"Another f*ing arrogant white man"?

The ABB crowd is trying to make a big issue about President Bush declining an invitation to speak before the NAACP. That organization had a nearly century-long tradition of fighting for black civil rights but its current leadership makes it clear that the NAACP has become a Democratic Party organization.

"The election this fall is a contest between two widely disparate views of who we are and what we believe. One view wants us to march us backward through history -- surrendering control of government to special interests, weakening democracy, giving religion veto power over science, curtailing civil liberties, despoiling the environment. The other view promises expanded democracy [sic] and giving people, not plutocrats, control over their government."

This comment was not made by Sen. Kerry or Al Gore or some Democratic National Committee flack. It was remarks of NAACP Chairman Julian Bond to the organization's recent convention. Given that stark dichotomy, which sounds more like a partisan rant than anything else, it's little wonder the president saw no reason to attend the event. Minds were already closed. It would've made as much sense to attend this event as to attend the Democratic party convention in Boston.

Ralph Nader DID speak to the convention. And considering the abuse Nader was subjected to, the president was smart to avoid it. North Carolina Congressman Melvin Watt told Nader, "You're just another arrogant white man -- telling us what we can do -- it’s all about your ego - another f*ing arrogant white man."

The idea that the Democrats promise "expanded democracy," like Bond suggests, is silly. They do not advocate instant runoff voting. They do not advocate eliminating the electoral college. They do not advocate states having independent redistricting commissions to eliminate gerrymandering and create competitive electoral districts. They do not propose revising state electoral laws that are rigged against smaller party participation that would increase public interest and voter turnout.

Expanded democracy? As Nader points out, Just the opposite is true. Some members of the CBC [Congressional Black Caucus] were telling Ralph Nader and Peter Miguel Camejo, who were invited to this meeting, what to do -- withdraw their campaign and deny millions of voters the opportunity to vote for the candidacy of their choice. Nader was not telling the CBC what to do. Ralph Nader and Peter Camejo are acting in the best interest of the voting public by placing the progressive agenda before the American people and pursuing their campaign.

As Nader explained in a letter to the Black Caucus, also wished to discuss what Reverend Jesse Jackson told me, a few days earlier, that he did not think the Democratic Party was actively trying to register millions of African-American voters, or what Bishop Desmond Tutu replied when I asked him what he would want me to raise regarding U.S. foreign policy toward Africa, in any CBC meeting.
Instead, exclamations at the meeting descended into vituperative, (e.g., Congresswoman Kilpatrick’s tawdry, anatomical comment yelled loud enough so the press could hear it outside) and ending with the obscene racist epithet repeated twice by Yale Law School alumnus Congressman Melvin Watt of North Carolina. One member of your Caucus called to apologize for the crudity of some of the members. I had expected an expression of regret or apology from Congressman Watt in the subsequent days after he had cooled down. After all there was absolutely no vocal or verbal provocation from me or from my associates, including Peter Miguel Camejo, to warrant such an outburst. In all my years of struggling for justice, especially for the deprived and downtrodden, has any legislator--white or black--used such language?

I do not like double standards, especially since our premise for interactions must be equality of respect that has no room, as I responded to Mr. Watt, for playing the race card. Therefore, just as African-Americans demanded an apology from Agriculture Secretary Earl Butts and Senator Trent Lott--prior to their resignation and demotion respectively--for their racist remarks, I expect that you and others in the Caucus will exert your moral persuasion and request an apology from Congressman Watt. Please consider this also my request for such an expression--a copy of which is being forwarded directly to Mr. Watt's office.

Attached are the exact words of Congressman Watt's loud remarks ["You're just another arrogant white man -- telling us what we can do -- it’s all about your ego - another f*ing arrogant white man."], as heard by all in the meeting room without anyone admonishing him. In fact, some members rather enjoyed what he said judging by their outward demeanor.

If Nader, whose spent his career working for social justice causes, is going to be treated like this, the president would be a lunatic to go.

As long as the Democratic Party thinks that they "own" the black vote, that they have a God-given right to the black vote no matter how little they do, they will continue to ignore it.

The ABBers threw a snit fit at the vice-president's recent expletive. It'll be interesting to see if they criticize Rep. Watt's far more offensive remarks.