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Why Do Racists Back Ron Paul?
By David KnowlesOct 26th 2007 9:04AM
Filed Under:eRepublicans, Featured Stories, Ron Paul, 2008 President
In his bid for the presidency, Texas Congressman Ron Paul has been endorsed by such white supremacist groups as Stormfront, Vanguard News, and the Nationalist Coalition. But does being supported by a hate group mean that you, too, are guilty of the same bigotry as its members? As Thomas B. Edsall wrote at the Huffington Post:The Paul campaign dismissed the pro-Paul activities among these groups. "We don't know who these people are," said Jesse Benton, Paul's communications director. Their support has "nothing to do with Ron Paul, and what he stands for... His message of freedom, peace and prosperity--that's why people support him."If there is an overlapping philosophy among white supremacists and Dr. Paul, it arises out of a shared disdain for the federal government. Abolishing the IRS and the Department of Education, trashing the Patriot Act, and a strict adherence to a doctrine of States' Rights -- these libertarian ideas have traction with many Americans, including those who want to keep the races from mingling.
Then again, there may also be another source for the impression that Paul has bigoted tendencies, as he himself explained in a June interview.
Muckraker Report: In a 1992 newsletter, arguing that government should lower the age at which juvenile criminals can be protected as adults, you wrote, "We don't think a child of 13 should be held responsible as a man of 23. That's true for most people, but black males age 13 who have been raised on the streets and who have joined criminal gangs are as big, strong, tough, scary and culpable as any adult and should be treated as such." In the same newsletter, you also wrote, "What else do we need to know about the political establishment than that it refuses to discuss the crimes that terrify Americans on the grounds that doing so is racist? Why isn't that true of complex embezzling, which is 100 percent white and Asian?" Obviously, there are many Americans and not just blacks and Asians, who would find these comments upsetting. What would you say to these people?
Congressman Ron Paul: In 1992, I was back in medicine full time, but lent my name to a foundation that published large volumes of material. A staffer wrote some things under my name that I did not approve. I have taken responsibility for these comments and apologized. If you look at my 30-year record and my numerous writings on the subject of race, I think anyone will clearly see that these comments do not reflect my beliefs.
And what of Dr. Paul's specific writings on race? Earlier this year, the candidate addressed the Don Imus controversy, and stuck to a strict freedom of speech argument:
Let's be perfectly clear: the federal government has no business regulating speech in any way. Furthermore, government as an institution is particularly ill-suited to combating bigotry in our society. Bigotry at its essence is a sin of the heart, and we can't change people's hearts by passing more laws and regulations.
His point is well taken, but with all due respect, it did take passing laws and regulations to rid the country of slavery and segregation, to say nothing of affording women the right to vote.
Of course, politics is largely about forging symbolic connections. Just this week, the conservative website RedState decided it wanted to end its affiliation with Paul supporters, not because of some of their views on racial equality, but because it deems them too aggressive in the comment section. So much for freedom of speech.
But back to the larger point. Since no candidate can possibly agree with each and every position a diverse group of voters may have, alliances are often formed which seem, to some, like a case of strange bedfellows. Just ask Mitt Romney (Bob Jones III). Or Hillary Clinton (Norman Hsu). In Dr. Paul's case, it just so happens that his libertarian rhetoric has brought him into the homes of many of our most staunchly racist citizens.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 2)IRONBLUEEYES12:14PMOct 26th 2007
GREAT STORY, I'M VOTING FOR RON PAUL.
Tommy Christopher1:19PMOct 26th 2007
David, good point, and I would add that a positive effect, as in the case of Barack Obama and Donnie McClurkin, is that conversely, these people can be exposed to a more moderate message, especially when these alliances are pointed out. If Paul repudiates bigotry, maybe 1 or 2 of his followers will rethink their own beliefs.
emelpe2:05PMOct 26th 2007
The current crop of Republican presidential wannabes is so dismal that Ron Paul stands out because of his clearly articulated principles, especially his principled opposition to Bush's war against Iraq. So, yeah, I suspect that the attempt to link Paul with white supremacist groups is a calculated Republican Party swift-boat style smear.
And by the way, the Republican Party's so-called "Southern Strategy" which has been in place since the time of Richard Nixon is nothing but a strategy for appealing to and securing the votes of white, southern bigots.
Wish Belkin5:15PMOct 26th 2007
I knew this kind of thing was coming as soon as Ron Paul started gaining traction. As the only republican candidate espousing republican ideals, he is in for some rough treatment by the neo-cons.
Ron Paul for President !!
JayPreco11:35PMOct 26th 2007
If anyone believes Ron Paul is racist, I ask you to please find just one more writing, speech, or video where he makes a racist statement. If you cannot, I submit he is telling the truth about the earlier journal incident. I have found nothing of the kind.
Derrick12:44AMOct 27th 2007
Paul states clearly, repeatedly, and unequivocally that he believes all people should receive equal treatment under the law. That is, government and administration of justice should be colorblind and gender-equal. He's just saying that you can't legislate people into liking one another in their private lives, and that we should focus on individuals, rather than dividing people into groups based on their skin color.
I don't believe the article was fair in its characterization of Dr. Paul.
Steve12:30AMOct 30th 2007
Why do War supporting people support Giuliani? Because Giuliani is a War loving supporter.
Ron Paul is for Peace, and freedoms to all people. No big brother looking over your shoulder.
Ron Paul 2008
Mike4:41PMOct 31st 2007
hey, yeah...this is just lousy reporting...the person who wrote those prejudice statements was a GHOST WRITER! Ron Paul didn't write those statements.
peace and love
-mike
jeff shakoor5:46PMOct 31st 2007
That's strange because Ron Paul is leading in the Republican polls for registered black voters. But it always seems the white "journalists" know better than they do.
Wes12:51AMNov 7th 2007
This article is an underhanded attack on a very honorable man.
Mick Russom1:21AMNov 7th 2007
The only racists here are the nazi thought police trying to regulate whose line of thinking is ok for a political candidate and whose line isn't.
The though-policing nazis people don't seem to understand that if you don't break any laws and don't tread on others, but still want to attack and regulate thinking, you are the worst form of racist thought policing authoritarian that wants to rule with fear and divide this country with identity politics.
This disgusting spate of yellow journalism is proving the anti-Ron-Paul people to be desperate and the smearing is rather pathetic.
Ron Paul is the least racist candidate in this nation's history, and this country is so twisted and screwed up he is being labeled a racist? Give me a break.
Dave Lindetski8:18AMNov 7th 2007
As an anti Zionist Jew. I find him the only presidetial candiadate that doesn't support International Trotskyite Zionism. It is time to stop international meddeling, a return to sound money, restore personal freedoms and restore the middle class by ending welfare and stopping illegal aliens from invading my country and taking American jobs.
DG9:50AMNov 7th 2007
Someone recently wrote an eloquent epistolary response to a Ron Paul supporter who found the aforementioned writings of Ron Paul and was very concerned about them.
http://robatsu.blogspot.com/2007/10/racism-libel.html
PongGod9:51AMNov 7th 2007
Ron Paul has been in Congress for 10 terms spanning nearly 30 years and has given countless speeches and produced volumes of writings on a variety of topics. If he were truly a racist, then there would be numerous sources of material to point to, yet the only thing that keeps coming up from his detractors is the racially insensitive article published in his newsletter that was neither written nor approved by him. This fact, along with the attempts to play the guilt-by-association game (because some members of some allegedly racist organizations apparently share some of his views) show how truly desperate his opponents are to smear him.
But this sorry tactic won't work, folks. The more mud that is thrown at Ron Paul, the cleaner he ends up looking.
Ventur51410:09AMNov 7th 2007
Someone has been sitting at the feet of Karl Rove.....making inferences with no basis to discredit someone. They are starting to get scared!!!!!
RP-#193
Jason Mitchell10:29AMNov 7th 2007
"His point is well taken, but with all due respect, it did take passing laws and regulations to rid the country of slavery and segregation, to say nothing of affording women the right to vote."
All these things were also authorized by the same government that repealed them. It did not take creating new laws to rid the country of these evils, it took repealing laws that allowed them to unconstitutionally exist in the first place. Individual rights for all is what makes Ron Paul the only candidate worth voting for.
Sean11:25AMNov 7th 2007
Again! No one mentions that freedom of speech doesn't apply to private property! Redstate.com is owned by its creators and can delete whoever they want. A lot of people will not be visiting their site now, but its their choice! This is the cornerstone of Ron Paul's campaign. If you want CHOICE and to own yourself vote Ron Paul.
Sandy11:56AMNov 7th 2007
Well, you've convinced me! Before I read the article I wasn't sure, but now I am: I WILL SUPPORT RON PAUL WITH MONEY AND MY VOTE IN 2008!
Thanks.
CHRIS11:05PMNov 7th 2007
THERE JUST TRYING TO GET BLACK AND WHITE TO FIGHT WITH EACH OTHER SO WHILE WERE FIGHTING AND ARGUING THEY CAN THE GOVERMENT CAN STEAL THIS COUNTRY FROM US ALL ITSOUR COUNTRY NOT THE GOVERMENTS
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Kelly Wes kirkconnell11:58AMOct 26th 2007
This article is a covert attack on Ron Paul.If White Suppremist have endorsed him then that is also a covert attack.
If Martin Luther King was here today and knew of Ron Paul's political history and his viewpoint of the country's current situation, I am sure he would endorse him also. That is my opinion.