Idiot Democrats condemn Ward Connerly. : David Horowitz blog

Leftist protesters declare: we are America's enemies and proud of it - Sunday, January 26, 2003 10:15 PM

Thirty-six Democrats in the California legislature have sent a letter to the John J. Moores chairman of the California Board of Regents condemning Ward Connerly for a remark he made on CNN during the Trent Lott fracas. Connerly said, "Supporting segregation need not be racist." The Democrats of course found this remark itself racist. What they seem to have overlooked is their own support for segregationist policies at the University -- separate graduations for blacks and Hispanics, separate orientations, separate standards for admissions and so forth and so on. One could call this hypocrisy, but hypocrisy requires some self-awareness. I suspect the illogic of their position is beyond their intellectual grasp. When student leftists first raised the issue, Connerly told them to "go to hell," which brought additional outrage and protest from the Democrats. The letter follows:

We write today to urge the Board to take disciplinary action against Regent Ward Connerly for his recent public comments on segregation. In an interview on CNN on December 13, Mr. Connerly said: "Supporting segregation need not be racist. I think one could believe in equality of the races as he has talked about [referring to U.S. Senator Trent Lott] and believe that the races should remain separate and not have a notion that Black people are inferior for example."²

The statement was outrageous for anyone to make, especially for a member of the governing board of the University of California system. Connerly¹s comments betray a stunning ignorance of the history of segregation and racism. Segregation has always been a manifestation of racism and the two cannot be divided. Whether the deep South¹s Jim Crow laws or California¹s own exclusion acts and racially restrictive real estate covenants, racism is the motive behind policies of segregation that prohibited many Americans from enjoying their God-given and constitutionally guaranteed rights. One cannot believe in segregation and equality. Segregation by its very definition is discriminatory. It involves the forced subjugation and isolation of a certain ethnicity or race with a goal of denying access to social and economic opportunities available to other members of society.

Mr. Connerly¹s statement is an untenable position for a man who is responsible for overseeing the education of a diverse student body-many of whom come from families who know first-hand the pain of segregation and racism.

We are also outraged and deeply troubled by Connerly¹s public response to the University of California Students Association when it criticized his comments and sought an apology. Connerly¹s response as reported in the Oakland Tribune was "they can go to hell."²

We are astounded by the lack of sensitivity Connerly expresses towards such a historically divisive issue that has long since been buried as the remnants of a racist society. Given the importance of Mr. Connerly¹s position as a Regent, there is no room for such offensive behavior and disconcern for the students.

As stated in the Board of Regents governing policies, the Board works to protect the "broad diversity of backgrounds characteristic of California" on all its campuses. With this said, Mr. Connerly's comments are both contrary to the Board¹s policies as well as the >>public expectations of its leaders. It is hypocritical for Connerly to >>assert an unfettered ability to express his own opinions and then turn around and attempt to intimidate those who disagree with him.

For these reasons we urge the Board to take decisive action to publicly condemn Mr. Connerly for his comments and treatment of the members of the U.C. Student Association. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to a prompt response on how the board intends to proceed.

ASSEMBLYMEMBER DARIO FROMMER 43RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT Capitol Office: State Capitol, Room 2160 -- Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2043 Fax: (916) 319-2143

Transcript of the whole interview that has the diversity goons' panties in a wad.

December 13, 2002 Friday

GUESTS: Ward Connerly

BLITZER: Joining us now from Sacramento, California, is Ward Connerly.
He's the chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, always well known
as an outspoken conservative Black leader. Mr. Connerly thanks for joining
us. You've called on Senator Lott to step down as the Republican leader in
the Senate, why?

WARD CONNERLY, AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS INST.: I think that he has mortally
wounded himself and makes it very difficult for us to look to him as a
leader to guide us through the next several years as this nation deals with
the issue of race based preferences and all of the manifestations of race
and ethnicity.

The Supreme Court is going to be handing down a very momentous decision in
several months and I don't see how Senator Lott can be effective as he has
to navigate all of this. He's going to be co- opted by the Congressional
Black Caucus and others, I believe, and so I think it's in his best
interest, it's certainly in the nation's best interest in my view and
certainly in the president's, that Senator Lott step down.

BLITZER: You're referring to the Supreme Court decision on affirmative
action at universities around the United States. You mean that to say that
if he stays on, your concern since you oppose the affirmative action
policies that he might have to bend over backwards in order to satisfy the
more mainstream civil rights leaders in the African-American community, is
that your concern?

CONNERLY: Precisely. Shelby Steel (ph), a brilliant columnist, often talks
about White guilt and I think that Senator Lott to prove that he is no
racist, which I don't believe he is, Senator Lott is going to have to defer
to these interests far more than is in the best interest of the nation. He
will not be able to be a principal leader on the issue of race and this
issue cries out for principle and I think he's squandered all opportunity
for him to be that leader. Once you ring the bell on something like this,
you can't un-ring it.

BLITZER: But doesn't everybody deserve a second chance? Yes, he had a -- he
made a gaff, a bad gaff in that statement he made last Thursday but overall
wouldn't you argue that his record, at least on major civil rights issues
over these past decade or two, has been from your perspective fair and
decent?

CONNERLY: I would agree with that and I think that we are a very forgiving
people but even when you are forgiven you often pay a price for things that
you do and I'll tell you I can not listen to the words that you just played,
the statement you just played, and come away feeling warm and cozy about
those words.

I don't know what he could have meant by those problems. Was integration a
problem? Sure, it's been painful as we have made the transition from
segregation and Jim Crowe to the society that we have now, but I certainly
wouldn't want to do it any other way.

BLITZER: Well, the bottom line in other words, what you're saying is that
you do believe that was a racist statement that he made last week.

CONNERLY: Supporting segregation need not be racist. One can believe in
segregation and believe in equality of the races, so it doesn't necessarily
make it racist but I think it's certainly a poor direction for this nation
to have pursued namely segregation.

I won't say that he's racist. I don't think he is. I think one could believe
in equality of the races as he has talked about and believe that the races
should remain separate and not have a notion that Black people are inferior
for example. But I just can not reconcile those words that he said. I don't
know what he could have meant by all of these problems.

BLITZER: All right, Ward Connerly, I want you to stand by as well. We're all
going to listen and watch the news conference that Senator Lott will be
having shortly within the next 20 minutes or so in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
We'll see what he says. We'll see the case he makes. We'll try to better
understand where his mind was when he uttered those words last week. Ward
Connerly thanks for joining us from Sacramento.

Ward Connerly is a very courageous man.

I applaud him, with a standing ovation.

Mr. Connerly is correct when he states that segregation does not have to be racists.

But, my main comment is directed to the following qoute:

"from enjoying their God-given and constitutionally guaranteed rights."

These rights are only applicable on "public property."

"Public property" is only property owned by the taxpayers.

Public property is not a private university, a country club, a restaurant, a place of employment, a hotel, a retailer, rental property, loans, etc.

If I am the owner of any of these facilities, I can refuse to allow any one in my facility for any reason such a gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religious conviction, hair color, skin color, ability to pay, style of clothes, extent of education, whatever.

It is government that cannot segregate and discrimminate against, not citizens to each other.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.