Black conservatives join hands to deny racism within the Tea Party movement

Black conservatives join hands to deny racism within the Tea Party movement Posted: August 4th, 2010 04:01 PM ET

From CNN Political Producer Shannon Travis A group of African-American conservatives praised the Tea Party movement at the National Press Club Wednesday. A group of African-American conservatives praised the Tea Party movement at the National Press Club Wednesday.

Washington (CNN) - Just over three weeks after the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People passed a resolution accusing the Tea Party movement of harboring racist elements, a group of African-American conservatives joined hands in a chorus saying: "we are not racists."

On Wednesday, over two dozen black conservative leaders sang the praises of the controversial, grassroots movement during a carefully-organized press conference at the National Press Club in Washington. But the tone grew coarse as the assembled Tea Party supporters, one-by-one, offered scathing rebukes of those who say the movement is rife with racism.

"The Tea Party movement represents one of the greatest citizen uprisings in our young nation's history," prominent activist Selena Owens said as she opened up the event.

Owens then listed what she called "two disturbing misconceptions" about Tea Party groups. The first, Owens said, is that the movement is in bed with Republicans. "This movement came about because both of the major political parties utterly failed us," Owens insisted.

A message from the great Herman Cain:

“My reaction to the idea of the NAACP declaring the citizen movement known as the Tea Party as racist is ridiculous. I am Black. I have spoken at over twenty rallies and conferences. I have talked directly with hundreds of tea party activists, and have received hundreds of calls from activists to my nightly radio show.

Tea Party people are patriots, who want the federal government to stop the spending, stop the legislative abuse, stop the tax increases and start adhering to the Constitution.

It is unfortunate that a once relevant and impactful organization is looking for relevance in the wrong place, namely, race. It should be about unity instead of divisiveness.

I have been called a sell-out, an Uncle Tom and shameless because I disagree with this President's policies. Those who are calling me those names have probably never been to a Tea Party event, and I doubt officials of the NAACP have attended an event either. Those that would like to join the name calling parade should save themselves some time. In my grandfather's vernacular, “I does not care!”

This President ran on a campaign of hope and change, but his change is not working .over 4 million Americans lost jobs in 2009, the unemployment rate has gone from7.6% in January 2009 to 9.5% in June 2010, the unemployment rate for Black Americans is over 15% and not getting better, and the national debt has increased exponentially to over $13 trillion since January 2009.

Tea Party people are not racist.they are Patriotic Americans who want the greatest country in the world to remain the greatest, by exercising their right to make their voices heard.

This isn't about race. This is about results, and the results by this administration are missing in action.”

~http://www.thehermanatorpac.com/

But the civil rights group did condemn, what it saw, as too few efforts from leaders of the Tea Party movement to drive out racists in their ranks.

What CNN drivel. The progressives still don't know what the word "grassroots" means! (the pubbies are just beginning to)

The TEA party movement has no real leaders, and the movement is self policing....I have seen several instances where offensive signs, etc., were removed by members ON THEIR OWN!

I have been called a sell-out, an Uncle Tom and shameless,

People who call others "Uncle Tom" must not have read the book.

It is just a novel, but Uncle Tom suffered torture unto death without giving up the runaways they were helping.

Any man who has that kind of courage is one I want to be standing with.

*I have been called a sell-out, an Uncle Tom and shameless,
People who call others “Uncle Tom” must not have read the book.

It is just a novel, but Uncle Tom suffered torture unto death without giving up the runaways they were helping.

Any man who has that kind of courage is one I want to be standing with. *

Exactly! But those who lack understanding have made it mean something else.

Just another example when the Left spouts off without first reading.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.