McCain reversal on MLK holiday an issue as he visits Memphis
Memphis, TN — Sen. John McCain may face questions about his civil rights record as he visits Memphis Friday to participate in a number of events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination.
Scheduled to address the Southern Christian Leadership Conference–which King headed up for more than a decade–as well as lay a wreath at the National Civil Rights Museum, McCain’s initial opposition to a holiday commemorating the slain civil rights leader could be among the issues that come up during his trip.
In his first year in the U.S. House, McCain voted with the minority and opposed the 1983 law creating the national holiday to honor King, but reversed his decision around 1990 after he says he “learned” more about King’s achievements. As he fought for an Arizona state ballot measure to recognize MLK Day in 1990, McCain successfully pushed former President Reagan to endorse the referendum.
McCain has said on a number of occasions that he regrets his original 1983 vote and told reporters this week that he is “very proud” of his record of support for King.
“I voted in my…first year in Congress against it and then I began to learn and I studied and people talked to me. And I not only supported it but I fought very hard in my home state of Arizona for recognition against a governor who was of my own party,” McCain said during a media availability aboard his plane Monday (video above). “I had not been involved in the issue. I had come from being in the military to running for Congress in a state that did not have a very large African American population and it had not been in issue. It just simply had not been.”
In a February 2000 interview with ABC News, McCain said his initial opposition to a holiday was based on his belief that “it was not necessary to have another federal holiday, that it cost too much money, that other presidents were not recognized.”
Asked on Monday why he shifted his position and later supported a state measure creating a holiday, McCain told reporters that he “learned (that King) was a transcendent figure in American history. He deserved to be honored and that I thought it was appropriate to do so.”
“In my home state of Arizona, I was not proud that we were one of the last states to recognize Dr. King’s birthday as a holiday and I was pleased to be part of the fight for that recognition,” McCain said, who also profiled King in his book, “Character is Destiny.”
Arizona voters eventually approved a measure in 1992, making it the second to last state to recognize the holiday. New Hampshire came in last in 1999.
But among other issues critics raise are McCain’s vote against the 1990 Civil Rights Act, which sought to curb discrimination in the workplace (and eventually passed as the 1991 act), as well as his short-lived support for South Carolina’s right to fly the confederate flag over the statehouse during the 2000 primary. He later reversed his position on the flag and called for its removal, referring his initial position an “act of cowardice.”
During his conversation with reporters Monday, McCain cited his time in the U.S. Navy as further evidence for his support for civil rights, calling the U.S. Armed Forces “the greatest equal-opportunity employer in the nation.”
“John McCain has an extraordinary admiration for Martin Luther King Jr. and his enduring impact for equality in America and around the world,” said campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds.
Tags: african american support, Arizona, civil rights, john mccain, Martin Luther King
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Sounds like he has made his amends and made them some time ago.
Sounds like he has made his amends and made them some time ago.
Is McCain really that stupid?…Why the heck would he show up at this function. I know he’s a DEMOCRAT-LITE, but let’s face it, why would Black Americans vote for a DEM-lite when they have a black guy to vote for. Basically Obama could kill a 90 year old great grandmother, in a wheel chair, in front of a group of Fox, ABC, NBC, CNN & CBS satellite trucks, with cameras running, and Black Americans would come up with some stupid excuse for him doing it. So what does McCain think he’s going to get out of it, another 0.000117235 % Black Americans in the general election.
“I voted in my…first year in Congress against it and then I began to learn and I studied and people talked to me.”
Amazing how McWaffle made it this far. Actually he says he did not have a clue, and just voted for whatever reason or no reason at all. Am afraid its not an act but reality, that he is on major issues totally clueless.
PLEASE DONT OBAMICATE AMERICA.
LETS HAVE GOODNESS HERE IN AMERICA.
NOT OBAMIC FACISM.
HILLARY. BUSH. ANYBODY BUT OBAMA.
Comment by ari
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:27 pm
“I voted in my…first year in Congress against it and then I began to learn and I studied and people talked to me.”
Amazing how McWaffle made it this far. Actually he says he did not have a clue, and just voted for whatever reason or no reason at all. Am afraid its not an act but reality, that he is on major issues totally clueless.
——————–
You’re not Ari. What did you do with my semi-literate buddy?
Jeff X is a complete IDIOT
Interesting. Sounds like this campaign (like the other two) is in serious DAMAGE-CONTROL mode…..
I always give people a chance, the benefit of the doubt. But it’s clear here that McCain has a PATTERN going on — the opposition then flip flop to support on the MLK holiday…the support, then flip flop on the civil war slavery-flag issue..voting against the civil rights act….and we’ve heard more along the way.
He’s another FLIP FLOPPER — a la Kerry, but he’ll get the free ride. He’s FLIPPED on the insane Bush tax cuts — Remember when he wisely said - AS A TRUE CONSERVATIVE WOULD - that he was appalled that we would cut taxes during a war, and that he had never seen that in our republic’s history….
He flipped on TORTURE –here is a guy who WAS tortured…and he signed papers saying anti-american stuff he CLEARLY didn;t believe…so HE SHOULD KNOW– that when you torture people — they DO AND SAY STUFF AGAINST THEIR WILL…stuff that can’t be trusted!! How easy is this to figure out ?!!?
Yet - John McCain FOLDED and now supports anything the CIA wants to do, including waterboarding
Check the facts— he’s flipped on countless issues…. and you supports will have SOME excuse.
We’re in trouble all the way around — but this guy will get us right into another war.
And we all know how insulting it is that he is basically saying he was in , what - his FORTIES and wasn;t clear on who MLK was..and the amazing sacrifices he made for ALL americans, but particularly black people. That is the most amazing part of the story! He says : “I…voted against it… and then I began to learn and I studied and people talked to me…”. Insane!! Just like when he says on tape over and over “I don’t know anything about Economics” - -this will come back to haunt him
Good riddance, out of touch unhinged McCain.
Jeff X? That’s just stupid of you. Not only blacks care about MLK. While I still prefer Obama over mccain it would totally throw me off if I learned he was ignorant of racial troubles. His remarks seem…weakly? soothing of that.
“I voted for the it [Iraq war bill] before I voted against it.” - John Kerry
“I smoked pot but I never inhaled.” - Bill Clinton
When is it going to become obvious to everybody that a politician’s opinions change based on what they want people to think about them.
A leaders opinion changes when the find themselves to be wrong and are willing to admit it.
Andre, I’d agree. A little more slowly though.
Its an admirable act for an individual let alone a politician to accept past mistakes. Sen. McCain is courageous person. Dick Cneney has a lot to learn from this. When he was challenged by John Edwards about his vote (in Congress) calling on apartheid government to released Mandela, he said did not respond in that Vice Presidential debate in 2004. His vote could be (Mis)taken? to mean he was uncaring, racist? etc. But it was also possible (as a young and ‘concervative’ congressman from Wyoming) that he did it to showcase ‘his concervative credentiuals’ in which (if so) I regard it to be misguided. One can be concervative with a human face. Its not shameful for Cheney to state that his vote was an act of political cowardice or mildly as a mistake. People should put a brave human face in their idealogical beliefs, just as Dubcheck, the leader of the former ChekosLovakia who insisted on socialism with a human face and paid for it when he was ousted on the orders of the Kremlin robots idealogues devoid of all human compassion and consideration. However the Soviet empire collapsed and Dubcheck was vindicated by history and beside his country is free and democratic.
Mandela too won big time when he was elected president of a democratic, free South Africa. This is a lesson for politicians who like Cheney agree to be defined by idealogues and locked themselves in a box and once there are sometime held hostage against their real fellings and belief. It pays big at least to be pragmatic like McCain and be free of zealots and idealogical extremists who drive their parties and themselves to ruin.
Uh oh, McCain your time is coming to be called racist by the Obamabots! Why even bother?
You won’t get one black vote anyway. They called the Clintons racist when they have appointed and
employed more black people than all the administrations before them combined. When Hillary has
given speech after speech and served on all kinds of committees and boards in support of civil rights. It just matters if you’re a black man in an empty suit who hasn’t done much at all for “his”
community.
This is a non-issue. Dr. King was a great man but so were lots of others. Shoot we took away Lincoln’s and Washington’s holidays and combined them. All these holidays do is cost money for employers who have to pay for no work. And that’s why McCain oppsed it.
The 1990 Civil Rights law was a mess. It’s a good thing it was vetoed and replaced by the 1991 Act. And John McCain did vote for the 1991 version which is the one that became law. Funny how that wasn’t mentioned.
“JUST LIES!”
1.) Selma Got Me Born - LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 - Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965.
2.) Father Was A Goat Herder - LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.
3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter - LIAR, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had
4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom - LIAR, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades.
5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian - LIAR, she does her daily Salat prayers at 5am according to her own interviews. Not to mention, Christianity wouldn’t allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man.
6.) My Name is African Swahili - LIAR, your name is Arabic and ‘Baraka’ (from which Barack came) means ‘blessed’ in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama.
7.) I Never Practiced Islam - LIAR, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years,until your wife made you change, so you could run for office.
8.) My School In Indonesia Was Christian - LIAR, you were registered as Muslim there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own book).
9.) I Was Fluent In Indonesian - LIAR, not one teacher says you could speak the language.
10.) Because I Lived In Indonesia, I Have More Foreign Experience - LIAR, you were there from the ages of 6 to 10, and couldn’t even speak the language. What did you learn, how to study the Koran and watch cartoons.
11.) I Am Stronger On Foreign Affairs - LIAR, except for Africa (surprise) and the Middle East (bigger surprise), you have never been anywhere else on the planet and thus have NO experience with our closest allies.
12.) I Blame My Early Drug Use On Ethnic Confusion - LIAR, you were quite content in high school to be Barry Obama, no mention of Kenya and no mention of struggle to identify - your classmates said you were just fine.
13.)An Ebony Article Moved Me To Run For Office - LIAR, Ebony has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
14.) A Life Magazine Article Changed My Outlook On Life - LIAR, Life has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
15.) I Won’t Run On A National Ticket In ‘08 - LIAR, here you are, despite saying, live on TV, that you would not have enough experience by then, and you are all about having experience first.
16.) Present Votes Are Common In Illinois - LIAR, they are common for YOU, but not many others have 130 NO VOTES.
17.) Oops, I Misvoted - LIAR, only when caught by church groups and democrats, did you beg to change your misvote.
18.) I Was A Professor Of Law - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
19.) I Was A Constitutional Lawyer - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
20.) Without Me, There Would Be No Ethics Bill - LIAR, you didn’t write it,introduce it, change it, or create it.
21.) The Ethics Bill Was Hard To Pass - LIAR, it took just 14 days from start to finish.
22.) I Wrote A Tough Nuclear Bill - LIAR, your bill was rejected by your own party for its pandering and lack of all regulation - mainly because of your Nuclear Donor, Exelon, from which David Axelrod came.
23.) I Have Released My State Records - LIAR, as of March, 2008, state bills you sponsored or voted for have yet to be released, exposing all the special interests pork hidden within.
24.) I Took On The Asbestos Altgeld Gardens Mess - LIAR, you were part of a large group of people who remedied Altgeld Gardens. You failed to mention anyone else but yourself, in your books.
25.) My Economics Bill Will Help America - LIAR, your 111 economic policies were just combined into a proposal which lost 99-0, and even YOU voted against your own bill.
26.) I Have Been A Bold Leader In Illinois - LIAR, even your own supporters claim to have not seen BOLD action on your part.
27.) I Passed 26 Of My Own Bills In One Year - LIAR, they were not YOUR bills, but rather handed to you, after their creation by a fellow Senator, to assist you in a future bid for higher office.
28.) No One Contacted Canada About NAFTA - LIAR, the Candian Government issued the names and a memo of the conversation your campaign had with them.
29.) I Am Tough On Terrorism - LIAR, you missed the Iran Resolution vote on terrorism and your good friend Ali Abunimah supports the destruction of Israel.
30.) I Am Not Acting As President Yet - LIAR, after the NAFTA Memo, a dead terrorist in the FARC, in Colombia, was found with a letter stating how you and he were working together on getting FARC recognized officially.
31.) I Didn’t Run Ads In Florida - LIAR, you allowed national ads to run 8-12 times per day for two weeks - and you still lost.
32.) I Won Michigan - LIAR, no you didn’t.
33.) I won Nevada - LIAR, no you did not.
34.) I Want All Votes To Count - LIAR, you said let the delegates decide.
35.) I Want Americans To Decide - LIAR, you prefer caucuses that limit the vote, confuse the voters, force a public vote, and only operate during small windows of time.
36.) I passed 900 Bills in the State Senate - LIAR, you passed 26, most of which you didn’t write yourself.
37.) My Campaign Was Extorted By A Friend - LIAR, that friend is threatening to sue if you do not stop saying this. Obama has stopped saying this.
38.) I Believe In Fairness, Not Tactics - LIAR, you used tactics to eliminate Alice Palmer from running against you.
39.) I Don’t Take PAC Money - LIAR, you take loads of it.
40.) I don’t Have Lobbysists - LIAR, you have over 47 lobbyists, and counting.
41.) My Campaign Had Nothing To Do With The 1984 Ad - LIAR, your own campaign worker made the ad on his Apple in one afternoon.
42.) My Campaign Never Took Over MySpace - LIAR, Tom, who started MySpace issued a warning about this advertising to MySpace clients.
43.) I Inspire People With My Words - LIAR, you inspire people with other people’s words.
44.) I Have Passed Bills In The U.S. Senate - LIAR, you have passed A BILL in the U.S. Senate - for Africa, which shows YOUR priorities.
45.) I Have Always Been Against Iraq - LIAR, you weren’t in office to vote against it AND you have voted to fund it every single time, unlike Kucinich, who seems to be out gutting you Obama. You also seem to be stepping back from your departure date - AGAIN.
46.) I Have Always Supported Universal Health Care - LIAR, your plan leaves us all to pay the 15,000,000 who don’t have to buy it.
47.) I Only Found Out About My Investment Conflicts Via Mail - LIAR, both companies you site as having sent you letters about this conflict have no record of any such letter ever being created or sent.
48.) I Am As Patriotic As Anyone - LIAR, you won’t wear a flag pin and you don’t put your hand over your heart during the Anthem.
49.) My Wife Didn’t Mean What She Said About Pride In Country - LIAR, your wife’s words follow lock-step in the vain of Wright and Farrahkan, in relation to their contempt and hatred of America.
50.) Wal-Mart Is A Company I Wouldn’t Support - LIAR, your wife has received nearly a quater of a million dollars through Treehouse, which is connected to Wal-Mart.
51.) Treehouse Is A Small Company - LIAR, the CEO of Treehouse last year, made more than the CEO of Wal-Mart, according to public records.
52.) University Of Chicago Hospital Pay Is Fair - LIAR, your wife’s pay raise was nearly 150% her already bloated rate and the hospital is a Non-Profit Hospital, which made $100,000,000 in the last 3 years. They overcharge blacks VS whites for services, and overcharge everyone in general by 538%!
53.)I Barely Know Rezko - Only 5 Billed Hours - LIAR, you have known him for 17 years, and decided to do a real estate deal with him during a time when he was proven to be under investigation. Despite this, you divided your property and had them take off $300K before the mortgage problems started. Then Rezko’s wife buys the lot beside it that you can’t afford, saving you $625,000.
54.) My Donations Have Been Checked Thoroughly - LIAR, you only gave back Hsu ($72K) and Rezko ($150K) their money when publically called on their involvement in your campaigns.
55.) My Church Is Like Any Other Christian Church - LIAR, your church is so extreme, the pastor who married you, Rev. Wright, just got done blaming the US for 9/11 and named Louis Farrahkan their person of the year.
56.) I Disagree With My Church All The Time - LIAR, you still have yet to repudiate Wright, who married you and your wife, and you still donate large sums of money to assist the church in furthering its message - hatred and revenge. You donated in 2006 alone, $22,500 to the church that you so terribly disagree with. That is nearly $500 PER WEEK - that sure is disagreement, Senator Obama.
57.) I Have Clean Connections Despite Rezko - LIAR, you are not only connected to Exelon and Rezko, you are also connected to Hillary PAC supporter Mr. Hsu, AND an Iraqi Billionaire of ill repute, Nadhmi Auchi, who ripped off people in the Food For Oil, Iraqi deal. Seems Mr. Auchi may have helped Obama buy his million dollar property long before Obama had millions of dollars. Wonder what favors Mr. Auchi expects, when Obama leaves Iraq free to be taken over by special interests such as him.
58.) I never heard sermons like Rev. Wright’s, that have been in videos all day, You Tube - LIAR! 3 days later during your Mea Culpa BS speech you said “Did I hear controversial statements while I sat in that church? Yes I did.”
[...] or just different?. The anniversary is inevitably an issue in the presidential campaign - Fox News singles out John McCain here, and ABC illustrates how Senator McCain’s “complicated” relations with the man [...]
Similar to Hillary Clinton, John McCain changes his tune to fit his audience! also they are never sure when they are telling the Truth!
With Hilary wild claims about Bosnia and Northern Ireland, John McCain and rich embellishments with Truth about his rescue in Vietnam and his treatment, witnesses report conflict greatly, but then it would not sound great.
Barack Obama at least keeps his Dignity - don’t be fooled from McCain and Clinton about experience, AGE does not always guarantee the right candidate, these two Over 60’s seem to suffer from Memory Problems!
John B Sheffield -
What’s dignified about Obama expressing racist prejudice against his own kin?
What’s dignified about disavowing the basic constitutional and presidential duty to national defense?
What’s dignified about lying out one’s ideology, in an effort to lure people to one’s political camp?
What’ dignified about getting into an Ivy league university via affirmative action rather than merit?
What’s dignified about publicly trashing one’s country?
John B,
What’s SO dignified about lying about ones own racist church or ones ties to Islamic terrorist groups.
Oh and the AGE thing, let’s hope Obama keeps that point alive, it sure worked well well in defeating Reagan.
Comment by John B Sheffield
April 4th, 2008 at 5:12 am
*** He tries to be understanding and not come across offensive. He is trying to run a clean campaign without games. I have a great deal of respect for this man.
In the video comment to the question why he vote against Martin L. Kings birthday as a holiday. Mc CainHe never did really answer why, after countless demonstrations and abuse to African American that was seen world wide, could he justify his lack of knowledge to that very historical issue of Kings birthday.
He skirted around the military position as equal opportunity employer, which did not come until Japan begin to beat the heck out us.
So to pretend not to understand the question or to allude to something other than his purposeful commitment to his home state that was last to recognize Kings birthday, either reflect his lack of knowledge in Civic’s 101 or his arrogance to go along with his cronies in his state. remember, Kings birthday a decade later. Even the military’s EEOC knew who King was and what he stood for.
Comment by Kikz
April 4th, 2008 at 1:09 am
“JUST LIES!”
1.) Selma Got Me Born - LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 - Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965.
2.) Father Was A Goat Herder - LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.
3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter - LIAR, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had
4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom - LIAR, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades.
**** Good Job!
http://www.freedomsenemies.com/_more/obama.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFbfAqJ4hRM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rulqBeqqOpg
hollabac -
I’m keenly interested in why the “African American” community is completely aloof, and seemingly disinterested in the plight of enslaved Africans today in the following countries:
Sudan
Somalia
Burundi
Gabon
West Africa
Nigeria
Also, you allude to Civics 101: How come the “African American” community and the “black leaders” never mention the fact that there were free black Americans that also owned slaves in the 18th and 19th century.
The blacks in America have been conditioned by liberals since the 1960s saw the inception of liberals’ influence in the public education system.
hollabac and other brainwashed liberals:
EEO in the military has resulted in lowered standards of performance in physical conditioning, combat readiness, and academic performance. The result is a less effective national defense posture.
Can you imagine applying EEOC to the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, etc…
The argument for EEO pretty much fails the common sense test, doesn’t it?
I’m sick of the race baiting by blacks - especially Obama, “black leaders”, and their acolytes.
Free blacks owned slaves in America in the 1800s in America. Blacks still own slaves in several African nations. I did some homework for you liberals. All you have to do is click the link, and read, if you can.
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3a899fdb32fd.htm
The vast majority of blacks vote for liberals, and have done so since the 1960s. Since then, black on black crime has increased, illegitamacy has sky-rocketed, and unemployment has too.
Please read Dr Walter E. Williams’ book “More Liberty Equals Less Government”. He’s a black man, incidentally.
Comment by Typical White Woman
Interesting article: http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3a899fdb32fd.htm
I am sure some liberals would love to destroy this evidence because they hate the truth. They prefer a lying Obama to an honest McCain.
Obama announcing his presidential bid where Lincoln announced his is insulting when you think about it. He is a divider not a uniter and I am not your typical white grandmother.
Comment by brian
You may have a point, but I disagree as a woman, I benefited from affirmative action in the military.
The Holidayis over the top. There have been hundreds of people who have deserved this recognition more the mlk. Clarence thomas, Colin Powell and Condi Rice have done more for the African American’s future than mlkjr ever could have.
Jean, GA -
Perhaps, but was the national defense capability made stronger?
I was a military instructor pilot for many years. White males with substandard performance were easier to eliminate from training than females or minorities.
Comment by brian
Jean, GA -
Perhaps, but was the national defense capability made stronger?
I was a military instructor pilot for many years. White males with substandard performance were easier to eliminate from training than females or minorities.
__________________________________
I think the military capability is much better now than it was when I enlisted because of the draft back then. I think an all-volunteer military is the best thing to happen to this country.
I understand what you mean, because I was clueless training in my field as an ATC radar repairwoman. That job was predominantly male when I enlisted, but the reality is that I am a better person for it. Remember in WWII women had to fill men’s jobs at home because most of the men had gone off to war.
Besides, it seemed very easy for women I knew then to wash out because they were pregnant, which to this day I thought would be a significant problem for the military.
[...] judgment is noteworthy, as the 1983 vote was nearly 15 years after MLK was assassinated. “I had not been involved in the issue,” he says. Nevertheless, McCain still opposed the 1990 Civil Rights [...]
“Comment by Andylit
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Sounds like he has made his amends and made them some time ago”
Please. No he has not. You don’t even hardly see anyone around McCain on television but white men. Very few women, blacks you can count on one hand, very few Latinos, or any other minorities. It was not long ago that he was referring to Asians and “gooks” and made clear that he would continue to use the term. McCain is among the last people who need to be in Memphis today. He is a clear cut example of persons who “[acted] in cowardice” that King had to battle off to help his dream come true.
http://colorofchange.org/mccain_facts/
“Comment by Founder Guy
April 4th, 2008 at 7:21 am
hollabac -
I’m keenly interested in why the “African American” community is completely aloof, and seemingly disinterested in the plight of enslaved Africans today in the following countries:
Sudan
Somalia
Burundi
Gabon
West Africa
Nigeria
Also, you allude to Civics 101: How come the “African American” community and the “black leaders” never mention the fact that there were free black Americans that also owned slaves in the 18th and 19th century.
The blacks in America have been conditioned by liberals since the 1960s saw the inception of liberals’ influence in the public education system.”
Actually, don’t assume that the black community is not concerned with these things Founder. The church you love to condemn, Trinity, and others like it, are always working on these issues and what they can do to help. Politicians may not be concerned. But what’s equally important, Founder, is why is the white community not concerned about the same things? What’s our excuse for not “freeing” those people like the Iraqis? Don’t know if there’s any oil there to free up in the ground also? And to your point about the 18th and 19th century black slave owners, they were far fewer in comparison. But it is obvious that rather than acknowledging America’s shortcoming for what it was: INHUMANE, you distract attention and point your finger, saying “He’s doing it, so it must be ok.” How stupid can you be? No wonder those Americans needed to go get slaves to build the economy. They were dumb, lazy, and immoral. And I see some of that tradition of stupidity and inability to be able to think for oneself has trickled down a few generations to Founder here. Newsflash: wrong is wrong, no matter what color you are.
mlk would be very disappointed in his people and their actions
McCain better not dare bring up Rev. Wright when he and Obama run in November! How can a grown, supposedly intelligent man in his 40s at the time, not vote for a King holiday, then years later vote for it, after needing to “learn more of King’s achievements” first. What kind of racist vacuum was McCain living in?? That is pathetic. McCain’s actions vs. Obama’s retired pastor’s words.
I hope he does bring it up, Mccain voted that way many years ago, Mr.Wright is recent events, the two issues are on completley different subjects.
[...] judgment is noteworthy, as the 1983 vote was nearly 15 years after MLK was assassinated. “I had not been involved in the issue,” he says. Nevertheless, McCain still opposed the 1990 Civil Rights [...]
“Comment by Typical White Woman
April 4th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I’m sick of the race baiting by blacks - especially Obama, “black leaders”, and their acolytes.
Free blacks owned slaves in America in the 1800s in America. Blacks still own slaves in several African nations. I did some homework for you liberals. All you have to do is click the link, and read, if you can.”
I sincerely hope you are not the typical white woman because I never thought the typical white woman could be this ignorant. Again, as I said to Founder, whether blacks did something also is not the issue; what you are saying is simply a distraction from the real problem: bigots and immoral people do not want to examine themselves. Just because “he did it too” doesn’t make it right. If you end up on trial for snorting coke, you gonna tell the judge that a black guy was also smokin’ crack? Give me a break. Wrong comes in all colors.
“Comment by DB
April 4th, 2008 at 9:52 am
The Holidayis over the top. There have been hundreds of people who have deserved this recognition more the mlk. Clarence thomas, Colin Powell and Condi Rice have done more for the African American’s future than mlkjr ever could have.”
Not too sure what to say about this othe than it is obvious that you have no concept of history whatsoever. Must be very young and impressionable. Your parents should turn on the parental controls so you can’t be mistaken for a grown man on this blog anymore. Thomas, Powell, or Rice wouldn’t be in any of those positions without Kings movement, PERIOD.
On this date, 40 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis. It’s a day when many of us will celebrate his legacy, the values he espoused, and his vision for a better America. Some will talk about the King who challenged America’s unlawful war in Vietnam, who found common ground with Malcolm X, and who became more aggressive in his push for improving America. But the media will likely focus a great deal on politicians who give speeches where they try to align themselves with his legacy.
We wanted to make sure that today when Senator McCain speaks, you and your friends and family know who’s talking.
McCain will bring his “Service to America” tour to Memphis on Friday, but many people don’t know the service he touts includes voting against the federal holiday honoring Dr. King. In August 1983 he fought the holiday, voting to block a piece of bipartisan legislation honoring him that was supported by even conservative Republicans–including Dick Cheney–and signed into law by President Reagan.
McCain went on to resist recognizing a King holiday in his home state of Arizona. When Arizona’s state legislature failed to pass a bill recognizing a holiday honoring Dr. King, the governor at the time, Bruce Babbit, created the holiday by executive order. Babbit’s successor, Gov. Evan Mecham rescinded the order as his first act in office, doing away with the holiday. John McCain’s response? He defended the governor, not Dr. King. (After undoing the holiday, the same governor went on to publicly support referring to Black people as “pickaninnies”).
In 1990, seven years after his initial vote, McCain went along with establishing a King holiday. On the campaign trail in 2000, facing questions about his history on this issue, McCain declared he had “evolved.”
Looking at the rest of McCain’s public record, even recently, it’s hard to see much evidence of an “evolution”. In fact, McCain has consistently opposed a civil rights agenda:
• He voted an amazing FOUR times against the Civil Rights Act of 1990–a bill designed to make it easier for employees to prove job discrimination and imposing harsher penalties on bosses who discriminated.
• In 2004 he opposed affirmative action in college admissions–a key component of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that is among King’s key legislative victories.
• He has voted at least 8 times against raising the minimum wage.
• And as recently as last month, he argued against federal intervention to help Americans, disproportionately Black Americans, who have faced foreclosure during the housing crisis.
If John McCain has evolved, he hasn’t evolved much. Instead, we see a consistent and troubling pattern. From campaigning against Dr. King’s holiday to undermining important civil rights laws, John McCain has not stood side by side with King’s vision, he has stood in its way.
Today, we hope that everyone will take a moment to pause and remember Dr. King’s legacy, recognizing his contributions of words, deeds and ultimately his life. And we hope that all can see past political posturing (regardless of who it comes from) and embrace the bold, challenging vision that King actually projected. We believe that in doing so, we honor both his legacy and his sacrifice.
– James, Van, Gabriel, Clarissa, Mervyn, Andre, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
April 4th, 2008
For more info on McCain’s record, read this factsheet:
It’s amazing how this race thing works. White people choose not to speak about it in public, black people choose to speak about it. But when spoken by a black or non-white person the reply from white america is racism doesn’t exist. Why is this the case what is White America scared of, why is it so hard for you to admit the obvious. The whole country knows we are in a recession except for you. I’m in the military served in Iraq, Camp Sather, and I still don’t know why are units were there. I served in Afghanistan and I knew why I was there. Is it so hard for you to see, wake up white America. Leave race out of the equation. It’s obvious on these blogs that there are plenty of racist people still not realizing how ignorant you are. WAKE UP IT’S BEEN OVER 40 YEARS SINCE OUR LEADER MLK HAS DIED, HE HAS NOT DIED IN VAIN AND US MINORITIES ARE GOING TO SEE TO THAT.
Why do some of you bother to commit on King, if alive today, he would be considered
a radical liberal and a trouble maker by republicans in this era.
Don’t dishonor because you don’t like black people… hate and the fact he wanted to change the social orders way of thinking is why he’s gone today.
JOHN U ARE A TYPICAL WHITE PERSON, WHO DON’T KNOW SH*T WAKE UP READ A BOOK LEARN WHO MLK WAS BEFORE YOU DISRESPECT OUR LEADER. SAY THIS TO BLACK PERSON AND YOU WILL GET PUT IN YOUR PLACE. PLEASE BELIEVE THAT
Comment by ari
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:27 pm “I voted in my…first year in Congress against it and then I began to learn and I studied and people talked to me.”
Amazing how McWaffle made it this far. Actually he says he did not have a clue, and just voted for whatever reason or no reason at all. Am afraid its not an act but reality, that he is on major issues totally clueless.
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Not quite how you’re spinning it Ari. McCain admitted that in his first year as Senator (he wasn’t writing books and running for President early in his career like Obama) he voted against making it a public holiday (I’m sorry if you feel a change of mind in voting for a holiday is a significant shortfall in Senatorial qualification).
He later not only changed his vote, he pursued the change against his party in Arizona after gaining further knowlede. Now..to any anyone else, that’s a willingness to learn and to admit an error..and correct it.
To you learning is being clueless apparently. If one chooses to stop learning..that’s being truly clueless.
Travis I am not white, I am black. I assure you I know plenty about king, and perhaps you misread my post. It was quoting some others and responding, unless you are looking at a different John on here.
Don’t just read the top Travis, read the whole thing before you attack someone, man. I’m right in line with you.
Comment by travis
April 4th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
And as recently as last month, he argued against federal intervention to help Americans, disproportionately Black Americans, who have faced foreclosure during the housing crisis.
Disproportionate number of black americans affected by the current foreclosure situation?
Prove it..figures please. And then explain why bailouts are more effective in your mind.
I’ll be waiting for your response.
Furthermore, the other points you mentioned are contextual. You do not offer his reasons for voting opposite to your leaning and when juxtaposed next to your “disproportionate black/housing crisis) offering, it reeks of agenda addressing.
Speaking of which,
Justify Obama’s opposition to the recent Colombia trade agreement on the grounds of defending unions in Colombia. (I kid you not). Then..juxtapose that little gem with today’s Wall Street Journal mention of the proposed spending unions will make for this coming election.
You wont’ get too much sympathy for your affirmative action pet projects when businesses are crippled by union strongarming.
Wow.
Lots of questions all around. Thanks for posting all those questions about Obama — a few are silly, and opinionated - some are unfair like the lapel and heart-over-chest nonsense (everyone can be caught in ONE unfortunate picture).
But — some real good, serious questions about his money trail…his connections to big corporate lobbyists, One of my pet peeves is his ongoing use of that line ” I didn’t support the war”…when he wasn’t even a Senator yet!! crazy. I support him in many ways — but these are questions that make him lose a LOT of points with me — and I’ll enjoy tweaking the BLIND 100% supporters who see nothing but candy-filled skies when they hear his name…
But — again — ALL THREE of the Senatorial candidates have a lits this long. I guess we can just hope for some competence, some movement forward from this complete failure we have now. Someone who will hire a FORESTRY EXPERT in the forestry dep’t…a MEDICAL expert for FDA …an AGRICULTURE person in USDA…etc .
No More Brownies!! Remember him? — he was a FAILED executive from the International Arabian Horse Assoc. — and he was running FEMA!!..So — if we can just get past THAT level of competence-hiring — we will all be better off!! Leaders will always hire people they know and feel comfortable with — but let them be KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE FIELD!!!
And — someone else had a good reminder — He IS NOT trouncing Hillary in the popular vote — Barely a 1/4 of 1% ahead!!!! And — all the same people who say Gore’s win of the popular vote is so important, or at least a GAUGE (and I am one of them) - well they need to be consistent and recognize NOW that he really isn;t doing THAT well , compared to all the hype..
One more thing - Let’s remember that Obama won BY A STROKE OF LUCK
-he ran for senator after being an IL Congressman/Representative
-his opponent was a republican hypocrite named Ryan
- I call him ‘hypocrite’ because they all run on the ‘family values’ platform…but this guy got caught in a sex scandal — Wanted to have his lovely wife Jeri Ryan (7 of 9 on Star Trek) to have sex with other guys while he watched, for starters. I forget the other details - who cares. None of it is “conservative”, huh?
-So this guy drops out of the race — then the hypocrite republicans drafted ALAN KEYES
- I call them “hypocrite republicans” because many of them go on and on and on about carpetbaggers, especially when Hillary ran to NY to run for office. I kinda agreed with them — but as usual — THEY FLIP FLOPPED and were suddenly silent about this practice when they needed their ‘boy’ Keyes to STOP OBAMA in the 2004 election. But no go. People see through this cartoon of a man — and his empty posturing and hateful rhetoric (he even rejected his own daughter when she came out as a lesbian)
So– Obama won easily over Keyes — lucky break!!! Sure - he was a popular politician in IL…but he was not gonna beat Ryan, or maybe even a stronger candidate.
And so — here we are. With all his issues — an excellent guy on many fronts — he has many fresh ideas — but for every idea — he also has some crusty old democrat like Kennedy or Brzezinski snooping around backstage….for every bold initiative — he has said NOTHING SENSIBLE about controlling our border with Mexico….
This election cycle is crack for political junkies!!
Comment by andre
April 4th, 2008 at 12:58 pm Wow.
Lots of questions all around. Thanks for posting all those questions about Obama — a few are silly, and opinionated - some are unfair like the lapel and heart-over-chest nonsense (everyone can be caught in ONE unfortunate picture).
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Andre, the lapel pin issue is not as bening as you think it is. First of all, it’s not one picture, it’s actually a policy of Obama’s during this election. Obama has been quoted as saying he refuses to wear it because of what the American flag represents to some countries. That’s not good for a president.
For all the critics implying McCain is a liar; he apologized for opposing the MLK holiday and reversed when he realized he was wrong. You hate typical white people so much; you are unable to forgive him. As long as you are condescending toward typical white people, this race issue will never be resolved. Obama started this race issue by profiling his typical white grandmother.
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Comment by Jackson
McCain better not dare bring up Rev. Wright when he and Obama run in November! How can a grown, supposedly intelligent man in his 40s at the time, not vote for a King holiday, then years later vote for it, after needing to “learn more of King’s achievements” first. What kind of racist vacuum was McCain living in?? That is pathetic. McCain’s actions vs. Obama’s retired pastor’s words.
McCain has every right to challenge Obama on his association with questionable people. He was a POW when MLK was marching, in answering your vacuum question. Consequently, if he could not attend Woodstock because he was all tied up, he would not be able to attend a march either.
Just admit it you are a racist because you cannot accept a white person who does not agree with you.
Comment by Jean, GA
What you mean when McCain was young. He 70 something years old. The only reason he apologizing is because he need the black votes to when period.
OH I apologize John, I was scimming through your post, I didn’t notice that you copied and pasted someone’s ignorant remarks. Again I apologize
Comment by travis
April 4th, 2008 at 1:39 pm Comment by Jean, GA
What you mean when McCain was young. He 70 something years old. The only reason he apologizing is because he need the black votes to when period.
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And Feinstein is 74, Byrd is 90, Ted Kennedy is 76, they’re all Democrat senators…your point?
No problem Trav, keep preachin’ man!
No, the racist or ex-racist (since he has the black daughter now who is in no family photos) is in the video above representing the Republican party. Watch it and actually listen. If Hillary was the choice, I was prepared to vote McCain until now. The obvious must occur…Obama for the Dems. Equal opportunity military? PULEEZE!!! McCain was out of touch then and is pretending to not be out of touch now with his 100 million dollar beer bride. NOT A GREAT AMERICAN! Again, his actions in 83 and on that plane is the video just recently, VS. Obama’s ex-pastor’s words…worlds apart. I hope Obama’s camp knows of this MAJOR flaw come debate time, if McCain even lip-syncs the name, Jeremiah Wright. Speaking of words, the man whose assassination we commemorate today, MLK, also condemned America harshly from many a pulpit and was even believed a communist, yet he has a national holiday and adorns the FOXNews website these days.
Anybody but Hillary. Go Obama, Go McCain,
Comment by Tel…
Comment by travis
April 4th, 2008 at 1:39 pm Comment by Jean, GA
What you mean when McCain was young. He 70 something years old. The only reason he apologizing is because he need the black votes to when period.
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And Feinstein is 74, Byrd is 90, Ted Kennedy is 76, they’re all Democrat senators…your point?
He does not have a point because he cannot comprehend that McCain was a POW when MLK was marching.
McCain would like to get the black vote but he will not stoop to dishonesty in order to get it like Obama. He forgets one thing, Obama needs the white vote, and thanks to his spiritual advisor, he will not get them.
Comment by Jean, GA
My point is JEAN AND TEL, McCain is in his 70’s now. He made those statements against affirmative action and voted an FOUR times against the Civil Rights Act of 1990–a bill designed to make it easier for employees to prove job discrimination and imposing harsher penalties on bosses who discriminated.
• In 2004 he opposed affirmative action in college admissions–a key component of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that is among King’s key legislative victories.
• He has voted at least 8 times against raising the minimum wage. McCain went on to resist recognizing a King holiday in his home state of Arizona.
You all say “oh McCain was just young when he made those statements he is a changed man” that is clearly some BS. McCain was in his late 50’s or early 60’s when he made those satements. BLACK AMERICA IS NOT STUPID, MCCAIN WAS THE SAME THEN AND HE THE SAME NOW, 50 AND 60 IS NOT YOUNG THATS AN OLD IGNORANT MAN. ENOUGH SAID TEL AND JEAN
to Typical White woman and all of you others who want to excuse slavery and Jim crow segregation in America:
Yes- there were a FEW black slave owners in the antibellan period
Yes- the Trans-Atlantic slave trade would not have been possible without the participation of MANY Black, White, Berber and Creole Africans.
No-everything bad that has happened to black people in this country is not the “white mans” fault.
No- not every white person was a slave owner.
BUT.
That does not make 400 years of slavery and 100 years of segregation unimportant nor insignificant.
Please stop trying to minimize the awful impact of these reprehinsible institutions on ALL americans.
NO ONE WHO STOOD BY AND DID NOTHING IS EXEMPT FROM RESPONSIBILITY!!!
I dont care what their color or status was!
By the way, I don’t give the German people a pass for the Holocaust either!
Neither do I believe that Rwandan’s who did nothing to stop the Genocide in the 1990’s can ever wash the blood from thier hands.
BEing the descendant of former slaves does not exempt you from personal responsibility.
Being the descendant of former slave owners or a person who enjoys the same social status as those descendants means you enjoy certain “benifits” based solely on being (or appearing to be) from that group.
No- that does not mean that ALL white people have it easy!
No- that does not mean that ALL black people have it hard!
It simply is, what is is!
Comment by travis
April 4th, 2008 at 2:20 pm Comment by Jean, GA ….You all say “oh McCain was just young when he made those statements he is a changed man” that is clearly some BS. McCain was in his late 50’s or early 60’s when he made those satements. BLACK AMERICA IS NOT STUPID, MCCAIN WAS THE SAME THEN AND HE THE SAME NOW, 50 AND 60 IS NOT YOUNG THATS AN OLD IGNORANT MAN. ENOUGH SAID TEL AND JEAN
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