My Novel: It Felt Good At The Time

This, "It Felt Good at the Time," was one of those novels I really enjoyed writing. It's part of a series of stories I've written on taboo-type relationships with an emphasis on the consequences of the choices that people make.

Consider checking it out on Amazon.com. It will have periods when it is available for free. When it is available for purchase, however, the price is relatively nominal.

Read more about it, here.

Umar Johnson on Interracial Dating

As I've stated on this blog, in the past, I often read and watch people with views that run counter to my own views.

In this case, I watched a video of Umar Johnson as he speaks on interracial dating and interracial marriage. Certainly, I do not agree with the sweeping generalizations of people who find love outside of their race. I concede, however, that race is of paramount importance to a great many people.

Maybe more people should marry outside of their race. Perhaps if more people married outside of their race, and we lived more as one, we would have less worry about polarizing racial discussions.

We should encourage more interracial dating ... not less.

Dating outside of your race does not make you less down for a cause. Such talk is utter nonsense. We, as people, have to break down self-imposed barriers to collaboration and empowerment. Empowerment is not as simple as house slaves vs. field slaves. Empowerment is about discovering what brings us closer rather than what divides us further apart.

Use the Term 'Coon' To Attack People

I've noticed a growing trend among people in the so-called black community to attack a certain type of person with which they have disagreement.

What I've noticed is an increase in the use of the slur "coon" to attack black people who hold a certain type of view on particular political and social issues.

So, I see "coon" used in a couple of different ways. But, before we get to that, let me start with the word's definition. It's a derogatory term (obviously) used to attack black people who are perceived to be against the interests of the majority of black people. It is sometimes, for example, used to attack black conservatives. More recently, it has been used to attack black people who do not do everything humanly possibly to serve the interests of black people as perceived by the "conscious" and "scholarly" black community leaders.

"Coon" is a dangerous and ugly term. What I find particularly ironic is that most of the people who use it are the same ones who call for black unity. Is this to say that we can only be united if we agree on 100 percent of the issues? If so, this seems like a nonstarter to true collaboration.

People have to be able to come together to solve issues. However, it seems counter intuitive to the true spirit of collaboration when some are deemed "coons" basically because they do not agree on every single issue.

Next time you see someone call another person a "coon" you should ask a few questions:

• What do they really mean?
• Is the slur based on a true large body of evidence, one incident, a few incidents?
• Is it used to create dialogue, to call attention to something significant, or is it a petty and one-dimensional ad hominem attack designed to hurt?
• Does the person attacked have a reasonable position?
• Is it done because the person using the slur lacks the ability to articulate a coherent and reasonable counterpoint?

I believe "coon" is an ugly slur that needs to largely be put to bed.

Think before you slur.

Brewer Finger Pointing At President Obama Is Deeply Disturbing And Offensive

Gov. Jan Brewer, of Arizona, confronts President Obama and points her
finger right in his face as a show of disrespect to the president of the
United States of America.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer took political disrespect to a new level (a level far beyond mere politics) with her finger-pointing confrontation with President Barack Obama.

If you can't see the racial angle here, then you're blind.

Anyway, the now infamous photo of Gov. Brewer pointing toward the president of the United States with her finger has created some deep and troubling feelings about how some people view Barack Obama (and how some people will always view him as Barack Obama and never accept him as President Obama ... to some degree for racial reasons).

Gov. Brewer's blatant disrespect of President Obama could (and should) bring together all who support the president and minorities who have been treated in a condescending manner or in a manner that is highly disrespectful by people who do not see them as on their level.

This is a lessons that no matter how much status you may have or think you have ... there are still some who will see you as beneath them because of what you are to them and not what you made of yourself.

The message is a relative of people like some on the far right referring to him as a food stamp president. The idea is to make Barack Obama seem more black than ever and not on the same level as others. The food stamp issue seems to be a way of reminding the lowest common denominator that President Obama is as black as he ever was ... and especially now that it is an election year.

This diss of President Obama will not be soon forgotten.

Limbaugh's Disguised Racial Attacks On Michelle Obama Continue

Rush Limbaugh is at again using race as his weapon of choice against one of the Obamas. And, as you can imagine, his loyal followers are probably in denial and making excuses for their idol.

Some Halloween Costumes Are Flat-Out Inappropriate

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

But, if a mere picture is worth a thousand words; then what is a costume worth?

Some college students have started a movement to speak out about what they see as costumes based on negative stereotypes. Some of these costumes, critics believe, are outright racist.

So, the message is clear this Halloween: Be thoughtful about your costumers and the message that they may send.

Check out the story, here:
http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/10/in_the_immortal_words_of.html

Allen West's Tirade Against Debbie Wasserman Schultz Is Highly Disturbing

Rep. Allen West clearly is a lot of things, but it would appear that "gentleman" is one title he has not fully earned.

One has to wonder if the state of Florida is big enough for Allen West, his ego and the rest of the residents.

Mr. West would appear to be a man who struggles to find comfort in working across party lines with strong women, like Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who do not simply give in to him. While most politicians are capable of civilized discourse, it appears Mr. West is incapable of that and revealed himself as weak and thin skinned when rather mildly challenged.

This was how Crooks and Liars quoted Politico:

Florida GOP Congressman Allen West this afternoon dispatched a scathing personal email to Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, calling her "vile, unprofessional ,and despicable," "a coward," "characterless," and "not a Lady," and demanding that she "shut the heck up."

Wasserman Schultz, in whose neighboring South Florida district West lives, provoked his tirade with remarks after he left the House floor today, in which she responded -- without naming him -- to the Tea Party freshman's support for "Cut, Cap, and Balance" legislation to raise the debt ceiling.

"The gentleman from Florida. who represents thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, as do I, is supportive of this plan that would increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries, unbelievable from a Member from South Florida," Wasserman Schultz said, saying the legislation "slashes Medicaid and critical investments essential to winning the future in favor of protecting tax breaks for Big Oil, millionaires, and companies who ship American jobs overseas."

Her criticism of the legislation -- more or less what most Democrats are saying today -- provoked a furious response. West copied members of House Republican and Democratic leadership on the email, as well as his chief-of-staff, Jonathan Blyth.

Come on, tough guy West ... you're supposed to be a grown man. What's next? Are you going to leave a nasty message on her Facebook wall and then block her so she can't reply?

This is weak brother West ... weak. It's almost as if he wanted to tell her to know her place in society, but was too angry and went straight to one-dimensional insults. That is just way too much anger at one time to be excused.

But, here is another pathetic sidebar to this story ... the conservative women rushing to assist West in attacking Wasserman Schultz.

Monica Crowley: "She of the Angry Perm"

Michelle Malkin: "Alan Grayson in Heels ... Anthony Weiner, Only An Octave Higher."

Then, you have the good-ole boys almost irrationally attacking Wasserman Schultz:

Rush Limbaugh: "Debbie Wasserman Blabbermouth Schultz Uses 'Mayonnaise' in Her Hair."

Eric Bolling: "Drives a Machete Into Colonel Allen West's Back As He Walks Off The House Floor."

Yes, these are the same folks (conservatives) who whine any time a person even thinks about saying something even remotely negative about poor Sarah Palin and poor Michele Bachmann.

If West does not want to apologize then that's fine, but he must live with the fact that he looks like a misogynistic bully with anger and issues regarding women.

Rep. West, remember the old Temptations song, "Treat Her Like a Lady."

Maher Comes Out With Race-Based Attack On Kim Kardashian

Bill Maher was at his predictable worst as he used Twitter as a platform to issue what was, by his standards, a fairly standard distasteful attack of Kim Kardashian. One sort of expects that Maher will say tasteless things, but then there are comments that are even bad for his standards (such as his standards are).

It started when Kardashian Tweeted this in response to the verdict in the case of Casey Anthony (you can look it up on your own if you don't know about it):

“WHAT!!!!???!!!! CASEY ANTHONY FOUND NOT GUILTY!!!I am speechless!!!”

Maher, smelling blood in the water, responded as he Tweeted the following:

“Kim Kardashian is upset with Casey Anthony verdict? Ur father defended O.J.! Starting the Kardashian tradition of getting black men off.”

A few thoughts about the original comment and the responses that went through my head:

1. He has probably been looking for an opportunity to unload this kind of comment on the Kardashian women.
2. He perhaps has some underlying issues with the Kardashians and their relationships with black people.
3. He is tired of seeing the Kardashians with guys like Reggie Bush, Lamar Odom, etc... Maybe he wants to see them getting off more guys like Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Bill Mah ... nevermind
   
4. His comment smacks of racism (not that he cares one bit about what anyone things of him ... good, bad or indifferent ... this is how he makes his money).

Color Of Change Starts Petition To Get Fox News To Dump Fox "Business" Host Bolling For Racial Comments

Dear ColorOfChange.org member,

"It's not first time he's had a hoodlum in the hizzouse."

That's what Fox Business host Eric Bolling said on Friday about President Obama's meeting at the White House with the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo, while photoshopping a gold tooth onto the man's image. Then a photo of popular hip-hop artist Common, who participated in a White House poetry event last month (and was later smeared by Fox), appeared on-screen .¹

It's just the latest from Bolling, who last month accused President Obama of "chugging a few forties" in Ireland.²Bolling's attacks are part of a long history of racially-coded language and stereotypes that Fox uses to create a negative perception of the president.

Please join us in demanding that Roger Alies Chariman of Fox News and Fox Business fire Bolling. If enough of us speak out, it will ensure that Fox's leaders face some public accountability for its consistent race-baiting. It only takes a moment:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/bolling

Fox Business and Fox News continue to be safe havens for commentators who try to whip up race-based fears and peddle racial stereotypes as hard news.

President Ali Bongo currently holds the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council and was visiting the White House on official business. While Bongo has a troubling human rights record, past U.S. presidents have met with problematic figures for diplomatic reasons or to get them to change their behavior. Hip hop artist Common is a well-educated cultural and charitable ambassador and a talented musician. We doubt that Fox would ever have referred to the White House as a “hizzouse” while George W. Bush, Bill Clinton or any other president resided there.

But on Friday, Bolling seized an opportunity to race-bait. He opened the segment by asking, "So what's with all the hoods in the hizzy?" Later, when a guest challenged him, asking why Bolling was treating the meeting as a social event rather than an official meeting between two heads of state, Bolling said, "How do you know what they did? Maybe they did have s'mores and watch movies. Maybe they watched a basketball game." ³

Such obvious promotion of racial stereotypes is nothing new at Fox.^4,5 In fact, it's what made Glenn Beck's career at Fox News before he took things too far⁶ — a move that eventually cost him more than 300 advertisers and his 5pm show on the network. Beck will leave this coveted time slot vacant at the end of this month, and some observers believe Bolling's over-the-top race-baiting last week was an audition for Beck's spot — his attempt to show Ailes and other executives at Fox that he's up to the challenge of stoking Fox viewers' anger at President Obama in a way fitting of Beck's legacy.⁷

Please join us in demanding that Fox Business Chairman Roger Ailes fire Eric Bolling. Ailes might not care what we think — but he has to care about Fox's public image. If Ailes fires Bolling, it's a step towards accountability. If he refuses, it will make it abundantly clear to the public and the media that stoking racial division is part of Fox's agenda.

Please join us by clicking the link below. And when you do, please ask your family and friends to do the same:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/bolling

Thanks and Peace,

-- Rashad, James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Matt, Natasha, and the rest of the ColorOfchange.org team
June 18th, 2011

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://www.colorofchange.org/donate

References:

1. "Fox's Eric Bolling: Obama Is Hosting "Hoodlum[s]" In "The Hizzouse"," Media Matters, 6-11-2011
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201106110002

2. "Bolling: Obama Was "Chugging A Few 40's" Instead Of Responding To Joplin Disaster," Media Matters, 5-24-2011
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201105240034

3. See reference 1

4. "Tell CNN: Stop echoing Fox's race-baiting," ColorOfChange.org, 7-10-2010
http://orig.colorofchange.org/cnnfox/message.html

5. "An overview: Fox News and its problem with African-Americans," ColorOfChange.org
http://orig.colorofchange.org/fox/summary.html

6. "Call on advertisers to drop sponsorship of Glenn Beck," ColorOfChange.org, 7-30-09
http://orig.colorofchange.org/beck/message.html

7. "Is Race Baiting Part of Eric Bolling’s Fox News Audition?," Media Matters, 6-13-2011
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201106130006

Fox News Host Says Obama Was 'Chugging A Few 40s'

None of this should surprise us coming from those idiots over at Fox News.

I guess at least they didn't accuse the president of sipping on gin and juice. Obviously they haven't seen the old Snoop Dogg rap in their efforts to describe how they believe black people live.

Common Controversy Makes It Easy To Ask Questions About Racism Regarding Some At Fox 'News'

Common

The whole Fox News-generated overblown controversy regarding the rapper and poet Common is one that I'd like to say I find interesting and surprising, BUT ... I don't.

I'd like to say say that the Fox News hysteria over Common's performance at the White House was strictly related to the network's misguided belief that he is some sort of a gangsta rapper ... or something along those lines.

Frankly, I am not going to go into a long explanation of how ignorant this whole issue is (which is pretty much a given coming from Fox News).

But, I will offer the obvious ... this clearly is racially tinged (even if somewhat coded). Once again, Fox News is taking an opportunity to try and portray President Obama as some kind of black nationalist or racist (or someone who sympathizes with black nationalism or anti-white racism). To normal people, this is utterly ludicrous, but to call most of the people at Fox News normal is to borderline defame real normal people.

This whole issue with Common is largely based on race and trying to portray President Obama as an angry black man who is "not really one of us" to the highly conservative Fox News audience. This is the strategy of people like Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Sarah Palin. This is why they attack Common and excuse Ted Nugent.

Hannity, and this is no surprise coming from him, was comfortable with this attack on a black man (that is never a surprise from this man) and a woman running for President of the United States of America.

Nugent's comments were OK, to Hannity, but the Fox News bigots jumped all over Common and took every shot possible at someone who has a high level of integrity and is quite the conscientious man with very positive messages.

Coming from Fox News, this is no surprise ... in fact, it is ironically common.

West's Hateful Comments About President Obama Are Not Surprising

This is a very good example of why I have an issue with a large number of black conservative Republicans.

Rep. Allen West is all too willing to be used by the far-right element of the political spectrum to say nasty and borderline hateful things about President Obama ... black-on-black crime if you will (in politics).

Rep. West goes on the attack and his fellow conservatives are all too happy to watch him go on the attack while their hands remain clean. This man is a disgrace to his district, but it is his district and if they support his nasty views then that is a stain on the character of his voters.

Here is a little of what West said, as documented by Huffington Post:

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) stood by eyebrow-raising remarks he recently made about President Barack Obama during an interview with Fox News host Greta Van Susteren on Thursday night.

Speaking recently on "The Laura Ingraham Show," West asserted that the president demonstrated "third world dictator-like arrogance" in delivering a speech on the federal budget and government spending.

"I do stand by those words," said the conservative congressman, who was elected into office last November with support from the Tea Party movement. "The truth needs to be said."

"I am sick and tired of this class warfare, this Marxist, demagogic rhetoric that is coming from the President of the United States of America," West explained. "It is not helpful for this country and it's not going to move the ball forward as far as rectifying the economic situation in our country. And I'm not going to back away from telling what the truth is."

In that excerpt, we see a snapshot of so many of the politically hateful things that have been said about President Obama coming out of one filthy mouth for the gratification of a far right that has been mostly hostile to minority voters.

West's words are hateful and disgusting, but they obviously bring comfort to his voters and to the far-right commentators (such as Laura Ingraham) and networks (Fox News) who relish the opportunity to witness black-on-black political crime as they keep their hands relatively clean.

I will leave you with this excerpt from a commentary by Dr. Boyce Watkins:

West being a Republican doesn’t offend me. What offends me is that he is an unintelligent Republican who lacks the kind of class that men like Colin Powell have shown in their disagreements with the Democrats. West doesn’t have to call Obama names; he can simply critique his policies. There is almost nothing insightful or substantive about his remarks about the president, for he simply appears to be basking in the sunlight.

Another interesting thing about political pawns like Allen West and Michael Steele is that their love affair with the Republican Party will be short-lived. Once their usefulness has passed, they will be thrown to the side like worthless political prostitutes, for the need for a black face on racial hatred is what has kept them in business. To some extent, they should send President Obama a thank you card, for they could never get this much attention without him.

Paris Hilton: I Can’t Stand Black Guys, They’re Gross

Paris Hilton

I found it interesting to read this little comment allegedly made by famous (some might say infamous) Paris Hilton as documented on the Newsone website. When you read enough things in different places related to different people it becomes less and less possible to feel surprised by what's out there. Thus, I hardly feel surprised by the words of Hilton.

HILTON: I went out with that guy last night.

STRAUSS: Which guy?

HILTON: (points to an actor in Saving Private Ryan): We were making out, but then we went somewhere where it was bright and I saw that he was black and made an excuse and left. I can’t stand black guys. I would never touch one. It’s gross. (pauses). Does that guy look black to you?

STRAUSS: How black does a guy have to be?

HILTON: One percent is enough for me.

I find interesting that he said "it's gross" when talking about black men. It could just be her way of talking, but it could be something more.

Actually, I find it interesting she would say something about someone else is gross, but ... yeah.

At any rate, I would say there's no big loss here.

People Would Actually Vote For Donald Chump?

It's chilling to think that millions of people would actually vote for this man, Donald Trump, to be president of the United States of America.

That should send a chill up and down your spine.

Andrew Breitbart Presents ... Another Hateful Attack On Michelle Obama

Nothing so angry and hateful, that comes from a "man" like right-wing bigot Andrew Breitbart, should ever really surprise any of us.

His websites, in this case Big Government, are home to some of the worst and most hateful trash trash talk imaginable.

Breitbart, and people affiliated with him, seem to enjoy taking shots at black women ... ask Shirley Sherrod.

This cartoon, hatefully attacking Michelle Obama as being fat and portraying her as the angry black woman, is yet another example:































Take note of the angry response the cartoon uses from Michelle Obama at the end. That is not an accident. It is done to portray her as the angry black woman.

Check out the way Media Matters describes the cartoon and see a better version of the cartoon there: http://mediamatters.org/blog/201102140015

Santorum Makes Racially-Charged Attack On President Obama

Here are some highly controversial comments being made by former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, a Republican who is being billed as a potential 2012 presidential contender, as quoted by The Huffington Post. Now, for a man like Santorum, this really is nothing new and is rather old hat in many respects.

Santorum, like many on the far right, are obsessed with controlling what women do relative to the issue of abortion, but this time he brought in President Obama and the issue of race:

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (R), a potential 2012 presidential contender, is attempting to trudge out of the mess that he waded into Wednesday when he seemed to suggest that it was objectionable for Obama to be pro-choice because he was black.

That is certainly a paragraph that is going to grab some attention and for rather obvious reasons. Now back to The Huffington Post story:

Here is Santorum's original comment concerning his own pro-life views and why he disputes the president's belief that women should have a right to choose.

"The question is, and this is what Barack Obama didn't want to answer -- is that human life a person under the constitution?" he said. "And Barack Obama says no. Well if that human life is not a person then I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say 'now we are going to decide who are people and who are not people.'"

Does Santorum find it remarkable that he is trying to control a woman and tell her what she can and can not do with her own body? So, now that Santorum is attempting to put himself in the shoes of a black man, perhaps he should consider this thought: Might it be uncomfortable (following Rick Santorum's "logic") for a black man to want to be in the position of trying to control another person and force another person do to something against his/her will (such as abortion)?

How can he sit in judgment of a woman and make decisions for her?

You can read the full context of what Santorum said, here.

More Proof She Just Doesn't Get It

Sarah Palin simply doesn't get it.

In The Case Of Vick, Fox News Commentator Seems To See A Black Man's Life Worth No More Than A Dog's Life

Tucker Carlson

We know that some right-wing commentators at Fox News have a clear disdain for President Barack Obama - a disdain that was illustrated most recently in the case of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who had a highly-publicized involvement in dog fighting. Recently, however, President Obama saluted the Eagles for giving Vick a second chance.

Obviously, there had to be at least one commentator at Fox News ready to take a shot at the president over this one.

This all leads me to a little excerpt I read from Dr. Boyce Watkins, who blogged about some very disturbing comments made by right-wing Fox News commentator (I know that is sort of redundant) Tucker Carlson regarding Vick, who has bounced back from his self-inflicted dog-fighting troubles, turned his life around and again is excelling on the football field (and presumably in life).

That's not good enough for some of the tighty righties at Fox News - like Tucker Carlson.

Here is a portion of what Watkins wrote in his blog regarding Carlson:

"I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances," Carlson said. "But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the President of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs? Kind of beyond the pale."

First of all, I think that most decent Christians would not believe that Tucker Carlson is a Christian. But then again, most of the original members of the KKK also considered themselves to be Christians, so perhaps Carlson's delusional behavior actually makes sense. I'd be curious to see if Carlson believes that the hundreds of thousands of deer hunters and members of the National Rifle Association should also be executed for killing animals themselves. After all, killing an animal is the same no matter what, right?

Secondly, Carlson's insinuation that the life of this black man is worth less than that of a dog is a telling reminder of how the Right Wing is nothing more than a modern-day manifestation of those who've profited from slavery and the execution of black men for the past 400 years (they continue to profit from slavery within the prison system - the only place where the United States Constitution allows slavery to take place). If this were 1840, Tucker Carlson would surely be part of the lynch mob that would have dragged Michael Vick out of jail in the middle of the night and murdered him in front of his family.

Like Watkins, I too am deeply disturbed that Carlson seems to suggest that the lives of dogs are sort of an even swap for the life of a black man.

Much like Sarah Palin, Carlson can seemingly resist no opportunity to take a shot at President Obama.

This incident, and the implication of Carlson's words, are different. This man is acting as if, were he so empowered, would hold himself up as judge, jury and executioner of Michael Vick.

It's almost Jim Crow-era justice: A black man's life for a dog's life.

It shows a dark part of Tucker Carlson's heart that is chilling. What's more disturbing is that he has a powerful platform at Fox News where he seems to fit in so well.

Help Turn Of Fox News

Dear Sandy,

In the coming days, many of us will be spending time with family and close friends. You might find yourself in a house with Fox News on the TV, or you might find yourself in the company of a family member who likes to talk about the "truth" coming from Fox. You could also be with folks who understand the damage Fox does, but haven’t heard about this campaign. Any of these could be a great opportunity to talk about why you don’t watch Fox and why you’re part of the movement to get it turned off in public places. And if you have any good conversations, let us know.

There's no need to be confrontational. The person you’re talking with may not be receptive to what you have to say — and that’s ok. But you might be surprised. This is about sharing your concerns and beliefs, and hearing the thoughts of someone you love. When people are approached respectfully by someone they like and trust, it creates space for them to think and change.

Here are some pointers:

1. Remain calm. The point here isn't to start an argument — it's to share information. Even though some people may be hostile to what you have to say, keeping your cool can help defuse tense situations and make even skeptics receptive to what you have to say.

2. Just the facts. We’re often tempted to use inflammatory language when describing Fox News and their tactics — "evil" or "racist," for example. But think of the impact that this language might have on someone you’re trying to win over to your point of view. Does the fact that they watch Fox News make them "evil" or "racist"? Better to stick to the facts by describing what Fox News Channel does — stoking racial fear, helping to spread dangerous conspiracy theories, and distorting the truth. You can refer to our flyer "The Case Against Fox" for a few examples of what Fox News does, and the impact of their actions.

3. Listen to what others have to say. If you want to be listened to, then you should also be willing to listen to others' perspectives. If they state something untrue, you can and should offer facts to correct the record when you can — but not until after they've finished their thought. And remember, the point isn’t to get into an argument or even prove that you're correct. It's to share your point of view.

4. Offer more information. If the folks you talk to are interested in learning more about our campaign, just have them check out TurnOffFox.org. They can sign up for the campaign at that website.

The holiday season provides a unique opportunity to help more people understand what Fox is, how it poisons national discourse, and what role everyday people can play in stopping the damage.

After you have these conversations (even with those who already understand the issue), we would love to hear how they went.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

-- James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Natasha, and the rest of the TurnOffFox.org team
December 22nd, 2010

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

https://secure.colorofchange.org/contribute/

Far-Right Nutty Racism On The Floor Of The House Of Representatives

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rep. Steve King and Rep. Michele Bachmann advancing the perception of racism from the far right.

King talks about "drug addicts" and "reparations" and a very "urban" senator (talking about President Barack Obama's support of compensation for black farmers who were the victims of discrimination) and advances the stereotype of blacks being lazy and looking for a handout.

Do we need to draw a racial map here.

This is racial politics at its most despicable, but not unexpected with King and Bachmann - to classic right-wing bigots.