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Politics : The Bigot Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dale Baker who wrote (721)	11/4/2011 3:19:23 PM
From: Skywatcher	Respond to of 740

Cain plays the race card, unfortunately Herman Cain thinks his race is a factor in the publicizing of sex harassment complaints, though he has no evidence of a racially motivated conspiracy against him. November 3, 2011 There will be plenty of time to comment on sexual harassment allegations against Herman Cain — a third emerged Tuesday — when all the facts are known. Meanwhile, we're disappointed that the businessman-turned-presidential candidate is playing the race card. It's an unexpected tack for a man who said just last month: "I don't believe racism in this country today holds anybody back in a big way." Apparently Cain does think his race is a factor in the revelations about the sexual harassment complaints. Prompted by conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer in a television interview, Cain answered yes to the question of whether "race [and] being a strong black conservative has anything to do with the fact you've been so charged." The sort of racism Cain hinted at is not the blatant bigotry of a bygone era. Still, according to Cain, by targeting black conservatives, liberals are treating them differently than white conservatives, on the basis of their race. Krauthammer implied that another victim of such bias was Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who, he noted, was "near to achieving a position of high authority [when] he was hit with a sexual harassment charge." The example of Thomas has a more relevant similarity to Cain's reaction to media reports about the harassment complaints. Thomas famously exploited race by describing his televised confirmation hearings as a "high-tech lynching." Cain has said in the past that he expects similar treatment, and a PAC supporting him said in a fundraising letter that the left-wing media, "just like they did to Clarence Thomas, [are] engaging in a 'high-tech lynching' by smearing Herman Cain's reputation and character." The use of the term "lynching" in both cases is tasteless and wildly inappropriate. But the underlying argument — that a black candidate is being treated more harshly than a white candidate would be because of his race — is still a serious charge, not to be leveled lightly. By his own admission, Cain has no evidence of a racially motivated conspiracy against him. Nevertheless, "based upon our speculation," he told Krauthammer, "race is a bigger driving factor" among his critics on the left. Some might defend Cain on the grounds that he's a novice politician with a habit of misspeaking. But when it comes to accusations of racism, more is expected of a presidential candidate, even an unconventional one. Cain should put the race card back in the deck.

To: Dale Baker who wrote (721)	11/4/2011 3:21:25 PM
From: Skywatcher	Respond to of 740

Not in Pasadena The time has come to stop the hate-filled speech of KFI’s John and Ken By Alex Nogales 11/03/2011 Last month, the National Hispanic Media Coalition held a screening for an excellent documentary that aired nationally on PBS in late September. “Not in Our Town: Light in the Darkness” captured the reactions of people in Patchogue, a small town in Long Island, NY, after a group of local teenagers violently murdered 37-year-old Ecuadorian immigrant Marcelo Lucero just for being brown. The town’s mayor and most of its residents were utterly shocked that something like this could happen in their sleepy town and, commendably, a critical mass stood up to decry the violence and strategize about how to prevent repeat incidents. Yet, many of the Latinos who spoke in the film were not terribly surprised by Lucero’s death … unbeknownst to some people anti-Latino fervor had been boiling in the town for some time. Pasadena and Patchogue aren’t that different. They are both smaller towns on the outskirts of large, multicultural metropolises. They are both family-oriented places. They are both home to many diverse residents. And finally, they are both inundated with hate radio. Today, I ask you to stand with my organization, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, to stop tragedy in our town before it strikes. Never again should we have to mourn the loss of a neighbor who is killed just because of his or her immutable characteristics. Never again should we stand idly by as we witness the mistreatment of our fellow human beings, as we listen to the dehumanization that transpires day in and day out on the radio. We all have a responsibility to stand up and say, “Not in Our Town!” For years AM 640 talk show hosts John Kobyll and Ken Champou have spread hate and intolerance over the public airwaves. Recently, the duo released a cell phone number for Dream Act advocate Jorge-Mario Cabrera after lambasting him on the air, and then urged their listeners to call and let him have it. Mr. Cabrera received more than 450 angry calls, some of which directly threatened his personal safety and his life. John and Ken should know better. This was only one incident in a long line of similar stunts that have resulted in the torment of individuals with whom John and Ken disagree. We tried to reason with KFI and its parent company, Clear Channel. We tried to explain that it is reckless to spread hate and misinformation in a state that already has 68 active hate groups and where hate crimes against Latinos have risen almost 50 percent in just the past year. Unfortunately, Clear Channel executives were more interested in making excuses and feeble promises, meagerly hiding behind the First Amendment rather than seriously considering the concerns of people across the county and the nation. Apparently they are concerned with their bottom lines and nothing else. But we can show them that they should care and that we the people of Pasadena won’t stand for their reckless disregard for the well-being of the community that they are licensed to serve. To date, a forceful groundswell of support has emerged, not just from Angelenos, but also regional and national organizations, including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) the United Church of Christ (UCC) and more than 35 other organizations. Also, an online petition of individuals raising their voices to decry this program is growing in number by the minute. Media outlets has also taken notice, and our campaign has been covered, to date, in the Los Angeles Times, La Opinion, Univision, Telemundo as well as countless radio and television stations, papers and the blogosphere. At the same time, major businesses have distanced themselves from the program, agreeing to no longer advertise with John and Ken. This includes AT&T Wireless, Verizon FiOS, Vons, Ralphs, General Motors, Home Depot and several local advertisers as well. There is no better time than now to join NHMC’s campaign to take John and Ken off the air. It’s not enough to stand by disgusted at hate and intolerance on the radio as it sullies the minds of impressionable Americans and leads to psychological and physical harms. We must vocalize our concerns. Only with our own critical mass will they hear us. So let’s get to it, Pasadena, Let’s tell John and Ken, “Not In Our Town!” Alex Nogales is president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. For more, visit nhmc.org/content/take-john-and-ken-air.