Race Roundup

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Judge removed from 'Jena Six' trials

The judge overseeing the criminal cases for the remaining Jena Six defendants was removed against his will Friday for making questionable remarks about the teenagers.

Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr. had acknowledged calling the teens "trouble makers" and "a violent bunch" but insisted he could be impartial. Judge Thomas M. Yeager, who was asked by defense attorneys to review the case, found there was an appearance of impropriety and recused Mauffray.
McCain's race card

When he needed to tack right to sate the Goldwater conservatives in Arizona, he supported business with apartheid and rejected a holiday for MLK.

When McCain was running for the Republican nomination for president in 1999 against George W. Bush, McCain pledged his support for the Confederate flag, making the absurd argument, "To me personally, I understand how it could be offensive to some people, but I had ancestors who fought in the Confederate army and I thought they fought honorably."
Bill Clinton Admits Regrets During Primaries, Denies Racism

Former President Clinton acknowledges there are some things “I wish I hadn’t said” during the Democratic presidential nomination fight, but denies he made racist statements about Barack Obama.
Forums gave racists a place to spew hatred

Bob Hillman, tireless advocate for decency and respect in the way people treat each other, says, "If someone scrawls racist graffiti in a public place, shame on him. If we let it stay there, shame on us."

Unfortunately, some of the angry blogs on the Record's web page about the Mount Pocono carnival "riot" (really a minor disturbance) are just such graffiti. These anonymous communications are the verbal equivalent of wrapping yourself up in a white sheet and burning crosses on people's lawns — and just as despicable.