Black Wingnuts Attack

By: Kathy Gerber
Published On: 10/20/2006 12:01:32 AM

Eileen with Virginia Beach Dems alerts us to smear ads targeting African Americans and attacking Democrats.  We can expect more of them, and here's a little background material.

Since these ads were aired earlier in other areas, there is already some good analysis available.  One of the more informative and thought provoking pieces is by Bill Fletcher.
He writes this

And, just to remind everyone, while the Democrats housed the reactionary Southern Dixiecrats, the reality is that the Dixiecrats left the Democrats and WENT TO THE REPUBLICANS.

And on party identity

The entire US political party system is, itself, deeply linked to matters of race and the system of racism.  The Republicans are correct in saying that the Democrats have a long history of racism, beginning at the time of the Civil War.  Ironically, for much of its existence the Democrats portrayed the Republicans as being the party of the Negro.  Today it is the Republican Party that presents the Democrats as being the party of the African American, and the Republican Party as being, first and foremost, the non-Black party (even if and when it includes African Americans).

And also

Second, and related, in aligning the Republicans with the white backlash, the Republicans began to paint the Democrats more and more as the party of Black people.  This was often coded in terms of GÇ£special interests,GÇ¥ though the expression was aimed against organized labor and the WomenGÇÖs Movement as well.  But in the minds of white people, special interests particularly meant the interests of those of us of color.  The Republicans, on the other hand, were to be the party that was NOT BLACK.  This did not mean, however, that Black people were eliminated from the Party.  Rather, it meant that there was and is no place within the Republican Party for a Black agenda.

Even I'm to the right of Fletcher on economic issues, but his historical thoroughness and honesty is exemplary.

Dave Johnson has an article Front Group Report: Black Republican Freedom Fund

Josh wrote A Note to Republicans Trying to Woo Minorities about even stranger ads aired by what looks like another group entirely.

More good material on this at source watch

In Black wingnuts at Project 21: pimping for The Man Pam Spaulding dissects a similar group.

On the surface these ads are a win-win for Republicans.  Though they will only sow doubt among the most gullible, every increment counts in a tight race.  Meanwhile candidates like George Allen are handed an opportunity to renounce theses ads in the noblest of terms with a silent wink to those of his supporters who want to credit him with such a "brilliant" maneuver.

Yet again, Republicans resort to race as a divisive tool, and we need to ensure that they are held accountable for doing so.

Comments



This is all about voter suppression (snolan - 10/20/2006 9:03:01 AM)
These attack ads are trying to suppress voter turnout in certain demographic groups.  They must be fought against and fought with no fear and no mercy.

Every voter should enjoy the right and the responsibility to vote.