Eric Holder Hears 'Echoes of Injustices Stretching Back Nearly 4 Centuries'

Attorney General Eric Holder gave a history lesson coupled with an appraisal of current events Tuesday to an audience gathered at Howard University to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Holder recapped African-American history beginning with the 1619 arrival of slaves in the British colonies and emphasized gains following the Civil War and the 1960s civil rights movement.

He warned, however, that the uplifting tale of progress doesn't mean the country is free of racism.

“We must never hesitate to confront the fact, the undeniable truth, that in too many places across this nation that I love – and have served throughout my life – that the echoes of injustices stretching back nearly four centuries continue to reverberate,” Holder said. “These echoes from times past are still heard by too many.”

"Too many individuals act in ways that are negligent or counterproductive," he said.

The venue was friendly turf for the country’s first black attorney general. He was welcomed with a standing ovation and received robust applause when he denounced state laws that require a photo ID to vote.

“Our society is not color blind, nor should it be, given the disparities that still afflict and divide us,” Holder said after discussing prison sentencing disparities and variance in the quality of public education. “We must be color brave.”

In addition to urging continued pursuit of racial equality, Holder linked the civil rights movement to ongoing minority rights movements, including those for gay and transgender people. And he urged Congress to pass various laws.

“Today, I am calling on Congress to renew the spirit of the Civil Rights Act by updating fair housing and lending laws to address discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status; by strengthening workplace protections to prohibit pay discrimination against women and to finally end discrimination against LGBT citizens; by ensuring equal access to education and promoting nondiscriminatory learning environments; and by passing updated voting rights legislation that will enable every voter, in every jurisdiction, to exercise – unencumbered – the rights that so many have fought for and died to defend,” he said.

Howard University played host to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in April 2013. The likely 2016 presidential candidate has repeatedly reached out to African-Americans, attempting to build bridges with the traditionally Democratic demographic on issues such as school choice and criminal justice reform.

Before the event began Danielle Holley-Walker, dean of the university’s law school, told U.S. News she was thrilled that Holder was visiting, praising his belief in the values reflected in the Civil Rights Act. But, Holley-Walker said, she didn’t expect a significantly different reception from the one Paul received.

Holder couldn't be more of an idiot if he tried.

Give me a break!!

Let me make it clear right up front: I am NOT a racist. I supported Herman Cain in his run for the Senate and supported him in his run for the WH. And if Allen West or Dr. Carson go for it, they, too, have my support.

I also consider Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams two of the finest economists and minds extant today. In case you don’t know them, both are black.

Sowell, Williams and Cain – among others -- have spoken out against those fellow blacks who castigate and vilify America for a slavery now long in our past. And ALL thinking men and women oppose the periodic calls for reparations. (When he ran, I supported Alan Keyes. I even spoke in his stead on the RTKABA at a Capitol rally and was asked to fill in for him on his radio show at the time. Sadly, while I still consider Alan a good man, I have had to rethink my support since he came out FOR reparations.)

The fact is that the modern descendants of slaves brought here in chains in admittedly miserable, soul-gutting conditions now calling for reparations need to remember something:

They should not only be glad to be in America, they should be glad to be ANYWHERE!

Had their ancestors NOT been brought OUT of Africa – many by MUSLIM slave raiders --the blood of those ancestors would have run into the earth over there several centuries ago, victims of the OTHER black tribes that captured them in one of the interminable tribal conflicts STILL ravaging that sad continent and these modern day would-be "plaintiffs" would not even exist.

And I would remind you that slavery is STILL practiced in parts of Africa (mainly by – American BLACK MUSLIMS LISTEN UP!! -- MUSLIMS), the Middle East and Asia today. How ironic that disgruntled American blacks are embracing a system that participated mightily in their initial bondage – and would, if Islam takes root here, probably put any who cling to their Christianity back INTO BONDAGE – or to the sword. In fact, as the majority of muslims consider black folks as “sub-human”, many of you black muzzies will get the axe.

95% of the African slaves who were transported across the Atlantic went to South and Central America, mainly to Portuguese, Spanish and French possessions, and that less than 5% of the slaves who crossed the Atlantic went to the United States, it was remarkable that the vast majority of academic research, films, books and articles concerning the slave trade concentrated only on the American involvement, as though slavery was a uniquely American aberration.

And should the great-great-great grandchildren of SLAVE OWNING BLACKS also be subject to PAYING these reparations? If so, how do we find THEM?

And I have traced MY family back to the SLAVS. Although the term looks to be related to “slave,” depending on your source, it either means “glory” or “worshipper.” But my family research indicates that many of my ancestors LIVED lives of virtual or real slavery to some despot or other. Do I qualify for reparations? From whom?? And it begs a question: Are most of us now living here headed into a modern form of that servitude? But that’s a topic for another discussion.

The official US Census of 1830 lists 3,775 free blacks who owned 12,740 black slaves. Furthermore, the story outlines the history of slavery here, and the first slave owner, the Father of American slavery, was Mr Anthony Johnson, of Northampton, Virginia. His slave was John Casor, the first slave for life. Both were black Africans. The story is very readable, and outlines cases of free black women owning their husbands, free black parents selling their children into slavery to white owners, and absentee free black slave owners, who leased their slaves to plantation owners. -"Selling Poor Steven", American Heritage Magazine, Feb/Mar 1993 (Vol. 441) p 90

Of course, a full telling of Black History would not be complete without a recitation of the origin of slavery in the Virginia colony: Virginia, Guide to The Old Dominion, WPA Writers' Program, Oxford University Press, NY, 1940, p. 378

A few more salient points on the subject:

Until the US declared independence, the Colonies were REQUIRED by the King of England to embrace slavery.

The Northwest Ordinance (1789) prohibited slavery in federal territories.

A law prohibiting the importation of slaves into the US became effective in 1808.

Beginning in 1820, the Democratic Congress started passing laws allowing and encouraging slavery.

It was only after the Republican Party (many of whom were southern Blacks) was formed some 40 years later that the anti-slavery movement was able to move forward.

And the holier-than-thou Northern liberals are strangely silent on recent archeological evidence from NEW YORK CITY clearly tracing the financing of the slave trade to NORTHERN BUSINESSMEN!!

At the height of his remarkable boxing career, Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay), once declared, “I’m glad my great-grandpa got on that boat.”

And speaking of ancestors, my paternal grandmother’s daddy, William Henry Robinson, joined with the 80th Ohio Volunteer Infantry early in the War Between the States (re-upped twice) and fought on the Union side at Vicksburg, Jackson and elsewhere in the deep South then joined up with Sherman for that infamous march to the sea through Georgia. My wife’s great-great grandpappy ALSO fought for the Union. While I revere the memory of my ancestors, inasmuch as that conflict was less about slavery than it was the economic exploitation and abuse of the South by the North, I fear they MAY have been on the wrong side.

Author Robert Hitt Neill tells of attending a Tennessee Mountain Writer’s Conference years ago with several other authors. Among them was Alex Hailey, celebrated author of “Roots.” Watching a TV news show, a group of them watched a demonstration in a Southern state against the “Rebel” flag incorporated into that state’s flag. The very next report covered a famine in Africa. Graphic images showed dead bodies, starving children with distended tummies and runny noses and dying people covered with flies, too weak to brush them away.

Mr. Hailey intoned in a low, serious voice, “Every time an American black sees a story like that, they should find a Confederate flag and kiss it.” He then pointed to the TV screen and continued, “Because these would be me and my descendants, except for American slavery. I thank God that my family and I are here instead of there.”

Next problem!

Dick Bachert

AFTERWORD:

A brief review of the FACTS on the subject:

Until the US declared independence, we were required by the King of England to embrace slavery.

The Northwest Ordinance (1789) prohibited slavery in federal territories.

A law prohibiting the importation of slaves into the US became effective in 1808.

Beginning in 1820, the Democratic Congress started passing laws allowing and encouraging slavery.

It was only after the Republican Party (many of whom were southern Blacks) was formed some 40 years later that the anti-slavery movement was able to move forward.

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