'....the usual miopic republican take' - make that myopic.

Ken gives the usual miopic republican take on our recent political history:

'Sen Byrd of West Virginia, formerly active in the Klan, as were almost all Democrats below the Mason Dixon line of that era, voted in opposition to it.
It is the Democratic party that has the shameful racist past. You can look it up. Give to the cure for ignorance. It's called education.'
_______________________

Well Ken, you forgot to mention that the entire dixiecratic South went republican behind the leadership and inspiration of famed white separatist Strom Thurmond of South Carolina right about the time of all those civil rights troubles you mention back in the 1960's - and the entire South been decidedly republican ever since. I have unfortunate first-hand experience living in SC as I do........

The truth is, there have been very few republicans of note over the years other than Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, that have brought much credit to the republican party.

There is often much to dislike about democrats - unfortunately our only alternative is republicans. Their recent obstructionist efforts to block greatly needed legislation on healthcare reform and other salient social issues is really pretty typical.

Maligning Harry Reid makes perfect sense when the balance of power in the Senate is at stake. But in the end, self-righteousness is not a good fit for the republican party - and never will be, given their blatantly racist history.

The fact that the GOP has a couple or three high profile African Americans in their midst i.e. Steele, Thomas and formerly Colin Powell, simply points out the paucity of blacks that find the grand old party and their prevailing philosophy even remotely appealing.

Hey Patrick - nosepicker - I didn't commit slavery - and my ancestor was John Adams - who loathed slavery. What posseses your brain to blame me for something that happened generations ago? Are you smacked? So, I'm half black - do I hate "typical white people" only half the time? What is the protocol here, Patrick?

As for Harry Reid - he has loathing for lots of "different" Americans...remember back in December of 2008 when he said "
you could literally smell the tourists coming into the Capitol"?

He has proven himself to have lost all sense of what makes us human - compassion and respect for the individual. When that happens - and the densitivity kicks in - then you are no longer fit to "represent" anyone except your deranged psyche. Time to go home.

Any self respecting scapegoat would take issue with your description of Harry Reid as a scapegoat. He doesn't even measure up to that level.

and why shouldn't reid be the scaprgoat...
let them do to him what he has done to us...

Some more reality about the Mormon "Church":

From: lds-mormon.com/time.shtml

"The first divergence between Mormon economics and that of other denominations is the tithe. Most churches take in the greater part of their income through donations. Very few, however, impose a compulsory 10% income tax on their members. Tithes are collected locally, with much of the money passed on informally to local lay leaders at Sunday services. "By Monday," says Elbert Peck, editor of Sunstone, an independent Mormon magazine, the church authorities in Salt Lake City "know every cent that's been collected and have made sure the money is deposited in banks." There is a lot to deposit.

Last year $5.2 billion in tithes flowed into Salt Lake City, $4.9 billion of which came from American Mormons."

"The Mormons are stewards of a different stripe. Their charitable spending and temple building are prodigious. But where other churches spend most of what they receive in a given year, the Latter-day Saints employ vast amounts of money in investments that TIME estimates to be at least $6 billion strong. Even more unusual, most of this money is not in bonds or stock in other peoples' companies but is invested directly in church-owned, for-profit concerns, the largest of which are in agribusiness, media, insurance, travel and real estate. Deseret Management Corp., the company through which the church holds almost all its commercial assets, is one of the largest owners of farm and ranchland in the country, including 49 for-profit parcels in addition to the Deseret Ranch.

Besides the Bonneville International chain and Beneficial Life, the church owns a 52% holding in ZCMI, Utah's largest department-store chain. (For a more complete list, see chart.) All told, TIME estimates that the Latter-day Saints farmland and financial investments total some $11 billion, and that the church's nontithe income from its investments exceeds $600 million. "

"Members of the church celebrate the Lord's Supper with water rather than wine or grape juice. They believe their President is a prophet who receives new revelations from God. These can supplant older revelations, as in the case of the church's historically most controversial doctrine: Smith himself received God's sanctioning of polygamy in 1831, but 49 years later, the church's President announced its recision. Similarly, an explicit policy barring black men from holding even the lowest church offices was overturned by a new revelation in 1978, opening the way to huge missionary activity in Africa and Brazil. "
Bottom line: Mormonism is a business cult using religion as a front and charitable donations and volunteer work to advertise said business.
"

Scapegoat. SCAPEGOAT?! The nastiest person in DC, even surpasses (out-lows?) Nancy. Using MY tax dollars to bribe weakling senators, has family members leveraging his "position" to grab lobbying dollars, and HE is a scapegoat. Something escapes me.

"While Reid's comments were problematic, his record speaks for itself. The Republicans who are criticizing him have an awful record on Civil Rights."

The Democrat Party was the pro-slavery, pro-segregation, pro-Jim Crow,Governor Orval Faubus, Lester Maddox, Sheriff and County Democratic party chairman Bull Connor, Klu Klux Klan Party.

The Republican party has from its inception been the abolitionist, reconstructionist, anti-lynching, pro voting rights party. The civil rights laws passed during reconstruction by the Republican party were buried under nearly a century of Democratic Jim Crow laws and not reestablished until the 1964 civil rights act, which passed with over 80 per cent Republican support against majority Democrat opposition.

Sen Byrd of West Virginia, formerly active in the Klan, as were almost all Democrats below the Mason Dixon line of that era, voted in opposition to it.

It is the Democratic party that has the shameful racist past. You can look it up. Give to the cure for ignorance. It's called education.

Nice discussion about Biblical scapegaoting, Rabbi Herschfield, but I'm afraid any connection between the Levitical practice and Sen Harry Reid is as tendentious as it is tenuous.

There was nothing racist in the Senator's remarks themselves. His thoughts on the interaction between racial identity and electability presuppose the bean-counting identity politics that substitutes for thinking on the left and is more accurately described as racialist than racist.

Harry Reid, national undertaker

Judging Others
Lk. 6.3738, 4142
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Mk. 4.24
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6 ¶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Harry Reid is no bettor worse than most politicians at his level.

But I do question the secularist advocates (not talking about Hirshfeld here) who kept hammering on the fact that Mitt Romney is a Mormon but never talk about the fact that Reid is one.
To them, fanciful religion is only wrong when political conservatives do it.
POSTED BY: WMARKW | JANUARY 13, 2010 1:42 PM
REPORT OFFENSIVE COMMENT
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY-SAINTS IS HARDLY A FANCIFUL RELIGION. THEY ARE CHRISTIANS. MITT ROMNEY, ORIN HATCH, JEFF FLAKE, AND THIRTEEN MILLION OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD WOULD TAKE OFFENSE AT THE WORD "FANCIFUL" as descriptive of their church.

How refreshing it is to get an explanation from a biblical perspective (which is where it should have come from in the first place), what it is that Harry Reid is enduring in his political life at the moment. Hopefully this article will bring some peace-of-mind to Mr. Reid for his professed mea culpa and allow the media and this country to move forward.

TO THE BIGOT CCNLI
With its missionaries in Haiti all safe, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is beginning its humanitarian-relief efforts in the wake of Tuesday's massive earthquake and Wednesday's aftershocks in the Caribbean island nation.

"We express our sympathy and prayers on behalf of the citizens of Haiti following the recent devastating earthquake," said LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter, adding that the church "is immediately shipping humanitarian relief including personal hygiene kits and supplies for newborns."

Efforts are underway to determine further humanitarian response in coordination with government and disaster-relief organizations, he added.

Donations for the church's relief efforts in Haiti can be made at give.lds.org/emergencyresponse.

Earlier Wednesday, the church reported all of its missionaries serving in Haiti were safe and accounted for. No North Americans were serving as full-time Mormon missionaries in Haiti at the time.

The LDS Church is continuing to account for its Haitian members in the aftermath of the deadly quake and had no reports available on members Wednesday morning.

SORRY SANITY CHECK THE BIGOT POSTING WAS CCNLI. THIS MESSAGE IS FOR HIM.Your bigoted and uninformed rant against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is disgusting and appalling. 13 million Christians belong to that Church. Their church is the leader in humanitarian efforts around the world and here in the United States as well. Tsunami and Katrina victims aided with food clothing and shelter by the LDS church would spit in your bigoted face. The prophet Joseph Smith produced the Book of Mormon and all the bigots on the face of the earth have not been able to figure out how he was able to produce such a wonderful document without devine help. You would mock the Old Testament as well where Moses brought forth the 10 Commandments after speaking with God. Many Presidents have honored the LDS Church and their prophets. Their last President was given a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
I hate bigots and although Harry Reid is a member of the Church and spoke out stupidly, there are 16 members of the Church including Orin Hatch the respected Senator from Utah.
I'm sure you probably would rant about Lieberman being a Jew if the threat presented it. Scapegoating is what bigots do.
Bigotry and bias like yours exists everywhere like germs, but disinfectant called truth kills them off.

POSTED BY: SANITYCHECK1 | JANUARY 13, 2010 9:15 AM
Your bigoted and uninformed rant against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is disgusting and appalling. 13 million Christians belong to that Church. Their church is the leader in humanitarian efforts around the world and here in the United States as well. Tsunami and Katrina victims aided with food clothing and shelter by the LDS church would spit in your bigoted face. The prophet Joseph Smith produced the Book of Mormon and all the bigots on the face of the earth have not been able to figure out how he was able to produce such a wonderful document without devine help. You would mock the Old Testament as well where Moses brought forth the 10 Commandments after speaking with God. Many Presidents have honored the LDS Church and their prophets. Their last President was given a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
I hate bigots and although Harry Reid is a member of the Church and spoke out stupidly, there are 16 members of the Church including Orin Hatch the respected Senator from Utah.
I'm sure you probably would rant about Lieberman being a Jew if the threat presented it. Scapegoating is what bigots do.
Bigotry and bias like yours exists everywhere like germs, but disinfectant called truth kills them off.

Americans sure do live in denial--simply cannot face the truth like Harry said. Blacks knew this all the time. We are not offended by this statement and welcome it. The fact is white women have benefited more than any other people from affirmative action. It’s like the other white secret: Welfare. White people simply cannot bring themselves to admit the truth because it interferes with their superiority complexes--always seek the truth, it will set you free. That’s why we have this tea party. I was there at the 9/12 rally. I was a welcome as a flea in a dog show. Nothing but poor white trash was there. How the hell can I ever become a Republican when the party does not like me?

Don't fear people of color, like Steele once said. Worry about the plutocrats because by the time some middle and poor whites wake the hell up, they will see the results of them voting against their own interest all these years in fear of the color people getting a little something, its already too late. You will then see that you whiteness means absolutely nothing. The tragic thing is we all know Jesus was black but would white folks put a black Jesus in their home? Hell no. But blacks proudly place white Jesus in their home. The first step of the inferiority complex and indoctrination. Like the true story and study of a little girl who chooses the white doll over the black doll. And when asked why, she says the white doll is the good doll.
Did anyone check out the video of the Tea Party. There is proof that the tea party movement is a neo-nazi, skin head movement. ATF officials secretly joined one of them. So think twice about the TEA Party and Sarah Palin movement

http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/peopleandpower/2010/01/201015124739316797.html

While Reid's comments were problematic, his record speaks for itself. The Republicans who are criticizing him have an awful record on Civil Rights, so Dems are doing the right thing by playing the race card themselves. It's safe to say that those Repub politicians have probably made worse comments about African-Americans, in private. And their voting record probably wouldn't get the NAACP seal of approval. So who are they to cast the first stone?

No one benefits from political correctness.

There is absolutely no controversy here, only pretend outrage from certain quarters. We all know there is no similarity between what Trent Lott said and what Harry Reid said. No one thinks there is; some are merely pretending. Let's not have any more conversation about this false equivalency, because we all know that it is false.

We seem to be in so much denial here. Thee is an element of human nature which leads us to affiliate with people and things which are familiar. Pretty much every species does this to some degree or another. Not everyone is strongly disposed in this way -- but some are and may not be racist as much as simply human. Times change and we learn to overcome these tendencies. But, while we're at it, there is little point villifying everyone who reacts this way.

Reid was correct although pretty offensive in his wording. If only 5% of the non-african american voters felt more comfortable with someone who talked and lloked more like themselves, it's a big deal in the polls. If you have to villify someone, villify people who act on that basis, not those who recognize the propensity for it.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard people openly declare that "DC is a black city and therefore should have a black mayor." Villify that.

don't care what Senator Reid said. It is his actions that speak far louder. The right wing attack machine is looking for any reason to mount a scream campaign against any Democrat. First, Pelosi, now Reid, Obama whenever and then next week...
The Rove concept has always been to plant stories, include lies or distortions like these and keep telling them over and over until they resemble truth and then hold them to be an indictment. Nothing has changed except that the desperate and dispirited loons that inhabit the right will continue with their sulphurous comments unless they find that they are ignored. Let's just do that, huh?
Posted by: BobfromLI | January 12, 2010 2:06 PM
Report Offensive Comment

Only a Liberal could make a statement like that. So ok if Reid used the N word as long as he keeps giving the African American community their fish each day. Nice logic idiot. So you also know Carl Rove. Man you are one smart cookie. So the left has never had an attack machine? Come on idiot. You guys invented it. That's your MO since day one. No attack machine against Palin or George Allen. Do you really believe the puke that you regergitated? Liberals are the most uneducated among us. Quit pretending to have an ouce of intellect. The man on the street episode that Hannity does in NY to Liberal College Students is pure entertainment. There all Morons. Just like you, they get their daily news from moveon.stupid. Liberals Suck!!

I think you missed the point. It would appear that your hatred has clouded your judgment. I think the point was if he sounded like one of today's rap stars he would have never been elected. I also believe this to be true. The fact that he doesn't fit the typical stereotype (created by blacks) helped him in his bid to become president. It has little to do with racism. If racism was the key factor he would have never been elected. Remember that the flip side of racism is ignorance.

-------------------------------------------

So a negro dialect is perfectly acceptable to say to african americans? The one's that use and created this dialect (which an example of is todays rap stars). It is also acceptable to say that light skinned blacks are more popular then dark skinned blacks? So, the dems have a leader in congress that thinks "negro dialects" and "dark skinned" blacks have less chance of being elected. Does this shape the party's mindset? Are they knowingly choosing "light skinned" "caucasion dialect" candidates over better qualified "dark skinned" blacks b/c they are more likely to get elected? Is that racism or good politics?

A pseudo-political correctness instigated by an incurable racial disorder.
There are plenty examples, just to mention Jimmy the Greek, Imus and now Reid. All their comments, even though maybe inappropriate and rude, were truthful and reflected their individual opinions. It is a shame, when the organizations, parties and individuals are complaining and whining about them, demanding immediate actions and sanctions, but they are all doing it for their own interests, whatever they may be, and not because it is a right thing to do. This is still a free country and on the end, the people will decide what is correct and acceptable and what is not.
I can't stand Reid, but this old and stupid story is blown out of proportion and it became another political farce in very bad taste.

I am sure glad Strom Thurmond did not become President as we would now see the following in the African American Community;
- 70% out of wedlock birthrate
- 1 Million African American men in Prison
- Grand Mothers raising their grandchildren
- Fathers not in the home
- Less then 50% of African American children in a home with only one parent.
- Black Artist winning Grammy awards for disparaging black woman as Ho’s and using the N word at every turn.
- Major inner cities crumbling under Black Rule.

Again, sure glad Strom was not elected. Can't imagine what the African American Community would look like. Liberals Suck!

Harry Reid is no bettor worse than most politicians at his level.

But I do question the secularist advocates (not talking about Hirshfeld here) who kept hammering on the fact that Mitt Romney is a Mormon but never talk about the fact that Reid is one.

To them, fanciful religion is only wrong when political conservatives do it.

Harry Reid's comments about skin color pales in comparison to his extortion and bribery of fellow Senators behind closed doors.

Terrorist groups are domestic too: It called the TEA PARTY!!!
Almost a year ago the inauguration of President Barack Obama was hailed as a turning point in US race relations. The country was said to be entering a new era of post-racial politics, on the path to a future of greater diversity and tolerance.
But while crowds flocked to Washington to witness the swearing in, others were refusing to join the party. Racially motivated threats against Obama rose to new heights in the first months of his presidency, with the US seeing nine high-profile race killings in 2009.
Meanwhile white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups claim their membership is growing and that visits to their websites are increasing.
Is the racial undercurrent that has long structured US politics reasserting itself?

Filmmakers Rick Rowley and Jacquie Soohen went inside the white nationalist movement to investigate.
One example is the rise of the TEA PARTY. I went to the 9/11 rally in DC. It was more than what meets the eye. Remember the statement “I want my country back”. It’s said a lot especially on FOX News. This is Tea Party being held today is a nationwide protest started by the Porkulas protest organized by Carender, but taken over by right wing zealots like FOX and folks like Cavuto,. Malkin,. Beck,. Hannity. Enough with the oh-this-is-a-non-partisan-event. Even Geraldo Rivera and Fox Regular Hater Ann Coulter admitted” that this tea party deal is a movement by conservatives who are upset with Obama. And as for the “grassroots” BS, the principle organizers of the local events are actually the lobbyist-run think tanks Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Works ,and the national tea party movement is partnered with Newt Gingrich's “American Solutions for Winning the Future” organization.
YOU GOT TO CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO!!!
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/peopleandpower/2010/01/201015124739316797.html

"It is one or the other -
1.) Reid believes Obama is generally more qualified because he is light skinned and doesn't have a negor(sp) dialect
or
2.) Reid believes American voters are racists toward dark skinned, negro dialects to a much larger extent than light skinned, caucasion(sp) dialects. So much so that they would change thier votes.
Either way - Reid is a scumbag making sweeping sterotypical(sp) judgments based on skin color - that is racist."

All American voter are not bigoted. See election. But just enough are that this would have made the difference. Harry Reid made an accurate observation and got trashed for it. I long for the day when Political speech and the Truth bear the slightest resemblance. This contrasts with Trent Lott, for example, who made an nostalgic editorial statement about how the USA would have been better if we had remained racist.

Too bad so many Americans don't understand the nuances of the English.

"Surprise, surprise, lefty writer on lefty blog in lefty newspaper says lefty is a victim. This whole 'on faith' site is a trojan horse designed to subvert the enemy which happens to be conservative Christianity."
Posted by: mike27

Mike27, paranoia is umbecoming. This kind of nonsense, well represented on this web, gives conservative Christianity a bad name. You have shown the enemy, and it is you.

Surprise, surprise, lefty writer on lefty blog in lefty newspaper says lefty is a victim. This whole 'on faith' site is a trojan horse designed to subvert the enemy which happens to be conservative Christianity.

This article is the biggest wool over the eyes, run around I have ever read. A scapegoat is usually INNOCENT! Does Mr. Hirschfield believe that dark-skinned, negro dialect people are less intelligent? Why would it help Obama's campaign - because he is smarter b/c of these attributes or b/c the American voters are racist toward "dark skinned, negro dialects" more than "light-skinned, caucasion dialects?
It is one or the other -
1.) Reid believes Obama is generally more qualified because he is light skinned and doesn't have a negor dialect
or
2.) Reid believes American voters are racists toward dark skinned, negro dialects to a much larger extent than light skinned, caucasion dialects. So much so that they would change thier votes.
Either way - Reid is a scumbag making sweeping sterotypical judgments based on skin color - that is racist.

I think you missed the point. It would appear that your hatred has clouded your judgment. I think the point was if he sounded like one of today's rap stars he would have never been elected. I also believe this to be true. The fact that he doesn't fit the typical stereotype (created by blacks) helped him in his bid to become president. It has little to do with racism. If racism was the key factor he would have never been elected. Remember that the flip side of racism is ignorance.

To DCResident1's post, I add, why is there a black college at all? Is there a "white" college? A Latino college? An Asian college?

I agree with the argument that we seem to have a political double standard in how we deal with these gotcha items. I also think that the race for political correctness only serves to hide what we have always known. That so long as human beings are different --men/women, blondes/brunettes, blacks/white, gay/straight, there will always be some level of bias or preference towards those who aren't like you. That doesn't mean that the bias can or should deter anyone's civil rights whatsoever and it absolutely should not. We have laws that protect people's civil rights and remedies when they are violated. But to pretend that bias doesn't exist, to pretend that it only exists in one community and not across the board is ridiculous. Yes, there are a lot of white folk out there who still carry the sins and backward thinking of decades ago. But listening to black talk shows on AM radio on a Saturday morning is quite enlightening as well as it demonstrates that perhaps that backward thinking isn't limited to one race alone.

There are plenty of good reasons to get rid of Harry Reid. He is a warmonger, a corporatist, a liar and a hypocrite.

He is also an old man whose lexicon and point of view are well established. Frankly his remarks about Obama are not offensive to me, they are a product of Harry's age.

Should Harry Reid resign? Yes but not for those remarks. He should resign because like his fellow democrat and republican hypocrites, he is a corporate prostitute serving the military industrial complex and the insurance industry.

This article is the biggest wool over the eyes, run around I have ever read. A scapegoat is usually INNOCENT! Does Mr. Hirschfield believe that dark-skinned, negro dialect people are less intelligent? Why would it help Obama's campaign - because he is smarter b/c of these attributes or b/c the American voters are racist toward "dark skinned, negro dialects" more than "light-skinned, caucasion dialects?

It is one or the other -

1.) Reid believes Obama is generally more qualified because he is light skinned and doesn't have a negor dialect

or

2.) Reid believes American voters are racists toward dark skinned, negro dialects to a much larger extent than light skinned, caucasion dialects. So much so that they would change thier votes.

Either way - Reid is a scumbag making sweeping sterotypical judgments based on skin color - that is racist.

Hey Harry, I'm a light skinned
American Indian and I can read
and write and do arithmetic, too.

First of all, President Obama is not an African-American. Second, President Obama is not a Black man. Third, President Obama is mixed race. Fourth, Shakespeare wrote a play about this called, Much Ado About Nothing. Fifth, the Senator Reid comments about President Obama are not worth comment. Fifth, Let us move on.

If it looks like a duck acts like a duck and sounds like a duck then where I come from it is a duck. Unless of course it's a light skinned duck who can change its quack or is the famous Mister Duck.

I WANT THE HARRY HEALTH CARE PLAN!

i want to pay for 4 years and get nothing at all.

then I want to have the IRS take money from my account.

and I want to wait until the 5th year before I get minimal care and have to wait 10 years before it all kicks in.

I want to be in a plan that I can never gt our of, by an insurer [the USA] who cant be sued and can tell me I cant have expensive medical procedures.

I cant wait to wait for months and months to get cancer treatment.

OK - MAYBE I DONT WANT HARRY'S PLAN!

I don't think Reid is a racist. I believe his comments are out of touch and misleading. There are two primary reasons why Barack Obama won this race" 1. He ran arguably the best National campaign in US political history 2. George W. Bush was the sitting President.

I disagree with my President when he says folks that are upset are making hay out of nothing. Blacks have been dealing with these types of stereotypes for centuries. It has effected the community in many ways, including economically. For instance, let's say your job is to bring employers onto the campus of a black college. Imagine how tough your job becomes when employers believe, like Reid and those who agree with him, that most blacks speak in this "negro dialect". It adds a unique layer of bs that you have to fight through just to have an opportunity to compete.

The author fails to grasp that Harry is not thought of as a racist but as a dumb dinosaur who is out of touch.Harry views life through a 1950`s prism which leaves him at a decided disadvantage when he wants to pontificate.

Despite his clumsiness at using a term (Negro) that had more currency during the era in which he grew up - and plenty of baggage associated with it, Harry Reid is being scapegoated by conservative whites who themselves have all kinds of racist baggage still - in pretty much exactly the same way that Jeremiah Wright was.

That is, he was the messenger of a message certain people want to pretend isn't true. And since the message is particularly about THEM, we are seeing them hurl all of their sins "onto the handy goat". But not, as this column points out, after first admitting to them. It's just more of the same from the denial-ridden right wing.

Is Harry Reid a racist? If it looks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck..

Interesting thoughts on practice of scapegoating, Brad. I don't think today's average scapegoatist would put that much thought into the matter. I believe we do it because it is convenient and it requires little thought or effort. Our political/religious practices abound with distractions from complex issues to keep the divides neat and tidy - we don't do grey very well. Scapegoating, it seems to me, is another tool to that end.

From answers.com:

"Reid is a first generation member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[66] Reid and his wife, who was born to Jewish parents, converted to Mormonism while Reid was a college student.[4]
He stated in an interview with Brigham Young University's Daily Universe that "I think it is much easier to be a good member of the Church and a Democrat than a good member of the Church and a Republican." He went on to say that the Democrats' emphasis on helping others, as opposed to what he considers Republican dogma to the contrary, is the reason he's a Democrat.[67] He delivered a speech at BYU to about 20,000 students on October 9, 2007, in which he expressed his opinion that Democratic values mirror Mormon values.[68]"

Enough said? Not quite:

Mormonism???

A business/religious cult based on Joseph Smith's hallucinations which has bought respectability with a $30 billion business empire, the BYU "mission matured", "until recently all-white" football team and a great choir.

If racist statements are a sin, perhaps the entire South might consider that attitude and perhaps whish to atone for their sins for the past four hundred years includig slavery!

That would be a formal apology from the SOUTH to All Black Amercians, for the KKK, Trent Lott, and many others that came before them.

Patrick

Mike85 - it wasn't the democrats who wanted Trent Lott out it was the Republicans - mainly the WH - GWB. Further, to wish the separationists had won the election and just how fewer problems this country would have had had it won is clearly NOT anything but racists. Harry Reids remarks were a simple statement of fact NOT a racist comment. It's not even comparing apples to oranges.

Get a grip on reality - not republican reality but REALITY!

BLAKESOUTHWOOD -

"It wasn't Harry Reid that voted against universal health care."

Well, the American people are greatly opposed to that crap bill, so like you, he is out of step with the rest of the country.

"It wasn't Harry Reid that voted for tax cuts for the rich."

Actually, he did.

"It wasn't Harry Reid that shouted "You Lie" at President Obama."

No, he just called Bush a "loser" and never apologized.

"It wasn't Harry Reid that mismanaged the Iraq and Afghan wars."

Pretty tough for him to being in Congress. He sure voted for those actions though and the performance under Obama has not been any better.

"It wasn't Harry Reid that ignored the US Economy."

Huh? The economy tanked on his watch, with Democrats running the oversight committees since 2006.

"It wasn't Harry Reid that played down the current Great Depression."

First of all, it is not a depression. Second of all, Republicans have not played it down either.

Thanks for sharing your ignorance with us. You are quite the "intellectual" liberal. LOL

Just another 'act' in the series 'a dog and pony show.' Just as illusionists distract our attention away from where they do not wish it to be, so it is with the 'puppet-masters.'

"My boy Barry is a light-skinned Nígra."
- Harry the horse's asp Reid

I question weather a preference for light skintone is anything more than just a preference for certain atributes. Tanned blonds are popular. Personalities will eventually determine if they are likable. Humans respond to different physical traits in different ways. I don't think we can change that. It doesn't mean dark is not beautiful,it just takes longer to notice that. Harry knew the requirements for a rapid positive response. He also believed(I assume)that brains went with looks.

It wasn't Harry Reid that voted against universal health care.
It wasn't Harry Reid that voted for tax cuts for the rich.
It wasn't Harry Reid that shouted "You Lie" at President Obama.
It wasn't Harry Reid that mismanaged the Iraq and Afghan wars.
It wasn't Harry Reid that ignored the US Economy.
It wasn't Harry Reid that played down the current Great Depression.
It wasn't Harry Reid that embraced an anti-science administration.
It was the Republicans.

What Senator Reid stated is fact. His acknowledgement that racism exists in our country does NOT make him a racist.

I don't care what Senator Reid said. It is his actions that speak far louder. The right wing attack machine is looking for any reason to mount a scream campaign against any Democrat. First, Pelosi, now Reid, Obama whenever and then next week...

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That isn't what you liberals said when Trent Lott made a few friendly remarks at a former Senator's 100th birthday party. The Democrats ran Lott out of the Senate, and vowed to run anyone out of the Senate who made similar comments. Yet Reid makes racist remarks and you ignore them.

The Democrats are living off double standards. If a Republican criticizes one of Obama's policies, he is called a racist and a bigot. Yet, let a Democrat make a racist remark and you want everybody to just forget about it.

Obama has brought change to Washington, and it is not pretty, nor is it good for America.

I agree with BOBFROMLI. This is all much ado about nothing. There are more grave matters for the nation to be concerned with such as the economy, endless wars, political gridlock, etc. Preoccupations with non-scandals is a waste of time.

I guess all of our sins are now forgiven because of Harry Reid. There was nothing Divine in what Reid said in private, which he thought was OK because he was among friends and so it was right for him to speak freely about HIS feelings not the American people. Reid never mentioned a survey he took to support the people voting for a light skin African American who didn't speak with a Negro dialect. That assumption was Reid's and only Reid's. Proof of this came out of President Obama's mouth when he said Reid summoned him to his office and told him I think you could be elected President. More proof of this being Reid and only about Reid is the health care bill. If how the people thought influenced Reid so much that he would make such a comment, why won't the people influence Reid now when they have said numerous times they don't want this government health care bill. It wasn't about the people when Reid made the comment about President Obama and it's still not about the people when it comes to the government health care bill. Reid's racist comments are his and his alone. They totally belong to Reid. The buck stops with Reid. There's nothing Divine here at all. It's called shame. We don't reward shame with more shame for not calling it for what it is.

Reid is a product of his generation and his Mormon background which has a dubious history in regard to blacks.

I don't care what Senator Reid said. It is his actions that speak far louder. The right wing attack machine is looking for any reason to mount a scream campaign against any Democrat. First, Pelosi, now Reid, Obama whenever and then next week...

The Rove concept has always been to plant stories, include lies or distortions like these and keep telling them over and over until they resemble truth and then hold them to be an indictment. Nothing has changed except that the desperate and dispirited loons that inhabit the right will continue with their sulphurous comments unless they find that they are ignored. Let's just do that, huh?

Senator Reid is entitled to his opinion, whether we agree or disagree is unimportant. His comments are right on the money. The irony of this whole discussion is what do you as an individual think. I look at the elections recently held in Virginia for a prime example. Most of the people who voted thought they were voting against the President. The wake up call is that these people who rushed to the polls don't know how and why they elect local and state officials.

News media I realize you have to sell papers but please move on!