Posted on 05/26/2008 4:57:32 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Barbara A. McKinzie, Alpha Kappa Alpha's international president, expressed indignation and outrage over the Tennessee Republican Party running a smear campaign against Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. McKinzie denounced the transparent mindset that triggered the decision by the Tennessee GOP to design such an ad. She said it is the basis of an ugly underpinning that is being echoed in established racist Internet chat rooms, within the right-leaning blogosphere and among some conservative pundits. To make Michelle Obama a target of a potentially hate-inspired offensive is something that she -- and the 200,000 primarily African-American female members she leads -- will not tolerate.
"The impulse to take a statement of hers out of context and make it a focus of an unpatriotic ad is to trivialize her and to attempt to devalue her," said McKinzie. "This is unacceptable!"
She said the ad appeals to the subconscious racial fears of a sliver of Americans who remain unaware of progress. "This intransigent posture," said McKinzie, "defies the American ideal of democracy and fairness, the bedrock of the Constitution."
McKinzie said at a time when the economy should be the issue around which Americans should unite, using a fringe element to stoke racial fears is a temporary distraction.
Emphasizing that point, McKinzie said, "The fragile state of America's economic psyche threatens the viability of this nation. Alpha Kappa Alpha has made economics a major focus through the ESP program that is the theme of this administration. Putting America's psyche on a strong financial global footing needs to be front and center on everyone's mind -- not polarizing messages that fan the flames of historical racial prejudice. We must snuff out the embers of racial fear that the ad attempts to ignite," declared McKinzie.
In lambasting the ad, McKinzie took a cue from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who acknowledged that the United States still has trouble dealing with race because of a national "birth defect" that denied black Americans the opportunities given to whites at the country's very founding. "This ad," stressed McKinzie, "is nothing less than a very public display of America's 'birth defect.'"
"Given the historical challenges facing American women, the resolve should be to improve the stature of American women rather than to denigrate them," declared McKinzie.
She challenged all fair-thinking citizens -- including President George W. Bush, Senator Hillary Clinton and Secretary of State Rice -- to join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in denouncing the ad and the climate of intolerance that prompted its creation.
She said she would galvanize members and wage a counteroffensive by speaking out, writing letters, issuing statements and signaling that these types of acts will trigger a solidarity that will combat offensive messages.
McKinzie said she also sees a dangerous trend emerging if this type of offensive behavior is not checked.
"The very real possibility of having an African-American woman as First Lady of this nation underscores progress that a small number of America's citizens continue to ignore. Yet, they have a voice that should be heard when it is tempered with truth, not transmitted through offensive sound bytes."
Continued McKinzie, "Having a party organization use Michelle Obama as a target appeals to a bygone era that blemished America's reputation and global stature. This type of ad could pose a real threat to the safety of the candidate's wife given America's historic behavior. It demands action from the president on down."
Declared McKinzie, "As the head of one of the leading organizations for African-American women, I am compelled to speak out when injustice is so blatant. During our Centennial Convention from July 11-18, we will address this matter. Clearly this ad -- and the ugliness that is bubbling under the surface of it -- mandate action and we are poised to respond."
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Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is America's first Greek-letter organization founded in 1908 by, and for, African-American college women. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, it is one of the world's leading service organizations. The Sorority's members have made a commitment "to serve all mankind" through a nucleus of more than 200,000 women in over 975 chapters in the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, Germany, Korea, Japan and in the continent of Africa. Barbara A. McKinzie is the 27th International President. Because her term coincides with the 100-year anniversary, she is being hailed as the "Centennial National President." McKinzie's administration is marked by the theme: ESP, which stands for Economics, Service and Partnerships. For more information, log on to www.aka1908.com. For an archive of press releases, visit the online pressroom at http://aka1908.com/site/pressroom/
I needed that laugh!
I'm already tired of hearing this carp, and the election is months away.
Yes, notice how they’re always “outraged” and “offended.”
I feel so sorry for them.
The obama’s and their surrogates cry race at every opportunity even though they are the ones making this a “racist” campaign. They made their bed, now they will have to deal with it.
Mrs. McKinzie, as one Greek to another, could you relay a message to your sister Mrs. Obama?
“Don’t start none...won’t be none.”
I’ve known of the AKA ladies for a while. If they think uniformly like Michelle O, then ...........
Well Babs, if I can’t quote a Republican, can I quote a Democrat?
Is "snuff" a code word for "assassination"?
Let's ask Liz Trotta for a comment.
"Workers of the World and Oppressed People, Unite! (2nd Comintern Congress, 1920)
Leni
Black liberation thinks it’s untouchable. Their feces doesn’t stink and pointing out any mistakes or errors in their judgment, or actions is racist.
The only good I see is that they themselves are pulling back their curtain of hypocrisy they’ve hidden behind for decades.
I’d never heard of the term “black liberation” until recently, and IMO it is a monumental step forward in separating true concerns about racism from the race baiting, victimhood culture that demands kid glove treatment, affirmative action, entitlements and everyone bow to it’s PC culture.
The American people are growing tired of the coddling and stepping around the offended/victim egg shells of their issues. Hopefully, within a few years the absurd aspects of their “cause: will be laughed at publicly by all.
“Don’t start none...won’t be none.”
Will Smith?
Recently I have heard callers to talk shows come right out and say to the host (paraphrasing), "You're going to get Obama killed if you don't shut up."
This follows on the heels of the (IMO) phony "issue" of Hillary's RFK comment. Surprise.
I have not heard so much race talk since the 1960s. The hate-America radicals will likely find it easy to get folks stirred up for another "long hot summer."
You will never get an honest discussion vis-a-vis this "victim" argument, it is a powerful "issue" to be used to shut down anything but admiration of Senator Obama, et al.
I can say without even bother checking that Ms McKinzie cares not one whit that black conservatives are the targets of the most vile insults and lies from her side.
Note to Mr. O'Reilly, mediasmatters, moron.org and other external monitors: please note that my statement was referring to callers who are hostile to conservative radio talk shows, in particular the station they hate the most, KSFO.
I don't disagree. Sunshine is a great antidote to rot.
Wonder why some of the blacks are always seperating everyone. It’s black this or black that.
I am wondering who the actual racist is?
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