Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ron Paul a racist some would say.

December 21, 2011 by  
Filed under News, Opinion, Politics, Weekly Columns

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(ThyBlackMan.com) As candidate Ron Paul turns up the heat in Iowa, I see, rather predictably, that mainstream writers are turning up the heat on Ron Paul (see here, here, and here). At issue now are the 20 plus year old newsletters, many of which were filled with racist rants, all of which were written under Ron Paul’s name. Ron Paul has previously denied both writing the letters and knowing who did, but that doesn’t stop elite media types from trotting out that very same skeleton from the closet every few years, all in hopes that getting black folks all riled up will be enough to beat back the momentum of Ron Paul’s supporters.

But there are some very important questions we should ask before arming ourselves with pitchforks and tearing off to the nearest Dr. Ron Paul for President campaign headquarters. When discussing Rep. Ron Paul, it’s important to consider whether all things are equal. I mean, does Ron Paul’s political philosophy still lend itself to the racist rants of twenty plus years ago? Or does his Libertarian philosophy trump a two decade old racist rag?

I’m not saying that Ron Paul’s association with the newsletter bodes well for his personal ethics, but it does demand that we weigh its proportionality. Historians have sharpened our perception of Lincoln by highlighting that he  was a man of the times and, although he did emancipate the slaves and save  the union, he didn’t necessarily believe in race equality.

More recently, the American electorate brushed off charges that candidate Obama was some sort of hate monger simply because his pastor said “God damn America”.   In  both cases, what we did was view these men in their specific context; Lincoln in the context of 19th century America, which included the antebellum south,  and Obama in the context of the black nationalist church, born of the black resentment which was the natural outgrowth of white supremacy.

Finish story over at; YourBlackWorld – Ron Paul Racist, etc.


Comments

24 Responses to “Ron Paul a racist some would say.”
  1. Victor says:

    @john doe:
    December 21, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    “actions speak louder than rumors. The man says the drug war is a racist war. does anyone disagree? thought so.”

    Both “rumors” and saying that “the drug war is a racist war” are words. Ending a “racist war” would require the cessation of actions.

    Has anyone ended that war? Wouldn’t that require individuals’ cooperation?

    @ThyBlackMan.com staff writer of this article:

    The tenor and content of the article was substantive. It helped crystallize my thinking. I am curious about how you would envision a Paul’s presidency actually affecting the reality of middle class Americans. Is he promising more than he, his son, and his formidable (or not) political clout can deliver? Is he running on the 2012 equivalent promise of “a chicken in every pot” to us freedom loving American? Is he a serious political actor who could and would deliver? How do you envision that possibly unfolding? Sketch out the scenario.

  2. Peoples says:

    How come nobody mentions Ron Paul’s opposition to racial profiling? They don’t mention how Ron Paul has repeatedly said the criminal system unfairly targets minorities, and how the war on drugs disproportionately targets minorities.

    Everybody keeps mentioning these newsletters that he didn’t even write. Ron Paul supported making MLK day a national holiday (the newsletters written in first person are actually opposed to MLK day). It’s obvious Ron Paul didn’t write these newsletters.

  3. Jay says:

    If you’re looking into the past, please don’t forget that LBJ was also labeled a racist (or worse) and he is the one who passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Actions speak much louder than words.

    Ron Paul is not a racist. Look at his voting record. He’s a populist and a bit of a libertarian. His attitude toward government and personal freedoms will benefit all American communities!

  4. Ori says:

    Ron Paul is not a racist and has never been. People need to take a look at the bigger picture here: The establishment is scared of that old doctor if he manages to become president of the US. Imagine a dollar backed by gold, no more inflation for the wall street thugs; no more wars on drugs and millions of non violent ( mostly minorities) locked up in cages like wild beats; no more foreign aids to dictators across the planet; no more unwarranted and unconstitutional wars ( no money for the militaro-industrial elite)…etc Just imagine an america where you can keep most of what you earn; open a business without thousands of regulations that protect the big businesses; just imagine a more prosperous American people…and a POWERLESS ELITE! It is about power here. Ron Paul is attacking the American elite at its nerve and they will do anything possible to restrain and prevent him from taking over. What better to achieve that aim than to sally his character by accusing him of being a ” racist?” Does the American power elite cares about the black people? I am black, proud, and I dislike Racists; but Ron paul is far more pro minorities than the so-called black president in the white house right now! Let’s not fall into the trap of division at a time when we are watching the power elite ramp up its attacks against individual rights and Liberty.

  5. 1iberty4All says:

    OBGYN’s that are busy delivering 4000 babies should not try to also publish newsletters. Especially ones with their name in the title, when they aren’t closely monitoring the content.

  6. Nicholas says:

    Rep. Ron Paul may or may not be a racist, who really knows. He can’t deflect the criticism for his newsletters, by simply making the claim that he didn’t write all the articles and doesn’t know who wrote the ones he didn’t write. Since 1978, some of the newsletters, Ron Paul’s Freedom Report, Ron Paul Political Report, The Ron Paul Survival Report, were Published by a nonprofit founded by Paul Paul. The newsletters have said these things,”opinion polls consistently show only about 5% of blacks have sensible political opinions”, “If you have ever been robbed by a black teen-aged male, you know how unbelievably fleet-footed they are”, “Order was restored in L.A. only when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks” If he is not a racist, he certainly gives racist statement a bullhorn.

  7. David Ryon says:

    Dr. Paul has a right to be irritated. Dr. Paul has answered this question multiple times over the past 20 years. He has answered the media’s question concerning the remarks in the publication that had his name on it. Dr. Paul clearly has stated that he did not write the remarks and does not support the racist remarks that were written. How many times does he have to answer the same question.

    I challenge the media to find a statement that was written personally by Ron Paul or an audio file or a video file that shows Ron Paul making a racist remark. All the media is giving us is statements that were not written by Ron Paul.

    Does it make ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX or any media outlet and their employees RACIST when they allow people to post RACIST remarks on their web sites and blog sites and in their newspapers? According to the Media, the answer would be YES. “Judge not media, Lest ye be judged”

    The media doesn’t live up to its own standards. These hit pieces prevent the other Republican candidates from getting their hands dirty and not attack Ron Paul directly. Newt Gingrich is most likely behind this attack. So much for your positive campaign Newt.

    The bottom line is Ron Paul is not racist.

  8. SC says:

    “Ron Paul is and always been a bigot. All these comments defending RP I’m sure are from the same old dirty redneck crackers, ”

    Hmm, i guess old dirty redneck crackers is not a bigoted statement though?

  9. TheRealTruth says:

    @CB BS!!! I stand by what I said.

  10. TheRealTruth says:

    Ron Paul is and always been a bigot. All these comments defending RP I’m sure are from the same old dirty redneck crackers, some posing as black people, who had no problem jumping all over Rev. Jeremiah Wright for criticizing the United States’ hypocrisy. Hell, Wright never even mentioned race when he said this. You peckerwoods need to drop this shit!!

  11. Rick Duffin says:

    It would be nice to have Dr. Boyce Watkins interview Dr. Paul. Let’s get the doctors together.

  12. Diogenes says:

    Look at Ron Paul’s decades in public service. He has never said, done or written anything that fits with the racist nature of some of the newsletters, which were written by staffers while he was busy with his medical practice. Can you even picture him distorting someone’s name to make fun of them? Get real!

    Here is a TX NAACP leader who knows Ron Paul, saying he is in no way racist.

    in a radio interview:
    NAACP Nelson Linder speaks on Ron Paul and racism
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGhv3paNz6U&sns=em

    in an article about another radio interview:
    ‘NAACP President: Ron Paul Is Not A Racist’
    http://www.nolanchart.com/article1134-naacp-president-ron-paul-is-not-a-racist.html

    Or you can listen to Ron Paul’s debate responses on African American and minority issues at The All American Presidential Forums on PBS:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3EADdr-5AY

    This has been asked and answered every time Ron Paul ran for reelection to Congress over the past 20-some years, as well as during his runs for the presidency. Ron Paul wants to focus on the issues in the campaign, not on things that have long since been asked, answered and dismissed as nonsense.

  13. danny says:

    thyblackman, you should take a look at and post this video.
    http://youtu.be/3Y0I4i8mWr8

  14. Hiram says:

    Interesting article. To me I don’t see a racist bone or even a hint of hate in him at all. Its obvious these have come up again because they’re scared … these come out again by the media when he reaches the top of polls in Iowa. Come on now.

  15. KJ says:

    The time these newsletters were written, under separate management, Ron Paul was practicing medicine. While practicing medicine, he never took medicare or medicaid and never turned anyone of any race away for inability to pay. the NPR recently did a write up of an interview with his junior medical partner who had to agree never to do abortions and never to take medicare or medicaid, but to take the patients free or at discount, and treat them just like anyone else. It isn’t like Ron Paul changed with the times on this point, he was never racist. You can check out youtubes of him from the 70s, he’s always been as he is. Linder, the NAACP district chief for his district said he wasn’t racist, and that power brokers just really didn’t want him in office because of his strict adherence to the Constitution even when it was inconvenient. The interview is on youtube.

    I say this because Ron Paul isn’t racist, and wasn’t. But he did not exercise oversight over what went out over his name, and he takes moral responsibility for that. That is all he can do. Meanwhile, his policies are what they are.

  16. john doe says:

    actions speak louder than rumors. The man says the drug war is a racist war. does anyone disagree? thought so. Ending the drug war by leaving it to your state to decide.also with releasing all federal inmates that have a drug charge only, plus if thats all on thier record, they have a clean record. Also economic policy that makes it easy to start a bussines.

  17. Reggie says:

    Hey, as long as you actually vote for Dr Paul, friend, we’re cool.
    NO ONE agrees 100%.
    But 90% in Ron Paul’s case will do.

  18. Blonduxo says:

    Loved your article especially the last 2 paragraphs.

  19. Blonduxo says:

    Please read this article about the newsletters from a ghostwriters perspective: http://www.dailypaul.com/194188/the-ron-paul-newsletters-a-ghost-writers-perspective-and-open-letter-to-james-kirchick

    Also “right to work” has to do with unions, and statutes enforced in twenty-two U.S. states, allowed under provisions of the federal Taft–Hartley Act, which prohibit agreements between labor unions and employers that make membership, payment of union dues, or fees a condition of employment, either before or after hiring, which would require the workplace to be a closed shop.

    Dr. Paul’s plan on energy is more than you described: additionally:

    * Repeal the federal tax on gasoline. Eliminating the federal gas tax would result in an 18 cents savings per gallon for American consumers.

    * Lift government roadblocks to the use of coal and nuclear power.

    * Eliminate the ineffective EPA. Polluters should answer directly to property owners in court for the damages they create – not to Washington.

    * Make tax credits available for the purchase and production of alternative fuel technologies.

    Dr. Paul is a Christian and does not prescribe how or if others should practice religion, that is up to the individual.

    Check him out over on his website: ronpaul2012.com

  20. Christopher says:

    That is probably the most honest, fair report done. How do we get you on CNN? Lol.

  21. Louwhan says:

    THANK YOU!!!

  22. Jason says:

    Thanks for your honest thoughts.

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