Yeah, the kids holding the Allen signs were high school aged!!!! they don't even know really the difference between a liberal or a conservative.

I wish I could have been there, so I could have asked those kids nicely.

Why do you support George Allen?

I honestly would have been interested in their answer.

Anyone reading/posting stuff like this, let everyone know before hand and there will probably be more people against allen to show up.

Overall thought, great great FREAKING video.

Keep the pressure!

Cheese Louise, Greg; what did you expect? To say that it was an ambitious list is an understatement; where does one scare up all those 57 varieties of tan? Of course they had to beef it up with blondes (no blonde jokes, please)

I'm surprised though that, with a decent advance notice and it being an annual event, they only managed to get ca 300 people, even with the bussed in ones. We had only 2 days notice for Jim Webb's appearance today, our (Rockbriddge) county is far smaller/less populous than Fairfax and we still managed to get about 50... And none of them had to be bribed, or bussed in to attend which, given the price of gas is a real achievement :)

The yellow balloons.. I assume they were yours, not Allen's? I would think he'd be turned off the colour permanently.

Huh?  I guess that makes people in this commonwealth Virginian Americans...

I know one "Puerto Rico American" who did not attend.  He's not a "Puerto Rico Virginian" anymore. He moved out of the state because he was sick and tired of things like being pulled over for no reason while riding a bicycle in one of Virginia's more liberal cities.

What I have not seen mentioned explicitly is that the reason this is an ETHNIC RALLY is a way to make it clear that this is an EXCLUSIVE RALLY - a rally where women's concerns and GLBT concerns are NOT up for discussion.

Let us not forget that part of the Republicans' strategy is based upon leveraging bigotry by playing up the Marshall-Newman amendment.

if I didn't have to go to my second job on Saturday.  My good paying job was sent overseas, thanks to stupid corporate tax breaks which Allen voted for.  In addition, Allen supports the H-1b visa increases every year so that American workers, including people of color like you and me, can live in poverty.  That's why you didn't see me protesting at the rally. 

And why shouldn't white people protest racism?  I have seen footage of civil rights marches that included white people.  There is nothing wrong with that!

Allen's support of a massive coporate sponsored H1-B and SKIL bill programs hits directly at all Americans, and that especially includes the black Americans who have worked hard to make it to the middle class.

a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and an MBA.  The American Dream has become a nightmare for many of us whose jobs were sent overseas under corporate tax schemes, or whose jobs were taken by exploited foreign labor under the H-1B visa programs.  Please stop your Republican rhetoric.  Three million of us have heard it before.  In case you didn't know, that's how many middle class jobs were lost in the past five years, on Bush's and Allen's watch.

Allen refuses to remove the disincentives for companies to do work in America and hire Americans.  The answer often enough is not more formal education, but on the job training.  Why doesn't Allen remove the tax breaks to offshore?  Allen's SKIL bill would give George Bush the authority to uncap the number of guest workers unscrupulous American corporations could "hire".  What new high school grad needs this legislation?  What new college grad?  What "downsized" mid-career American?  What new "retiree" that needs to supplement his social security?

And the Allen supporters answer is "go back to night school".

There's plenty of opportunity for capital transfers to address real inefficiencies in the market.  There's no reason for Allen to subsidize it or to use labor arbitrage to target American workers for lower wages.

Allen truly sucks on this issue.

"truly suck?"

Lowell-no.  Allen sucks on every issue.

blackamerican-awwww, that's cute.  That's cute that you signed up for RK the day of the "ethnic rally" and have only posted comments about said rally.  So, let's all call you what you are:  a typical Republican troll here with a new name to try to have some sort of credibility.

Republicans cannot blog.  They just aren't smart enough.

If you haven’t already read the August 29 “Nation” article and photo linking George Allen to the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), a racist, white supremacist, anti-immigrant group, you should; it’s here.  If the CCC had its way, many of the people attending the GOP ethnic rally would never have been allowed to enter this country.

The Web site of the CCC is here. If you look at their Statement of the Principles (Manifest), which is here, you‘ll see Allen is endorsing a group that says this:

  "(2) We believe the United States is a European country and that Americans are part of the European people. We believe that the United States derives from and is an integral part of European civilization and the European people and that the American people and government should remain European in their composition and character.

  "We therefore oppose the massive immigration of non-European and non-Western peoples into the United States that threatens to transform our nation into a non-European majority in our lifetime.

  "We believe that illegal immigration must be stopped, if necessary by military force and placing troops on our national borders; that illegal aliens must be returned to their own countries; and that legal immigration must be severely restricted or halted through appropriate changes in our laws and policies.

  "We also oppose all efforts to mix the races of mankind, to promote non-white races over the European-American people through so-called "affirmative action" and similar measures, to destroy or denigrate the European-American heritage, including the heritage of the Southern people, and to force the integration of the races."

Blackamerican, I think it’s ironic that George Allen, with his long record of racism and a link to a white supremacist group, is a key speaker at an “ethnic rally.”

I think George Allen should answer if he still stands behind his endorsement of the CCC, as evidenced by the photo that the CCC ran in its newsletter. And I hope some enterprising reporter will call up the CCC and ask they if they still endorse Allen.

All the people of Virginia, including the folks who attended the ethnic rally on Saturday, should be aware of George Allen’s complete record and the fervent racist, anti-immigrant beliefs that he has endorsed. 

Well, to judge from the new Mason-Dixon poll, not many of the Black voters who have decided on their preference are standing with Allen (see the story Poll finds Allen's lead shrinking).

That's a big shift from July, when Black voters who had decided indicated this: Webb, 39% percent; Allen, 16%. That is, since July, Webb has gained 34 points among Black voters, while Allen has lost 11 points. 

They do not feel welcome in the Republican Party, nor do they see the Republican Party doing anything for them.  To say that "the black voter has not been very discerning with his or her vote" is incredibly condescending.  Do you think they don't know their own best interests?  Frankly, you sound more and more like a right-wing Republican with every word you write.

...in Presidential elections.

1988: 86%
1992: 83% (note: 7% went to Ross Perot)
1996: 84% (note: 4% went to Ross Perot)
2000: 92%
2004: 88%

Not much of a trend there, as you can see.  African Americans overwhelmingly support Democrats, and that isn't changing.  If anything, it's increasing (from 86% in 1988 to 88% in 2004).  Nice try.

Sources: here, here, and here

...When in the past 16 years have the Democrats had the opportunity to do anything for the African American community (as well as the rest of America)?

Other than a two year period from 1/93 to 1/95 the repubs have controlled the Presidency or at least one house of Congress (if not all three), however, during that brief period where the Democratic Party did control the Presidency and Congress Clinton and the Democrats tried to provide Universal Health Care (which was opposed by the repubs).

Lets reframe it to 50 years (well within the lifetimes and memories of millions of Americans) and ask the same question of both parties...

You are promoting the thesis that if you can overcome difficult circumstances, then anyone can do it, and that is just not the case.  I've overcome difficult circumstances, too, and I know it was easier because I was white.  It was easier because I have a high IQ.  Those are both random factors.  Intelligent people not only find it easier to obtain an education, they are also better equipped to strategize and make long term plans.

And for what it's worth, factors that would have been to one's advantage in New Orleans during Katrina would have been 1) swimming and 2) paddling. 

Regardless of education level, if jobs are being sent overseas, large percentages of will be in trouble.  It's that simple. 

Acknowledging difficulties and complex circuits of cause and effect is part of the truth. It does not negate the value of education, it does not devalue hard work, and it does not advocate dependence on government.

Under Bill Clinton:

  the BATF changed its auditing procedures to concentrate audits on dealers whose inventory were used in crimes, result: dramatic reduction in crime including predominately black inner city neighborhoods. (also, then Mayor Tim Kaine instituted a policy of operation exile to make sure that those using guns in commission of a crime were vigorously prosecuted, someone from Richmond could tell you more about the details)

AG Janet Reno vigorously enforced the Fair Credit Act and Clinton's FDIC vigorously enforced the Community Reinvestment Act (passed during the Carter Administration), thus making capital available to inner city neighborhoods spurring job growth and redevelopment

mail in voter registration, making it more convenient for workers who work multiple jobs and can't get to a registrars office to register to vote. while everyone benefited, the encouraged voter participation in black precincts

expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, while the overwhelming majority of the beneficiaries of this were while, a disproportionate number of blacks benefited from this

Expansion of Pell grants (since cut back by Bush) and expansion of the student loan program (since but back by Bush)

Support for public transportation (this includes Clinton, MARK Warner, Tim Kaine, , Senator Robb, Jim Moran)

The CHIPs health program, again the majority of beneficiaries are white, but a disproportionate number of blacks benefit

this is a very incomplete list and just off the top of my head

This is VERY helpful!

I guess this answers the question of whether Tom Davis will distance himself from George Allen. It also supports that the Truth about Tom Davis is that he is a "George Allen" Republican that is out of touch with Northern Virginia.

Despite promising to respond to demands to cover Andy Hurst's race against Davis ("Now, a Word About the Invigorated 11th District Democrats,"  20 July 2006 by Lisa Rein, the Post continues it's inexplicable silence.  The Allen rally story does give Andy a nod when it says "Allen was joined by ...Thomas M. Davis III, [one of] two Northern Virginia Republicans facing aggressive Democratic challengers in an area where political allegiances could be shifting."  Too bad the paper still doesn't tell voters the name of the refreshing alternative to the Rubber Stamp Republican Davis.

Viewing the video it is clearly a 1)lily white, 2)small crowd of Allen boosters. 

Did Allen really greet the folks inside with a "Bon Jour!" ?

"We need your help", Tom Davis

It's "funny" how blackman immediately assumes that, anyone living in poverty or hanging to middle class status by the skin of one's teeth (and working two jobs to do it), has to be an uneducated moron... That's an assumption typical of white Repubs: if it's less pink than I am, it has to have dropped out of highschool through sheer laziness and stupidity.

Frankly, I smell "blackface" rather than a "blackman" here.

A lot of trolls are popping up suddenly.  Is it just a coincidence that Dick Wad(hams) just hired a "New Media Coordinator" (love THAT one, by the way - LOL) and has turned his attention towarads the Virginia blogosphere?  Hmmmmm.

if all he's doing is disagreeing, but blackman is being disagreeable.  First, to suggest that white people have no reason to protest racism is just silly. We all suffer-admittedly some more than others-when racism prevents people from contributing to better all of us.  Secondly, blackman is taking us off topic, as trolls like to do. The truth seems to be an ethnic rally was held for Allen, the Republican Party Ditto Heads like Tom Davis showed up like dutiful Yes-Men, and people had to be bused in to get turn out. How ironic -- Forced busing at an ethnic rally!

Why have an ethnic rally-why not just have a rally? Must the groups be divided-segregated?