told JTA his organization planned to communicate with Paul privately and urge him to distance himself from those groups.
"If he doesn't do that, then we will decide what we're going to say publicly about it," Freeman said.
Paul thus far has refused to return the campaign contribution from Black. In response to a question from a reporter for Reason magazine, a campaign spokesperson said, "If people who hold views that the candidate doesn't agree with, and they give to us, that's their loss."
The ADL previously has taken candidates to task for their ties to supremacist groups. Last year the organization slammed Larry Darby, a Democratic candidate for attorney general in Alabama, after he attended a meeting of the National Vanguard, a splinter group of the National Alliance. Darby was defeated.
In October 2001, the ADL commended New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani for rejecting a $10 million donation to a 9/11 relief fund from Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal. Giuliani, like Paul, is a Republican presidential candidate.
Grab-a-good-seat-while-you-still-can PING! ;)
Deadly accurate, on oh so very many levels! ROTFLMAO!!!!! ;)
Um...that would encompass nearly all of his constituents.
I don’t for a second believe that Paul is a racist. He probably doesn’t want to give those stormfront skinheads national attention.
White Supremacists Rallying Around Ron Paul's Presidential CampaignOn Oct. 4 Will Williams, a former leader of the National Alliance, a neo-Nazi group, posted on the neo-Nazi Vanguard News Network that white supremacy supporters should support Paul for president.
"Till then I recommend folks get involved in the Ron Paul 'revolution' and work with political activists in your communities who are attracted to his anti-globalist message," Williams wrote. "Be disciplined. Blend in; find common ground with them and artfully radicalize those who are receptive and avoid those who are not. ... Most of you would be surprised at how many good people can be exposed to a, let's say, 'pro-majority' message among the remarkable groundswell of fed-up, mostly white Ron Paul supporters -- many, early on, from the 9/11 truth movement. They are finding their backbones as they are exposed to more and more hidden truths, especially about the hidden hand of Jewry behind every foul venture."
Charming.
Paulestinians, in the aggregate, are crazier than a crap fight in a primate house.
(chuckle)
So, when is Paul going on his next appearance on the Alex “9/11 was and Inside Job” Jones show?
I don't either. I do think he's willing to accept their support. Other Republicans, Ronald Reagan, Bush I, Bush II, the RNC has been quick to reject support from these groups and condemned their ideology. Paul won't. That could be a problem for Republicans. Since Paul is running as a Republican.
Normally I have a dislike of the ADL, because they have a habit of trolling for antisemitism among often innocent conservatives, while ignoring the much more currently dangerous antisemitism of the left.
We see some signs of the pattern again here, since Paul is generally considered a right wing nut by the media.
But in this case, I think they are absolutely right. If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. Ron Paul has a lot of these flaky, racist supporters. And he seems to have no qualms about taking their money and accepting their support. Add on his frequent comments about the evils of the Israeli lobby, and I think you have a real problem.
Sometimes, in my mind's eye, I have this nightmare image of a President Ron Paul, opening his first ever Presidential address to the nation with something along the hellish lines of: "... and now, I'd like to introduce you all to my brand new Secretary of State, Alex Jones..." ;)
The very nature of libertarianism is to allow the existence of various highly polarized groups, and from time to time, make common cause with these very same highly polarized factions. There is this somewhat naive belief on the part of the libertarians, that once they have made their very transparent goals known to all, the other formerly highly polarized opinions will be modified or discarded altogether.
In a way, libertarians are as blinded by their very idealism almost as much as the “greenies” are blinded by their hypersensitive concern for a limited number of problems.
The ADL? That is series. Quick, better post a news release from SPLC, too...
Will Doktor Paul “distance himself” from the columns he wrote for Willis Carto’s New American (formerly The Spotlight)?
Given your evident lack of familiarity with the ADL's stated goals and purpose, this does not surprise me overmuch, in all honesty:
OUR MISSION
"The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens."
Your point being, then...?
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