These days, George Allen may be on some sort of "journey of racial conciliation," but actions speak a lot louder than words or gestures. Each year, the National Asssociation for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) grades members of Congress on their voting records. This is not ancient history, what the person did in High School or whatever, but what their policy positions are RIGHT NOW. So how did George Allen do, according to the NAACP, on that group's legislative priorities in Congress? Let's just say, based on the following record, that Sen. Allen has a bit of "conciliation" left to do.During 2005 (the 109th Congress, 1st session), George Allen received an "F" rating from the NAACP. Among others, Allen voted against bills or amendments that would have:
*Increased funding for low income heating assistance
*Excluded civil rights cases for lost wages and overtime from provisions of a bill overhauling class action lawsuits.
*Increased funding for Head Start
*Increased spending on AIDS drug assistance
In addition, Allen voted to confirm right-wing judges strongly opposed by the NAACP: William H. Prior Jr., Janice Rogers Brown, and Priscilla Owen.
The 109th Congress wasn't an aberration for George Allen. During the 108th Congress (2003-2004), Allen also received an "F" rating from the NAACP. In that Congress, Allen voted against:
*Increasing minority health services grants
*Increasing education funding (vocational, job training, higher education, Title I funding for public elementary schools serving low-income students)
*Increasing local law enforcement funding
*Extending unemployment insurance
*Increasing funding to fight AIDS worldwide
*Increasing funding for after-school programs
True, none of these votes was OVERTLY anti-black. However, each one was important to the NAACP, because the organization thought it was important to African Americans. George Allen's "F" ratings the past two NAACP reports should certainly not be blown out of proportion; it's not like he was voting against desegregation or anything like that. Still, Allen received an "F" rating on the legislative priorities of the NAACP, one of the oldest and most influential civil rights organizations in the United States.
Of course, one of George Allen's role models, George W. Bush, in July 2004 became the first sitting U.S. president since Herbert Hoover not to address the NAACP. At the time, Bush said, "I would describe my relationship with the current leadership [of the NAACP] as basically nonexistent." And in October 2004, the IRS notified the NAACP that it would be investigating its tax-exempt status, a move the NAACP denounced as political retaliation for a speech given by chairman Julian Bond criticizng President Bush.
This is the Republican Party of George W. Bush and George F. Allen. That's the issue here, not any "journeys of conciliation" or other such gimmicks. Actions speak louder than words, and, according to the NAACP, George Allen gets an "F" when it comes to African Americans.
[UPDATE: Howling Latina has an article on Allen's "conciliation" tour, in which she writes, "If you think some dumb ride through Farmville is going to trump all your past racial bigotry and out-and-out racism, you are sadly mistaken."]
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/rosalind+s.+helderman/
Dear Editor
Senator Allen's recent effort to whitewash his past by sponsoring a racial reconciliation bill should not be given a free-pass by the electorate nor the press. Whereas, I commend and support bill’s idea of making the US Government finally acknowledge the crime of slavery, this election year effort smacks of an attempted "quick-fix" for Allen's re-election plans. I, for one, have my doubts as to Allen’s sincerity in sponsoring this bill.