Well, I would have hoped that my widely read Op-Ed titled, “It’s My Party But I Don’t Feel Part of It,” article on blacks and the GOP in The Washington Post on November 23, 2008 would have given the folks at the RNC a wake up call of sorts, but clearly I was mistaken. It gave me one–(a wake up call that is) look at some of the hate posts I received on this very blog from people identifying themselves as republicans who attacked me as “a nigger bitch who 50 years ago would have been cleaning my house.” You should have seen the private emails I received.
WOW!!!!!
They are at it again (well candidates for Chairman job are at it again) only this time the target is President Elect Obama. I have heard the “Puff the Magic Negro” song before on Rush Limbaugh and I have wondered why no-one raised this issue before. I am stunned that it has only come to light now. Clearly people like Chip Saltsman & Ken Blackwell (who is black) just do not want to grasp the fact that the GOP has a serious image problem on issues of race and diversity within it ranks and antics like this DO NOT HELP!!!!!
Check this out today from Ben Smith’s Blog on Politico:
December 27, 2008Categories: RNC Chair
Blackwell defends Saltsman
Ken Blackwell, the former Ohio secretary of state who appears to be leading in the race to become the next chairman of the Republican National Committee, is defending a rival who distributed a CD containing a song called “Barack the Magic Negro,” and dismissing criticism as a sign of media “hypersensitivity” to race.
The rival, former Huckabee aide Chip Saltsman, came under fire today from the sitting Republican Party chairman, Mike Duncan, who said he was “shocked and appalled” by the move, Mike Allen reported.”Unfortunately, there is hypersensitivity in the press regarding matters of race. This is in large measure due to President-Elect Obama being the first African-American elected president,” said Blackwell, who would be the first black RNC chairman, in a statement forwarded to Politico by an aide. “I don’t think any of the concerns that have been expressed in the media about any of the other candidates for RNC chairman should disqualify them. When looked at in the proper context, these concerns are minimal. All of my competitors for this leadership post are fine people.”
The Republican Party is struggling to find support from non-white voters, and some of its leaders have called for a new sensitivity to race and racism, allegations of which have surfaced before in the insider-dominated contest to chair the GOP. Saltsman has defended the song as a “light-hearted” parody.
Another candidate for the job, Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis, condemned Saltsman’s remarks, which he said in an email are “not my idea of appropriate humor.”
“In my opinion, this isn’t funny and its in bad taste,” he said. “Just as important, anything that paints the GOP as being motivated in our criticism of President-elect Obama by anything other than a difference in philosophy does a disservice to our party.”
I for one am over it! There is no saving these fools from themselves. I am tired of apologizing for them, pleading with them, and shouting at the wind to no avail. The GOP has been infiltrated with some very hard-headed, unsavory, clueless people who only understand regional politics and limited cultural norms at best. I am embarrassed and offended as any self respecting republican should be–no less a black Republican.
Stay tuned I am certain they will do something else ridiculous before the Inauguration in January. Sad, so very sad indeed.
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