First, let's run through a series of comments by Rev. Calvin Butts, who endorsed Hillary.
Butt's before the UN:
Regarding the conflation of Islam with terrorism, while certain types of Christianity –- responsible for heinous acts of terrorism in the United States –- were not so associated, Mr. BUTTS stressed that a bigoted view of the world, in which what was different was feared, had influenced that association. There was also an aspect of racism, he added.
Muslims –- whether they liked it or not -- were identified by Americans as people of colour. If they could not be labelled as “niggers”, they would be labelled as “terrorists”.However, Mr. FELDMAN, while clarifying that he was not apologizing for the United States, stressed the importance of acknowledging that, statistically, Americans did not think that Muslims were all terrorists. It was an unfair generalization.
In concluding comments, Ms. AL-HIBRI said that acknowledging the history of discrimination in the United States remained part of figuring out the solution to the problem. Why would one think that Americans had shorter memories than any other people? Only when that history of discrimination was recognized would one be able to challenge it.
Mr. BUTTS stressed the importance of reaching out at the grass-roots level to raise awareness. The absence here of many American Muslims and African Muslims spoke to the issue of race, and must be tackled by both American Christians, but also adherents of Islam.
He also noted that there were many feelings and expressions that were not necessarily articulated in open forums for all to embrace; many Americans would not acknowledge their own racism. Thus, the conclusions developed by some surveys did not speak to the actual phenomena driving the United States today. He also wished to affirm that those with access to the media and halls of power had not arrived at that juncture by speaking at the United Nations, but by taking action to make the United States and the world recognize the brutality and oppression visited upon African Americans. The call for Muslim coalitions voiced by Imam Rauf earlier must be forwarded, not violently, but aggressively.
Mr. APPLEBY said that those participating here today must hold their fellow Americans to the highest of ideals. Revisiting the topic of anti-Catholicism in the nineteenth century, he noted the emergence of “Americanizers” who had sought to highlight the congruence between principles of democracy and Catholicism. They had advocated for greater integration of Catholics in schools and public life. He also noted that his children had a much greater awareness of civil rights and related African-American history due to a focused national effort to incorporate that part of American history in national curriculums following upon the civil rights successes.
linkNYC politics:
"At that point, I told him: 'Go to hell, white man.'"Mr. Butts, whose political alliances include Gov. George E. Pataki but exclude more outspoken black leaders like the Rev. Al Sharpton, delivered the first blow to Mr. Giuliani during an interview Tuesday night on the New York 1 television station. When asked whether he was calling the Mayor a racist, Mr. Butts answered:
''Yes. I don't believe that he likes black people, and I believe that there's something fundamentally wrong in the way we are disregarded, the way we are mistreated, and the way our communities are being devastated.''
Mr. Butts expanded on his assertions yesterday during a press conference at his Harlem church, the Abyssinian Baptist Church. He cited a series of examples that he asserted reflected racist policies of the Giuliani administration, from the recent layoff of 600 low-level workers at the city-owned Harlem Hospital to the crackdown on taxi drivers to several incidents in which the police mistakenly burst into the apartments of innocent people in search of illegal drug-dealing.
''If these policies are not checked, and if the people who enjoy democratic liberties do not speak up and out, we could see ourselves moving toward a fascist state in New York,'' Mr. Butts said.
When asked about having labeled the Mayor a racist, he said: ''I said I believe the Mayor doesn't like black people. I thought long and hard and I said yes.''
linkButts on Farrakhan:
Mr. Butts also has problems reaching out for support in the Jewish community, even among liberals who could be crucial to his effort to broaden his base of support. The issue boiled over last December when a third of the members of the New York Philharmonic, most of them Jewish, refused to play an annual concert at Mr. Butts's church because of the minister's refusal to repudiate a black Muslim leader, Louis Farrakhan. Mr. Farrakhan has called Judaism a ''gutter religion.''
In the interview in his office, Mr. Butts said that he did not agree with Mr. Farrakhan's remarks on Judaism, but that he did support some of his positions, including the need for more black-owned business and stronger black families.
''No one ever asked about what I thought about Farrakhan's remarks, they never asked,'' he said. ''You know what they asked? 'Will you denounce Farrakhan?' ''
Mr. Butts continued: ''All I'm saying to the Jewish community is, don't dictate to me. I understand your anger. I'm not a fool. I don't hate Jewish people. In fact, I quite respect what the Jewish people have done. But please don't make me a boy and tell me what to do.''
linkThe Rev. Calvin Butts weighed in Sunday on the controversial statements by a preacher tied to Sen. Barack Obama, defending the maligned minister's right to criticize America.
Still, in his Easter homily, the leader of Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church sought to distance himself from the "pretty strong" language used by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. "
Jeremiah Wright said some uncharacteristically ugly things because this nation has been uncharacteristically ugly towards black people," Butts said.
"Being critical of America, that is nothing to condemn someone about," Butts continued. "There have been black and white preachers who have been critical of America."
But, he said, "What (Wright) said about America, that was a little strong coming from the pulpit. ... You can't just cuss like that from the pulpit."
linkNow, a note about Butts and Hillary:
In mid-January 2008, Clinton received an important endorsement from Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church of Harlem and a prominent black leader. But this endorsement is tainted by the fact that Clinton provided $1,431,500 in earmarks in the 2008 federal budget for Butts' Abyssinian Development Corporation and its youth and social service programs. Earmarks create at least the appearance of political patronage for nonprofit groups. In order to get money from politicians, these organizations must play the political game of offering their endorsements. Because earmarks are the arbitrary decisions of members of Congress, leaders of nonprofit groups are reluctant to risk losing a valuable source of free money.
linkHillary invoked Imus:
"He would not have been my pastor," Clinton said. "You don't choose your family, but you choose what church you want to attend."...
The Clinton campaign has refrained from getting involved in the controversy, but Clinton herself, responding to a question, denounced what she said was "hate speech."
"You know, I spoke out against Don Imus (who was fired from his radio and television shows after making racially insensitive remarks), saying that hate speech was unacceptable in any setting, and I believe that," Clinton said. "I just think you have to speak out against that. You certainly have to do that, if not explicitly, then implicitly by getting up and moving."
linkOh no she didn't!
We managed to get our hands on a fascinating fundraising invite for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign. The event is set for March 31 in Pinecrest, Florida. The host? "Superproducer" Timbaland. Yes, that Timbaland. The hip-hop producer is joining forces with real-estate developer (and Democratic fundraiser extraordinaire) Chris Korge as well as former President Bill Clinton for the event. Members of the "host committee" are asked to raise $5,000 and the minimum contribution is $1,000.
linkBy Colbert I. King
Saturday, April 21, 2007; Page A17
Put me in the camp of those who implore Sen. Hillary Clinton to give it back -- "it" being the reported $800,000 that's sitting in her presidential campaign coffers thanks to a fundraiser hosted in her honor March 31 in the Pinecrest, Fla., home of a huge Clinton fan who refers to himself as Timbaland.
In response to my questions, Clinton campaign spokesman Blake Zeff said in an e-mail this week that it cost $1,000 just to get into Timbaland's fundraiser, that
about 200 guests were on hand and that the senator was accompanied by former president Bill Clinton.You would not be reading about Clinton or about Timbaland -- who entered this vale of tears 36 years ago in Norfolk under the name Timothy Mosley -- were it not for the fact that he is a well-heeled hip-hop producer and noted performer of the kind of misogynistic and denigrating lyrics that informed Don Imus's derogatory comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
Mrs. Clinton, you may recall, took umbrage at Imus's remarks, branding them "small-minded bigotry and coarse sexism." His words, she said in an e-mail to supporters, "showed a disregard for basic decency and were disrespectful and degrading to African Americans and women everywhere."
Good for her, I say, except it must be asked why she was down in Florida making nice to -- and pocketing big bucks from -- a rapper whose obscenity-laced lyrics praise violence, perpetuate racist stereotypes and demean black women.
Check out Timbaland's latest album, "Timbaland Presents Shock Value."
Here are lyrics from the track "Come and Get Me":
"Nigga Your Time Is Up, I Aint Come To Kid You
I Knew You Niggas Was Dumb, But How Dumb Is You . . .
I'm A Ride Or Die Nigga, I Be Tearing Up
We Aint Like Them Other Fools, Who Don't Compare To Us
All The Hoes Love A Nigga, They be Backing It Up
But Me I Love Money I Be Stacking It Up . . .
I'm Rich I Can Pay To Have You Six Feet Deep (Nigga)"
And from his track "Kill Yourself":
" . . . most of u rap niggas is hoes to me,
wherever u from
the question I ask
is do u think I give a . . .
u mad at me? cuz im getting rich,
well put the pistol to ur head and empty the clip, pop nigga!"
And how about this little ditty, "Considerate Brotha," from an earlier recording:
". . . Hoes coming up short? Hoes finna get cursed out!
. . . Slam the mask out of these hoes and they say, 'What is that, velvet?'
And they betta meet they quota, betta yet betta meet they deadline . . . I'm a pimp all around
A pimp of the town -- we pimpin 'em up, HOES DOWN."
It could not be determined whether Timbaland shared his musical talents with the Clintons while they were in his home collecting money.
This much I do know: If Hillary Clinton wasn't playing a hypocrite in the Don Imus episode and is, in fact, a leader who matches her lofty ideals with stand-up behavior, she should return the $800,000 Timbaland raised for her at his swank affair.
more(emphasis added)
"You don't choose your family, but you choose what (fund raiser) you want to attend."
Where are Hillary's 2000 to 2006 tax returns, earmark and donor lists, and the list of donors to the Clinton library.
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