Presented with limited commentary — mostly because I’ve already spent years here outlining the theoretical justifications, inherent to progressive thought, for what is a remarkable rejection of race neutral jurisprudence and equal opportunity before the law. The Civil Rights division of the US government — having been overtaken by leftist intellectuals and bureaucrats, now operates from a complete inversion of its stated mandate: no longer concerned with protecting the civil rights of all citizens, the commission is now an insular and highly politicized legal cabal wherein a successful appeal for justice is perforce determined beforehand by one’s race.
This is where our “post-racial” President and his ideological fellow travelers have taken us. And some of us saw it coming as a matter of intellectual inevitability.
It’s what happens in a world in which meaning becomes unmoored and “truth” is decided by those who shout the loudest or form the biggest coalition.
****
related: Full text of Christopher Coates’ testimony available here.
I’m wondering how, or whether possibly, this story has been treated by the evening news shows, none of which I’ve seen. More though, I’m still wondering at a Thernstrom’s stance against the story as against “small potatoes”. That just doesn’t make sense to me.
This seems like an obvious attempt to distract us from the Colbert testimony.
Sorry, Jeff. Good try though.
Colbert’s testimony is the harbinger of a great redemption/Lindsay Lohan for President story, which will come out in about 2036.
Thernstrom background info.
I’ve repeatedly recommended the Thernstrom’s wonderful America in Black and White — I believe SEK has written a scathing dismissal of said tome, having done none of the research, and having familiarized himself with the material in a cursory, anecdotal way — so I, too, am curious about her response.
We shall see where this goes.
As Ace points out, making enforcement of this law racially discriminatory in practice means that even the ones you WANT to prosecute will be cut loose because if the law is discriminatory in application, even if not on its face, the entire law can be struck down in its entirety: http://ace.mu.nu/archives/306109.php
It’s what happens in a world in which meaning becomes unmoored and “truth” is decided by those who shout the loudest or form the biggest coalition.
Hah! Silly Rabbits! Real revolutionaries know that truth flows from the barrel of the biggest gun.
It appeared to me today that Vice-Chair Thernstrom lent all her efforts (and question time) to Mr Yaki to see whether he couldn’t make the case that the NBPP matter is merely small potatoes, so it wouldn’t appear she has changed her mind on the subject as yet. The most complete justification for that stance I can conceive on her behalf is simply that she sees the case as a purely partisan political effort to take down the first President of color and not the ennobling effort to achieve a color-blind justice its proponents think it. Why she might understand it this way I don’t understand.
Just learned at the Corner that Zoe Lofgren has no R opponent come Nov, though there is a Libertarian running against her. Sheesh, these fuckers are hopeless.
Maybe Mike Castle can move to San Jose.
Does he know the way?
I wonder how much of their behavior relates to racial identity politics and how much is instead driven by pure hear/see/speak no evil in regards to any sort of voting irregularity.
Who are we talking about bh, the bosses or the careerists?
The identity politics business long predates the Obama people, according to Coates, and so looks to have become an ingrained never questioned background assumption type deal. The refusal to clean up corrupted voter rolls sounds to have been an Obama policy decision, hence stands suspect of simple partisan edgery.
“I’m wondering how, or whether possibly, this story has been treated by the evening news shows, none of which I’ve seen.”
As of a few hours ago, it didn’t even rate a mention on the ABC News website. To the extent it’s covered at all (such as in a WaPo political blog), it’s framed as issue of interest only to conservative critics of Obama.
Otherwise, complete radio silence.
I’m tempted to say both. Though the distinction worthwhile.
This isn’t to diminish the identity politics angle. But this is an added motivation. A strong one. They have never gone after voter fraud. It could fill their schedule for a year after every election if they took it seriously. This case has a genuine wrinkle yet it does sit comfortably within the larger set.
Solely as a little headline-link down the page at FoxNews website.
the distinction is worthwhile
“To the extent it’s covered at all”
Well; when Eric Holder is dragged up to the House (after the election) to testify, perhaps the networks will take notice.
Would this be Darrell Issa’s purview?
Yep Danger, and the shock, if shock there be, will only add to the public’s dismissal of the MSM as a useful provisioner of information.
Wouldn’t think so bh, but whoever runs the Judiciary Committee(s).
Which looks to be Lamar Smith.
Lamar Smith (R-TX), then?
I never thought I’d live in a world that is starting to resemble a cross between “Atlas Shrugged” and “1984.”
Issa sits on it though.
Damn your nimble fingers, sdferr.
Perhaps a few calls should be made to his office to see if he’s planning on pursuing this.
NPR mentioned it, toward the end of their broadcast. It was framed as “former justice department lawyer making accusations.” Of course there was no background on Coates and more air given to the DOJ’s rebuttal and the statement that this ‘theory’ was becoming popular among ‘hard core’ conservatives.
It’s probably a combo of identity politics ideology and turning a blind eye. I’d guess the ratio is 50/50 for a lawyer just starting out in the division, aftwards the ideological portion grows in proportion to the lawyer’s advancement.
Read on the Corner:
This is pure ideological rationalizing away of discrimination, and there’s nothing new about it. Institutional discrimination is about power and because minorities don’t have power blah, blah… blah… blah blah, and that’s why it’s whitey’s fault the angry black dude out of his mind on drugs and booze beat the little Korean girl to death.
I never thought I’d live in a world that is starting to resemble a cross between “Atlas Shrugged” and “1984.”
With the morality ofBrave New World thrown in for good measure.
Ernst,
Funny yet depressingly accurate.
I may have to take up drinking again.
I guess one way or another AG Holder is going to get that discussion he says Americans are too cowardly to have.
The panthers should get those leopard skin leotards for to wear next time they go to scare the white people at the polls. They can be all like rowr don’t vote for those Tea Partiers or we’ll use our fierce panther claws on you and all the white people will be all like omg I saw this on Discover channel don’t make eye contact don’t make eye contact don’t make eye contact.
Maybe.
Dan Riehl:
Me neither.
Me neitherer.
On the Ryan CNN video at a previous thread it mentions Stephen Colbert by name and Coates is just a “Former Justice attorney”
As for there being intimidation at the polls, I think as with the events on 9/11, somethings work until people realize what’s up. “Department of” and “Social” are not the only forms of justice that are around, just the most talked about.
Where’s Eartha Kitt when you need her?
As for the preeminence of Colbert over this voter intimidation case, it is rather instructive how a professional clown is taken more seriously than election-stealing. And then there’s the matter of Al Franken the election-stealing professional clown.
C’mon y’all. Minorities can’t be racists. You know very well that in order for it to be true racism, or racist behavior, those doing the discriminating have to have access to power.
And, I mean, just being Attorney General, or even President, doesn’t cut it…
You however can be racist and sexist without ever intending to be so, because of the privilege you unconsciously enjoy.
I bet you even call your prize bitch “boy.” For the Irony.
How do you sleep at night?
I was taught by my Grandfather to value honor and dignity. In a government office where I once worked, a woman of color accused three of us of stealing her diamond ring. She had previously parlayed similar accusations into very lucrative lawsuits. The people in charge only wanted to smooth things over, as even a charge of racism or sexism would look very bad.
I upset the apple-cart when I demanded that the police be brought in to conduct a thorough investigation. After putting up with several charges of racism, and much blustering, it was soon found that the ring was only misplaced. (In her Desk). I demanded an apology and that no further gossip about us be heard anywhere in the workplace. I even stuck my head in her office, several times, to thank her for her apology. (That was never offered). I knew my time was short but who cared. I was making a couple bucks over minimum wage and with no benefits. I do wonder what I would have done if I made good money and good benefits. Integrity and honor can be bought. It’s the shame of the nation.
We get the government we deserve. For years no one has challenged the Left’s affirmative action policies nor the judiciary’s imperial disregard of the Constitution. Live with this.
Reading his testimony, the problems in DOJ precede the current administration, but have been exacerbated by the current administration’s support for such buffoonery.
DOJ is not the only important government agency with similar problems. While I don’t want a pogrom to eliminate all liberal voices from government agencies, there needs to be a balance, which is indeed what Coates is asking for.
Fraud is the centerpiece of the Dem re-election strategy (it’s not like they’re going to run on their record).
The Panthers are useful for teh fraud.
Therefore, DOJ does not prosecute Panthers.
Simple.
The ruling class has become one giant festering sore of corruption and self-interest and must be ground into dust.
If he becomes Chair of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee (he’s currently ranking member), his purview will be quite broad.
This is merely warm up. One day both soon and too late, we’ll confront how the wholesale corporatization of DC happened, or as Thomas Jackson notes, we got the government we deserved.
Corrected first link.
This deserves wider exposure. And some prosecutions would be nice.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/09/noaas_law_enforcement_behaving.html
Print more or default; there is no alternative.
We really need to stop seeing government as reformable. It is not. This is a stick-up.
They can be all like rowr don’t vote for those Tea Partiers or we’ll use our fierce panther claws on you and all the white people will be all like om
I dunno. I thought the bully-club he had was pretty much all he needed.
The New Black Panthers are the single most horrifying thing that we have ever faced, or will ever face, as a nation. Do not let the fact that they number in the threes, they are universally held to be idiots, and they are about as menacing as Trig Palin fool you. WE MUST RELEASE A INVESTIGATORY KRAKEN ON THEM NOW!11!!!!
Stink: Iceberg, Tip of. And you would still stink on it.
To the sane: Become a poll watcher. Take concealed video and audio equipment, if possible with the capacity to stream to a server. The fraud must be recorded.
#41. I feel your pain! This one time at my Government Office Job, this “womyn of color” doubled parked her Cadillac in the parking garage and would leave chicken bones and watermelon rinds all over the break room! It was awful. She was unfireable, if you know what I mean, but I spoke up anyway. Of course I was terminated and now I live in a cardboard box in my parent’s basement. What’s happened to this once great nation? By the way, I have dozens more TRUE stories of the injustices I have been subjected to because of my whiteness.
No stinky, it isn’t the NBPP that’s the problem. They’re largely irrelevant racist thugs, despite their support in the black activist community. The problem is that the Department of Justice has their back. Are you OK with that? Would you be OK with the DoJ letting the KKK do whatever it pleases because they’re white? Are you OK with the Voting Rights Section deciding whether cases should be prosecuted based on the skin color of the perps?
The New York Times doesn’t want to talk about it, so we’ll have to get the leftist perspective from you.
the KKK numbers is threes and is universally held to be idiots. So I guess we should allow them to stand outside polling locations with weapons.
Idiot. Sounds a bit like thor.
This really is awesome. The one mention of Christopher Coates turned up by an NYT search is a link appended to this very important story on the NYT politics blog:
The Voting Rights Section chief turns whistleblower and defies orders against complying with a lawful subpoena, a Congressman preemptively threatens the Attorney General, racism at the DoJ is the subject and the New York Times doesn’t even notice.
You guys are too harsh on Obama. If he can’t get a couple of brothers out of a jam when he is president, why bother?
Thanks, Joe. Issa ‘Bout times one o’ you cracker-ass bitches said sumpin’ what made sense.
The inside o’ the Whitehouse is nice too, jus’ in case you was wonderin’. Not that I been up in it, tho’.
I hereby denounce the completely accurate portrayal of my speech patterns in number 58.
You mother fuckers are all aware that accuracy has no place in modern race relations.
Stink needs a rewrite much like Willie. Such upstanding character deserves caricature.
Thor sure is an idiot today. That is redundant.
When the host uses the word “spin” in the headline, does he mean lie?
Let me be clear! It is the FAILED POLICIES OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION AND NOT MY IMBECILIC WORLD VIEW THAT IS TO BLAME FOR YOUR SUFFERING!!!!!
I think my head is going to explode shortly…
Oh. And I forgot.
That fucking Bush!
My policies are SO SOUND, and you are just TOO STUPID to understand that people who contribute NOTHING are entitled t6o YOUR money!
You stupid white assholes!
Barry Christ, YOUR savior….
Spakovsky expands on the implications of Coates’ testimony:
Hey, lookee here now, the WaPo discovered them some justice:
http://tinyurl.com/27fnssq
Americans will hold the highest officials of the Obama administration to account.
Now, just how do you expect to accomplish that miserable wretches that you are? Shut up and eat your vegetables like the good little peons that you are.
The Looney Tunes of biting political satire.
Stink is just trying to imitate Colbert: ironize the problem and maybe we’ll feel ashamed and stop harping on it on. After all, it’s just a few militant blacks with billyclubs. And we all know that most Muslims are peace loving / most blacks would happily drive Miss Daisy blah blah blah.
Colbert’s whole bit went after anti-immigration types. Whereas anti-illegal immigration? That was too hard for his writers to deal with.
I assume stink is stinkfinger from over at SEK’s.
Yes. Did the rote condescension and lame, workaday attempt to shame the Tea Baggers as soft, feckless blustering scaredy cats give it away? Or was it something else?
It’s like he doesn’t even have his heart in it anymore.
Doesn’t the fact that the NYTimes ignores this story indicate they well realize the damage it will do to the Obama administration? Same goes for other news media who follow in the Times’ train. As to the WaPo, I think they know they cannot ignore the story, sitting as it does in their hometown lap so to speak, without losing what little credibility they still retain or may hope to retain months or years from now.
Heh, I don’t think any of them have their heart in it anymore, Jeff. Who can blame them? Look at what they have to try and defend while knowing deep down that much more bad news is coming down the road.
“much more bad news is coming down the road.”
– Undoubtedly, and the Lefturd contingent, sent bravely out into this terrible harsh Neocon world to defend ‘teh narrative’ looks more and more like an online real time version of “whack-a-mole”.
– The shit-storm is building so fast they’re having trouble keeping up with it. Meme’s jusy get you so far in life.
Meme the term seems to be taking on a negative coloration in the context of politics that it didn’t have when it was invented. Not to say the warp isn’t defensible, just to say it’s there.
Stink — Ever work in a large office where the mere hint of “being racist” was enough to get one demoted or fired? I’m assuming that you’ve had a job. You really wouldn’t mind working under those types of pressure, where performance came last after all PC things had been dealt with. It was a great thing for those who didn’t care, and felt no shame in doing a bad job. Our culture is very quickly becoming a “let’s not do anything offensive” kind of people to the old school of “let’s get things done.” I won’t sign off on any half-assed engineering project. You can drive over the bridge made of Political Correctness. Happy Landings. — What makes you think I’m white — Racist.
Stinks – I don’t like being called a racist. I know of a fine bike-path bridge (Made by people of all colors and sexes), where we could meet to discuss your problems of race and or engineering. I’m afraid that most people will not sit by as the racist haters among us would seek to cause harm to all people. The days of the race hustler are over!!! —
Thanks for the support. I wish I could work in a college faculty, where reason and logic ruled the day. We are headed towards a financial collapse where the only hope is to work together. We will undoubtedly sink back into the racial and spoils system that we have come to accept. I hate to see it, but it may soon be every family for themselves. We can work together, or die together. How fragile do you think our industrial society has become? See you at the windmill.
(stink) Remember – You could get a free lunch out of this, and kid around with some Gary Police about Cadillacs, and chicken bones, and watermelon rinds. Come on you civil rights champion.
Seriously – does this guy exist?
Seriously – who is this (stink) guy. I will not be called a racist on the whim of some dope. Call me stupid, ignorant, a Cath-O-lic, — none of those things matter. There are too many people trying to whip up racial anger. We cannot let these idle insults slip by. (stink) – I live in NW Indiana. Anytime you wish to discuss race, I am available. Does anybody on this blog know who he is? I mean no violence in any way, but stupidity must be hit head on, when its consequences are so terrible. An apology on this blog would suffice, but the hatred you project needs to be unlearned.
Jeff – You want to change how words are used in our current society. The charge of racism must be expunged, unless there is proof. I see the effects of the race hustlers and politicians every day. Nobody wants to be an adult, and the few left are hounded from public life. The rich will continue to gate off themselves and nothing will be solved. I have seen it, and see it happening every day.
Who will say no – (depending on what no means) – and who will raise the children. I am not ignorant of our past. Children mining coal in support of a loving family is better than what we have today. What will our progressive go-gooders comeup with next? It is not 1984, it is a brave new world.
Jeff – You want to change how words are used in our current society. The charge of racism must be expunged, unless there is proof. I see the effects of the race hustlers and politicians every day. Nobody wants to be an adult, and the few left are hounded from public life. The rich will continue to gate off themselves and nothing will be solved. I have seen it, and see it happening every day.
Who will say no – (depending on what no means) – and who will raise the children. I am not ignorant of our past. Children mining coal in support of a loving family is better than what we have today. What will our progressive go-gooders come up with next? It is not 1984, it is a brave new world.
Rupe, meet stink.
#82
Apparently to the people of at lactose intolerant land we are all racists here.
I’d really like to know how they come to that conclusion, but I kinda think they aren’t using the term ‘racism’ correctly.
Also I don’t think they’re very tolerant of people that don’t agree with them.