Dr. Mary Frances Berry Responds to Senator Kerry's Remarks On Affirmative

[robbedvoter]

For Immediate Release
http://clark04.com/press/release/214 /
Date: January 30, 2004
Dr. Mary Frances Berry Responds to Senator Kerry's Remarks On Affirmative Action
Today, in a conference call with reporters, Dr. Mary Frances Berry, Chair of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, made the following remarks:
Back in 1992, when I read what Senator Kerry was saying about affirmative action, I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. I was deeply disturbed, because Senator Kerry was saying exactly the same thing that opponents of affirmative action were saying - that it was reverse discrimination, that the policy was a failure, that all it did was perpetuate racism. And even worse, he made no suggestions about what legal steps should be taken to improve it.
Last night, at the debate, I was surprised when he invoked the name of Bill Clinton in discussing the "mend it, don't end it" approach to affirmative action. President Clinton was not yet in office when Senator Kerry made that 1992 speech. And once Clinton was in office, and we were engaged in the difficult debate about the future of affirmative action, Senator Kerry was nowhere in sight. While we were struggling to do all we could to make progress on these issues, he was simply missing in action.

[David Dunham]

1. She's Goin' to Get Canned When Kerry Wins, Big Time

[displacedtexan]

2. Dr. Berry has a few skeletons, too.

KPFA was a pacifica radio station.

Letter from Professor Gray Brechin to President of Univ. of Penn.

Dr. Judith Rodin
President, University of Pennsylvania
Fax [phone]

July 15, 1999

Dear Dr. Rodin:

<intro is snipped>

Dr. Berry lied to the media on several issues. She did not misstate; she outright lied, and this can be documented. The following day, the watchdog group Media Alliance intercepted a misdirected internal memo revealing that the Pacifica board has been discussing the sale of Pacifica "assets" the day after Dr. Berry denied such rumors. She continued to do so, while sternly reiterating that staff would be fired for discussing internal matters on air. Apparently on Berry's instructions, a newscaster was dragged from his microphone for reporting the memo as her newly imported manager took the station off the air. The scuffle between Dennis Bernstein and armed guards was heard throughout Northern California, and when hundreds of people gathered at the station (I was one), the Berkeley Police were ordered by Dr. Berry's minions to evict and arrest those within the building, including its staff. These events have been covered by all news outlets, including yesterday's rally of 2000 people at the station.

<snip>

Yesterday, Pacifica's nationally broadcast show "Democracy Now" carried a report on the events at Berkeley. The program was suppressed at all Pacifica stations. It was taken off the air in Washington in mid-broadcast.

I have watched Dr. Berry cynically play the race card despite the objections of many people of color to whom she has never bothered to speak. These include people of the stature of Alice Walker and June Jordan, as well as the young people at KPFA whose interests she claims to support yet whom she has stonewalled.

I am writing to you as an individual, but I am also signatory to a letter protesting Dr. Berry's actions which has been endorsed by numerous academics throughout the Bay Area. That letter was released before Tuesday's extraordinary events. By now, I believe that it will not be difficult to enlist academics internationally, since Dr. Berry's attempt to muzzle free expression affects us all and demeans our profession.


more...

http://www.savepacifica.net/0716_brechin.html

[ripplingwater]

4. No credibility at all

I was there in the streets, fighting to get the station back. She very clearly established herself as part of the "evil empire".

She has no credibility in my eyes, or others who successfully struggled against the corporate takeover of the people's radio station.

[Tomee450]

8. If Berry

has behaved as has been asserted, I can understand your disdain. However, I would still like to know if Kerry actually made those statements. I hope someone is able to to verify Berry's statements. If what she said is true, I would be greatly concerned about Kerry.

[blm]

3. Clinton said it on the CAMPAIGN TRAIL in 92.

Someone better correct Berry before this gets passed around.

[1971]

6. Link? Proof? n/t

[hippiechick]

10. Read her quote again ....

"...President Clinton was not yet in office..."

... Um ... last time I checked, 'on the campaign trail' equates to
'not yet in office' ...


You're sniping at semantics.


:hippie:

[1971]

5. Berry may be correct about this (and wrong on the other thing)

The issue is not Berry's stance on KPFA, but on Kerry's legislative support of affirmative action.

So, I think this needs repeating:

(Dr. Mary Frances Berry, Chair of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, made the following remarks: )

"Back in 1992, when I read what Senator Kerry was saying about affirmative action, I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. I was deeply disturbed, because Senator Kerry was saying exactly the same thing that opponents of affirmative action were saying - that it was reverse discrimination, that the policy was a failure, that all it did was perpetuate racism. And even worse, he made no suggestions about what legal steps should be taken to improve it.
Last night, at the debate, I was surprised when he invoked the name of Bill Clinton in discussing the "mend it, don't end it" approach to affirmative action. President Clinton was not yet in office when Senator Kerry made that 1992 speech. And once Clinton was in office, and we were engaged in the difficult debate about the future of affirmative action, Senator Kerry was nowhere in sight. While we were struggling to do all we could to make progress on these issues, he was simply missing in action."

[demgrrrll]

7. I just googled and found something in or all places FR which indicates

that M Berry has endorsed Clark and will serve on his steering committee.
I suppose that you can take that with a grain of salt given the source but it is interesting in light of her remarks, which are certainly not helpful to Kerry.

[Shanty Oilish]

9. Berry has endorsed Clark

http://www.americansforclark.com/press/release/153/

looks official to me...

[IowaBiker]

11. More Dean propaganda

When Dean's little train comes to your state, you'll see the people and the tactics that are causing him to fall faster than Rush Limbaugh on a bungee cord.

We witnessed it here in Iowa. When it comes to your state, you'll see it, too.

--Brian

[Rose Siding]

12. What does Dean have to do with this at all?