I think Jim Naureckas’ Erick Erickson/David Duke equation (FAIR Blog, 7/14/10) is overdrawn. Erickson was playing off remarks by King Samir Shabazz, the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) member who stood in front of the largely African-American polling place in Philadelphia with a night stick in his hand. Shabazz is on record in another context saying that black men should kill white people, including children: “You want freedom, you’re going to have to kill some crackers. You’re going to have to kill their babies.” So Erickson is not, as Jim says, “hallucinating” this kind of language–just exploiting it.
Erickson and the rest of the right-wing media establishment are trying to create a major scare by painting the NBPP as a black version of the Ku Klux Klan. But while there are certain rhetorical similarities, and these should not be lightly dismissed, the Klan actually killed black children. And while the NBPP is notorious for its hateful rhetoric–which deserves condemnation, to the extent that this marginal group warrants notice at all–there’s scant evidence that its race-baiting language has ever been acted upon. The group seems to exist only to attract attention through its vile, racist rants.
So Erickson’s suggestion that this creepy, powerless group is actually likely to start “killing our kids”–and that the Obama administration is abetting this slaughter of white children–is simply politics. By linking Obama to violent black rhetoric, Erickson and his talk radio and Fox News allies are trying to turn this weak episode into a summer Swift Boat for the November elections. In other words, Erickson and his colleagues are engaging in racial rabble-rousing, much like the NBPP–but with a much more prominent platform and to much greater effect.
David Duke would not disapprove.
The recent posts by Jim Naureckas and Steve Rendall on the subject of Erick Erickson demonstrate how healthy and mature organizations are unafraid to air disagreements publicly. It happens rarely, even at FAIR, but it’s indicative of the strength and vitality–not to mention honesty–of FAIR’s contributors that they are at times willing to display thinking in progress, rather than just over-confident, and conclusive, analysis. How many members of the press would be willing to engage in this kind of back-and-forth discussion in front of their readers? Not many, I would think.
I may be making too much of this, but the posts struck me as remarkable–not only for their candor, but for the manner in which they show that differences of opinion can expand, rather than curtail, our understanding of the world.
I don’t want to wait to see if they do kill white babies anymore than I want to see if the Klan starts to kill black children.I want our government to apply and enforce our laws NOW.The New Black Panthers in those films broke several laws.So to the leader of our justice dept………Do your job sir or step aside
michael e: I concur, almost.
Unfortunately, your message is like “I want it, and I want it now,” but without specitficity or signs of thoughtful assessment. Ask yourself what laws were broken in recent years by the KKK, or by Shabazz in his hate language.
I hold no brief for that kind of language, but as pointed out above, the KKK did kill black people of all ages. And how is the language of Shabazz so different from the hate so evident on the fringes of tea-party rallies, or as was so evident on the fringes of Palin election rallies (behead him, for example)? Second amendment remidies? Lock and load?
Michael E:
You are an ass!!….most probably a crypto-racist zionist at that. Des won’t say it but I will.
Des
First I am a tea party person and to date- I have heard nothing what -so- ever hateful at any rallies held under their name.Palin rallies had a few nuts like anything.Nothing out of the ordinary.Mostly positive and in tune with the constitution.Dem rallies are overwhelmingly chock full.I was at one today.Lots of screaming hateful sling.Of course just my experience here.And I worked for Clintons first campaign…Nader.So I have seen both sides.Much more “settled”crowd on the right than left.No comparison….in my humble opinion.But I would never compare(and you are wrong to do so) the RNC, or the DNC, or the Tea party,or the Liberatarian party with the KKK or the NBP.The two latter groups are racist hate groups not to be compared with political parties who carry no such hateful charters.
Shabazz actually did break several laws according to justice dept lawyers who described it as a slam dunk.And of course the panthers outside the voting booths broke several laws.If a case exists…..than there is no excuse for not moving forward on it.Simple as that.
Second amendment is a right.Hopefully it shall never be needed as a remedy .Lock and load?It occurs to me that when I said” step aside” you thought I meant so that WE crazy religeous gun owners could handle this, indicating a violent confrontation..Not at all.I should of said step down if you cant do the job you swore to do.That was all i meant.I can see how you took it.
Slytot………So Im a crypto-racist zionist and an ass to boot?THAT all goes in my ever growing insult book(compliments of you libs).Very cool. And a “new one” on me that I shall break open a bottle of wine over.Cheers
Long live Karl Marx ,The weather underground,Obama,and Kieth Obermann.How was that for a liberal toast?
the notion that “balanced” journalism requires that we give equal moral footing to “racism”,and “reverse” racism is absurd on its face-and they aren’t logically equivalent either. to assert otherwise ,requires that we redact the acres of evidence which refutes the assertion,and give all other points equal weight-hence rhetorical devices are given the force of actual institutional forms,and the historical record-and volila -we are compelled to accept absurd results.
does anyone know a case similar to the shooting of oscar grant on a transit platform -execution style by an oakland ca transit cop named mehserle -which resulted in a verdict of “involuntary ” manslaughter-where the victim was white and the cop was african american? do you know of a white sports hero who served a year and a half in the federal slammer on trumped up charges stemming from the shooting of a dog,ala the case of micheal vick? i could go on-but this subject is way too inflammatory for that-i also realize that if i allow my impressions of meetings i may have attended,or people i met in the street,or conversations i had in a bar,or overheard at the gym,to have equal weight with what i know about how institutions actually work,or the historical record,-i would not be able to function in society -let alone do journalism-
Slytot your a moron. How can you call someone a racist for wanting to prosecute someone who broke the law? All the hate crimes committed against whites in the past decade is enough evidence that this hate speech is wrong. I think you would like to see white babies die huh? You moron, minorities don’t even like white anti racists.
Dave luckens wake the fuck up. He is instigating genocide. All the hate crimes against white, all the hate speech by blacks on the internet is enough to make anyone see that this genocide can easily become a reality. When it’s too late, you’ll realize you were wrong.