Nov 04 2010
Know Your Enemy: A New Report on Tea Party Nationalism Exposes Racism, Anti-immigrant bias, Anti-Semitism, and More
aThe Chicago Tribune is reporting that a total of 140 candidates with Tea Party support were on the ballot for the Federal legislature across the country this past Tuesday, but those with the strongest support were generally those who kept a distance from the most extreme messages. East Coast candidates Christine O’Donnell for Senate and Carl Paladino for Governor became symbols of Tea Party fringe positions and lost by wide margins. And, Sharron Angle, a Tea Party Express favorite who ran for the Nevada Senate on an extreme anti-immigration and anti-government message lost in a tight race to Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. However a big Tea Party win came early on election night for Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul. After winning the Republican primary in May, Paul made highly controversial comments equating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with big government overreach and suppression of free speech. He later back-peddled from his statements. A significant but under-reported result of mid-term elections was the loss of the Senate’s only Black member, Roland Burris of Illinois. Burris was appointed to President’s Obama’s vacated Senate seat in 2008 but was not a popular choice and opted not to run for election this year. Coinciding with elections and the shift in political power is the release of an in-depth report by the NAACP on the Tea Party titled: Tea Party Nationalism: A Critical Examination of the Tea Party Movement and the Size, Scope and Focus of its National Factions. Based on extensive research the report illuminates the origins, membership base, and ideology of the conservative network, dispelling many myths along the way.
GUEST: Hilary Sheldon, Director of the NAACP’s Washington Bureau
Read the report at www.teapartynationalism.com.
One Response to “Know Your Enemy: A New Report on Tea Party Nationalism Exposes Racism, Anti-immigrant bias, Anti-Semitism, and More”
Speaking of racism, why does one even care who is black, white or purple in the US Senate? Unless, of course, one can’t see past the race of a person. Where are the criticisms of President Barack Obama on his lack of leadership on the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal? Or his “I promise to close Guantanamo” pledge? And, today, we find out that the White House wants to send drones (polite word for missiles) into the country of Yemen — a country who has not directly attacked us. Where is the criticism of this from the left as it was for Pres. Bush invading Iraq? Oh, I forgot, he’s black and someone is only a racist if they criticize a black person. By the way, how come the only organization to still officially use the word “colored” is the NAACP? What is the racial makeup of their organization? Racism is alive and well in this country, but not by who you think…