You’re well aware of the NAACP making accusations that the Tea Party Patriots are racist. I’ve listened to the Hot Tea with the Brazen Three may times and have read many articles. I have never once heard any real racial comments. What I have heard is that the Patriots are supporting their country.
I have found a transcript of TELL ME MORE by NPR News with host Michel Martin. In it he has his listeners hear the the thoughts of Mark Williams of the Tea Party Express bus tour of Tea Party rallies and Ben Jealous, head of the NAACP along with Lenny McAllister of NC, author of “Diary of a Mad Black PYC” (Proud Young Conservative), and Juan Baldor. A professor in Spanish and an immigrant from Cuba. Both Lenny and McAllistor are Republican conservatives of the Tea Party.
Mr. BEN JEALOUS (President, NAACP): What prompted this were our folks here in the Show-Me State who knew that the council of conservative citizens, a group that says that black people are not genetically equipped to participate in democracy, has been promoting Tea Party membership and bragging about their influence and activity in the Tea Party, that in the midst of all these horrible signs we’ve seen.
Mr. MARK WILLIAMS (National Spokesman, Tea Party Express): We are dealing with people who are professional race baiters who make a very good living off of this kind of thing. They make more money off of race than any slave trader ever. It’s time groups like the NAACP went to the trash heap of history where they belong with all the other vile, racist groups that emerged in our history.
MARTIN: Now, Lenny, we’ve actually talked about this before, you’ve written a lot about this. Now you’ve both seen these posters at some of these events that a number of people consider racist. So I’d like ask, do you think that there is an element of the Tea Party movement that is opposed to President Obama because of his race, as opposed to because of his policies? Lenny?
Mr. MCALLISTER: In addressing that question, I want to get back to the two statements we heard, both from Ben Jealous as well as from Mark Williams. And let’s get to Mark Williams’ statement first. In that regard, if you listen to what he said, you can see why people see some racist elements in the Tea Party.
Now, it doesn’t mean it’s everybody. It’s a minority of people. And I’m sitting here listening to Mark Williams’ statement and I’m furious. That’s the epitome of what a Tea Party patriot should not be saying. They should not be saying that the NAACP is vile. The NAACP is not vile. They fought for civil rights for all types of people for years, even if they’re misguided now, to use that type of language is not only inappropriate, but it does a disservice to the proud hundreds of thousands of Tea Party patriots and people that identify with the Tea Party because of his vitriol and aggressive statements that are, in my opinion, unnecessary. So I could see why they would react that way.
MARTIN: . . . You think that there are some racist elements who’ve been attracted to the Tea Party, but you don’t think it’s fair to judge the whole movement by what you consider to be a fringe element that’s riding the Tea Party’s coattails. You think that’s fair?
Prof. BALDOR: I, having, you know, come to this country from a socialist, communist regime, I’m very much aware of what it’s like to live under that system of oppression. What I see in the Tea Party, is people of all races, people of all walks of life, who have a love for this country, which I share.
There’s always going to be some extreme person that does not represent the entire organization. But that does not mean that that’s what the organization’s about. It’s the opposite of that. It’s about a love of country. It’s about protecting our constitutional rights. It’s about protecting our freedoms and a love of the United States of America.
MARTIN: Well, why then do why is there a need to have these posters of President Obama, you know, comparing him to Hitler and to Lenin and with a bone through his nose and all that other business? What’s that about?
Prof. BALDOR: That’s what I’m saying, you know, those people do not represent the Tea Party. They’re just fringe individuals that have extreme views.
You can read more of the transcript from the show at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128539851&ft=1&f=1014
The Tea Party has now put together a petition declaring both that the are not racist and to have the NAACP revoke the recent resolution that the Tea Party movement is “racist”. If you would like to sign the petition please go to http://www.teapartypatriots.org/petition/
Last I checked the number of people to sign the petition is over 4600 as seen on the Tea Party Patriots Facebook page.
