Monday, April 12, 2010

Racial Arsonists Clam Up

If somebody reported a fire, then refused to answer any further questions about what they saw, when they saw it, and about obvious contradictions in their story...wouldn't you become a bit suspicious about the man who cried "fire" ?

The ombudsman of the Washington Post was following up on the paper's quick-trigger accusation of Tea Partiers in the alleged racial incidents at the Capitol on "Health Care Socialization Day", and finds himself rather...stonewalled:

Cleaver was hit with spit, but whether it was deliberate is very much in question. The video suggests he was unintentionally sprayed by the screaming protester. The distinction is significant because it fundamentally changes widespread media characterizations of what occurred...Cleaver's office did not return repeated calls seeking comment for this column.

Through spokesman Justin Ohlemiller, Carson stands by his assertion. The spokeswoman for Lewis, Brenda Jones, insists he and his chief of staff heard repeated uses of the N-word. They are declining interviews, she said, because they don't want to "fan the flames of destructive language."

Maybe that's the truth. Or maybe the racial fire lit by Reps. André Carson of Indiana and John Lewis of Georgia have already served their purpose. They have smeared the Tea Party with a baseless, hate-filled allegation that the media picked up without question, and the narrative was shifted away from the massive protests against ObamaCare that were gaining momentum across the nation, and to the question of just how racist the Tea Party actually is.

Now that the smoke has cleared, we see that there is precious little fire behind these claims. And now that a few (too few) intrepid reporters want to find out the truth behind this story, the accusers have clammed up, sending out spokesman to block all inquiries.

If this was an actual fire, the police would have subpoenaed these people under suspicion of starting the very blaze they called in. But because they are politicians, and people of color, they are allowed to hide behind race and privilege, and escape justice for their unconscionable deeds: smearing a huge group of honest, hardworking, innocent citizens with baseless lies in order to gain further power for themselves.

The should be held to account for what they have done. And if the media doesn't, the voters should.

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