If you are reading this and you have never heard of J. Christian Adams (never trust a lawyer who uses his initials to start his name) that's a good thing. It means that you are probably not a wingnut. If you have, well, you probably won't be a fan of this post.
Anyway, seems that J. Christian is a former justice department voting rights lawyer, and he left the department because of what can only be described as ideological differences. Apparently he didn't like the fact that Eric Holder and company did not go after those New Black Panthers for intimidating law- abiding white folks and preventing them from voting. And now he has become a celebrity among wingnuts and this case has become a cause celebre among them as well. (Hmmm, I wonder where they were when W and company were making TDOJ their own little republican party headquarters? and why not the same outcry over this from my wingnut friends?)
First, let me say this for the record: I do believe that enforcement of civil rights voting laws should be race- neutral. In other words; if I am a white guy minding my business and going to vote, and a group of black guys jump all over me and try to prevent me from voting because I happen to be white, they should be prosecuted. Flip the script and put an Asian or Latino guy in that position, same thing. Race neutral. No problem with that.
But the author of the piece that inspired my post is way off base on this one. The New Black Panthers did not intimidate anyone on that faithful day here in Killadelphia. (Trust me when I tell you this; white folks voting in the Fairmont section of Philly are not going to be intimidated by some dude with a baton in a military suit.) What happened that election day was what happens on damn near every election day here: There were (race-neutral) shenanigans at the polls. If you want to see real voter intimidation watch a bunch of union employees work a polling station as they try to...ahem ahem, persuade folks to vote for their candidate of choice. It will make what these individuals did at this particular polling place tame in comparison. There was no nationwide organized effort to scare white folks away from the polls, this was an isolated incident which had zero effect on the outcome of the elections. And, by the way, the Justice Department did take the appropriate steps to curtail the actions of the NBP. So move along folks, there is nothing to see here. Unless, of course, you are a wingnut:
"For more than a year, Attorney General Eric Holder has failed to adequately explain why his Justice Department dropped a slam-dunk voter-intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party.
His department's answers to inquiries have been incomplete and unsatisfactory. Career attorneys involved in the case have not been available for questioning, even when subpoenaed.
Now, one lawyer is speaking up - and making damning allegations against the Justice Department.
J. Christian Adams, who was a Justice Department voting-rights lawyer until he resigned last month, is scheduled to testify before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on Tuesday. At issue are the events of Election Day 2008 in Philadelphia.
Here's how a Justice Department complaint filed in January 2009 described those events:
Samir Shabazz, head of the Philadelphia chapter of the New Black Panther Party, and party member Jerry Jackson were "deployed" in front of a Fairmount Avenue polling place in "military style uniforms."
Shabazz brandished a nightstick. He "pointed the weapon at individuals, menacingly tapped it [in] his other hand, or menacingly tapped it elsewhere." Both Shabazz and Jackson leveled "racial threats and racial insults at both black and white individuals," and they "made menacing and intimidating gestures, statements, and movements directed at individuals who were present to aid voters."
The two men, the party, and its national chairman were named in the complaint. Since none responded, the case was all but won." Read more:
Well, not quite. The case was not all but won. And, there was an injunction against Mr. Shabazz which the DOJ will enforce until 2012. But that's not good enough for the wingnuts:
"U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R., Va.), a Philly native, has repeatedly called for an explanation. The Civil Rights Commission has held hearings on the case. In May, Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez told the commission that the case had been re-reviewed, and the evidence deemed insufficient to proceed.
"That claim is false," Adams, the former Justice lawyer, wrote in the Washington Times last month. "If the actions in Philadelphia do not constitute voter intimidation, it is hard to imagine what would, short of an actual outbreak of violence at the polls."
Adams wrote that the dismissal of the case "was motivated by a lawless hostility toward equal enforcement of the law." As for the re-review, "the lawyers who ordered the dismissal ... did not even read the internal Justice Department memorandums supporting the case and investigation."
If they only spent this much energy trying to help people.
"I understand that some view the Panther incident as an unimportant blip on a historic election day. I get not wanting to make too much of an insignificant gang of thugs. But the message the Justice Department sends about hate groups and equal enforcement is important."
Happy Birthday A-merry-ca! Even if you are full of hypocrites and liars.
41 comments:
[quote]The New Black Panthers did not intimidate anyone on that faithful day here in Killadelphia. (Trust me when I tell you this; white folks voting in the Fairmont section of Philly are not going to be intimidated by some dude with a baton in a military suit.)[/quote]
Filled Negro:
I hope that you retain this dispassionate stance going forward when such "intimidation" claims are brought forth.
You see - there is a longer history of claims from the left which claim that sworn POLICE OFFICERS standing around polling places are an "INTIMIDATING SIGHT". Those who have had previous run ins with the law (lets put aside the notion of their actions against the community when they broke the law) feel that by having the 'occupiers' of the urban community is a VOTE SUPPRESSING force for the Democrats that these people would otherwise vote for.
Filled Negro - I just got back from my tour of some rough neighborhoods - camera in hand. Regardless of how destitute, trash strewn and violent the community - there was CAMPAIGN SIGNS prompting the voters to vote their way into prosperity.
Maybe instead of voter intimidation processing there is need to clarify the fundamental concepts of GOVERNANCE as a means of determining what should the government do FOR YOUR COMMUNITY versus - ASKING for a push broom and a dumpster and doing for self.
Ah yes, Happy Birthday to America... the great bastion of duplicity!
When "We say so news" interviewed the panthers in front of the polling place, I don't remember seeing a military uniform, just each of them with Berets.
I may be mistaken, but having been in the Army, I think someone "out of uniform" would have caught my eye.
This story remind me of the game, "Telephone."
FN,
Sorry I didn't pay attention to that picture. Those are not uniforms in my eye.
Hey I was at that polling place driving a van load of old ladies who hadn't left the house in years.
The only white people in sight were working there.
The old ladies I was with were not intimidated.
Then again, we should all know that a black man with a stick on any day is scary, right?
Oh yeah, thanks for the "blog I am feeling" shout out.
Everyone knows black men are not supposed to carry sticks in public.
.
Field a few words on the "New Black Panthers".There's a reason the original Black Panther don't want their legacy used.
These guys were "Ratfuckers" a political term. These guys ARE McCain supporters.
Look at the giant club he has in his hand.In Cleveland we call that a key chain holder, not a club.These guys were there to scare whites voting on the west coast.One of my friends at work (a Black Republican)rolled on the floor when I told him it reminded me of the Chris Rock movie,"Head of State."Remember the scene when it looked like Chris's character was going to win California? Suddenly you seen crowds of whites running down the street going to vote.
Most of the "Black Militants" that day were trying to avoid being in front of cameras that day. Even Rev. Wright was seen in Africa by Rolland Martin,where else would a Fox news crew NOT go? These are the same type of "New" Black Panthers that were shown in a Conservative publication hanging with the Minutemen guarding the border. Humm?, why would some down brothers hang with some white supremacist?
If yall don't believe me look the case up.THEY SUPPORTED MCCAIN! They are about as real as PUMA.
One more thing, why was Fox the only news crew to record this incident?
One more thing folks , and I'm out of here. We all know as Black men we have to be careful when we pull out our cell phone to record a situation like this.The results are fatal.
In the America I know a black man is shot to death holding anything looking like a weapon.Remember the brother that brought his machine gun to one of President Obama's Health Care rallies. He first CALLED THE POLICE to let them know that he was bringing his gun.
Let's get real folk!
Samir Shabazz said this about the then Sen.Obama:
"He's a puppet on a string. I don't support no black man running for white politics. I will not vote for who will be the next slavemaster." Besides, he added, Obama is "a Negro who doesn't even support reparations for black people in America."
Sound like a President Obama supporter to you?
Field hope you and yours had a great Fourth thought I would drop a part of Fred Douglass' famous speech, "What to the slave is the Fourth of July" The entire speech can be found on line st this site.
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=162
I think it well worth anyones time to read the speech in its entirety.
Frederick Douglass July 5, 1852
"What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy - a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour.
Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the old world, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival...."
[quote]Sorry I didn't pay attention to that picture. Those are not uniforms in my eye.[/quote]
Hathor:
I get the feeling that if Glenn Beck had all of his supporters dress up in the EXACT SAME outfit on Aug 28th that "your eye" would see the crowd as wearing a uniform and you'd be intimidated because of it.
Then the sight of a few in the crowd holding sticks would have you to call the US Park Service. Later it was found that those sticks were tongs and forks for them to turn over their barbecue chicken and ribs that were on the grill. You'd still point out how deadly they are.
Kid would serve as a professional expert before the US Commission On Civil Rights noting that in Cleveland he saw someone suffocated when a pair of tongs was used to hold his nose so he couldn't breathe.
Funny how the "eye" sees what it wants to see at times.
Sup Mel? Thanks for the FD speech. I needed that on this holiday.
LOL@ brohammas with the little old ladies. I can picture that scene. Brohammas, as a Philly white guy, I think you know exactly where I am coming from.
Kid, those things you mentioned are all hmmmmm [*hand to cheek*] worthy
Hathor, I feel you on those outfits. It looks like they got them at "Urban "Outfitters." :)
There goes the Destructive Wingnut, standing by his conservative brothers again.
CF,
I think not.
What is the closest you've ever been to a uniform, Catholic School?
CF,
What would intimidate me if people would show up to any event holding weapons, dressed in any clothing.
[quote]There goes the Destructive Wingnut, standing by his conservative brothers again.[/quote]
I get the feeling that I just received the Black version of being called a "Nigga Lover" by Filled Negro.
By my calculus Black people's grievances would be seen as more substantive IF upon seeing a new incident with a few variables have changed they don't argue from the perspective that those they called RACISTS and VOTE SUPPRESSORS when these variables were adjusted.
[quote]What would intimidate me if people would show up to any event holding weapons, dressed in any clothing.[/quote]
Hathor:
When I was growing up in Philly those who I now call "Street Pirates" were on a 10-Speed stealing spree.
As a bike rider rode down, 61st and Haddington, for example - a group of Street pirates would step out from in front of a parked car with STICKS in hand and take his bike.
I assure you that those sticks in the picture were sufficient to carry out such a Street Pirate Attack.
These bike thieves did not wear uniforms.
(Yes Filled Negro - I am still salty over the fact that my JCPenny brand 10 speed was stolen at the water ice stand right across from Overbrook High School. I told my Jamaican friend to watch my bike. He instead came over to the window and told me to get blueberry instead of cherry. The next thing that I saw - the Street Pirate was on my bike and was speeding down Lancaster Avenue. That was one time that a Street Pirate made me cry.
Humm?, why would some down brothers hang with some white supremacist?
KId,
The Nation of Islam hung out with white supremacists too. Elijah Muhammed used to invite them to NOI meetings. So it's nothing new for black supremacists and white supremacists to get together on certain issues.
Just wanted you to know, Field, I've very much enjoyed the last hour I've spent here on your blog.
Thank you, Field, for writing about this nonsense that keeps popping up among the Fox News devotees. Anyone who lives in Philly knows that a few fools with nightsticks weren't going to deter anyone from voting that day. I live not far from there, and it struck me as peculiar that the right-wing had sent "watchdogs" to a polling place in a neighborhood that is 99% black. If they were looking for White Republican voters being intimidated, why would they look in a part of lower North Philly where there is probably not a registered Republican on the books? I used to believe it was a case of some idiots from the 'hood who thought they were protecting their neighbors' right to vote for Obama. As this drags on, I suspect more and more that it was a set up. It certainly is proving useful to the cause of those who want to claim that the Obama administration practices reverse discrimination.
Thank you Zebster! You are always welcome in the fields.
Anon. It's so nice to hear from real Philadelphians. We all know the dynamics of this city. And, as a result, we know that this story is a little fishy.
"I assure you that those sticks in the picture were sufficient to carry out such a Street Pirate Attack."
Destructive Wingnut, I am so glad that you now live in Atlanta. You obviously could not longer survive in Philly. Your fear of the "street pirate" is getting scary.
Field,
Maybe CF should check out this self defense course.
Self-Defense Against Fruit
You never know when those street pyrates are going to arm themselves with bananas.
[quote] It certainly is proving useful to the cause of those who want to claim that the Obama administration practices reverse discrimination.[/quote]
Anon:
There IS NO SUCH THING AS "Reverse-Discrimination". There is ONLY "Discrimination".
I just hope to hear your voice in the next national election when the "bad guys" win. Then all a sudden the electronic voting machines were rigged.
You need to get the message together in Philly. First the grand mission was to "run the Rizzo Republicans" from power.
Now that the Democrats run the entire city voters can get riled up by telling the folks that if they don't come out to vote then the REPUBLICANS might start moving back into the city and destroy the quality of life there.
No fear of Street Pirates here Gregorian Chant and Filled Negro.
Yesterday I was driving around doing extensive surveillance regarding the question "What Do Those Who Accept People Calling Them 'The Least Of These' Do To Celebrate Independence Day"?
I drove this area of Atlanta:
http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=hightower+marta+station,&sll=33.770194,-84.445939&sspn=0.017659,0.038581&ie=UTF8&split=1&filter=0&rq=1&ev=p&radius=1.33&hq=hightower+marta+station,&hnear=&ll=33.769765,-84.445939&spn=0.018551,0.038581&z=15
I have to say Filled Negro that the street now named "Joseph E Lowery Blvd" contains more blight and violence surrounding it than does "Martin Luther King Jr Drive", "Ralph David Abernathy Dr" and "Donald Lee Holowell Prkwy".
Some places were so trans strewn that it made me say "This ain't right. Their social justice" is being violated.
Fear not though Filled Negro - there was an abundance of campaign signs from various Democratic leaders who promised to fix all of these problems if the people can out to VOTE.....kinda just as they promised a few years ago.
I was happy to see that Bowen Homes - a place where so many Black people were murdered over the years has been razed. Jesse Jackson spent the night there in protest about 3 years ago against the taking of these people's homes. The fact that the government owned the projects was of no consequence to his stance.
Constructive Feedback said...
[quote] It certainly is proving useful to the cause of those who want to claim that the Obama administration practices reverse discrimination.[/quote]
There IS NO SUCH THING AS "Reverse-Discrimination". There is ONLY "Discrimination".
I just hope to hear your voice in the next national election when the "bad guys" win. Then all a sudden the electronic voting machines were rigged.
___________________________________
What part of J.Kenneth Blackwell you don't understand? I even ask for YOUR help CF, and got none,so STFU!
Now some people in Cuyahoga County could make some big money if they admit to committing voter fraud.
First, if they participated in Rush Limbaugh's, Bill O'Reilly's, or Ann Coulter's "Operation Chaos", they would have to go to jail for three months and pay $3,200.00 in fines.
It has to be documented that they cross party lines to vote in a election for only Democrats.
They can then later on SUE the people (in a class action suit) who told them to commit the fraud.
Limbaugh , Coulter, and O'Reilly CAN go to jail for this once the conspiracy is proven. Do you know how many unemployed Republicans wouldn't mind getting some of Rush's $400 million fortune?
I have to say Filled Negro that the street now named "Joseph E Lowery Blvd" contains more blight and violence surrounding it than does "Martin Luther King Jr Drive", "Ralph David Abernathy Dr" and "Donald Lee Holowell Prkwy".
___________________________________
CF don't bitch, just fix!
I swear you people (Conservatives Blacks) are lazy. You just sit around all day and complaining and don't lift a finger to do anything.
CF wrote:
"Yesterday I was driving around doing extensive surveillance..."
I can hear the opening notes of the Dragnet theme. CF, you are comedic gold.
Atlanta has a larger land area than Philly.
Lot of gas, driving the streets of Atlanta.
[quote]CF don't bitch, just fix!
I swear you people (Conservatives Blacks) are lazy.[/quote]
You are one big psychological TRANSFERENCE Kid.
I saw illegal dumps on the street, yards unkempt, telephone pole memorials (where someone was murdered).
And through it all I saw a whole lot of STREET SIGNS showing evidence of a VICTORY WON.
Here is the title of my upcoming blog post:
"The Black Community Has Chosen SIGNS Of Progression Per The Names Adorning The Names Of Streets Over PROOF Of Progression On The Streets"
Gregorian Chant - at every ribbon cutting showing the POWER that the Black Democratic Establishment had over this area they surely demanded that the City Of Atlanta Streets Department to clean up the area while the DIGNITARIES came to cheese for the camera. The CONFEDERATE general's names were removed and UP went the Civil Rights Hero.
To-damned-day when a MURDER is announced on the news - every Negro in ear shot of the newscast FEES PRIDE!!!!! When the newscaster says "There was a murder today on Joseph E Lowery Blvd" they can say "Its a good thing that we got that Klansman's name down off of the street. It was embarrassing to our community".
[quote]I can hear the opening notes of the Dragnet theme. CF, you are comedic gold.
[/quote]
Gregorian Chant:
When I drive around and see the TRUTH, piercing through the B.S. that the establishment powers like to feed to the masses it is actually a tear that I have in my eye, not a laugh.
To think that a community has been rendered to have one of two extremes is upsetting:
* Benign Disconnectedness where hours of human potential is squandered
or
* Angry protests as they are conditioned to get OUTSIDE FORCES to change so that their lot in life can improve
I read an article from a Progressive who said we need more "Parks" and less "Prisons". I took a picture of a whole lot of PARKS in the area - many were not being used.
Fear not - there is "Black on Black Gentrification" that is sweeping in to provide new buildings and sidewalks in these areas.
The killing fields called "Bowen Homes" is providing employment for a lot of Mexicans who were running the construction equipment that was tearing down the buildings that trapped so many Black dreams like a bird cage.
Just to let you know THIS description is REAL voter intimidation,not some Fox plant (who BTW, HATES President Obama)holding a KEY CHAIN in his hand!
From Wikipedia:
"He held them until the Klan murder squad arrived. They were taken to an isolated spot where James Chaney was beaten and all three were shot to death. Their car was driven into Bogue Chitto swamp and set on fire, and their bodies were buried in an earthen dam.[1] In June 2000, the autopsy report that had been previously withheld from the 1967 trial was released. The report stated Chaney had a left arm broken in one place, a right arm broken in two places, "a marked disruption" of the left elbow joint and may also have suffered trauma to the groin area. A pathologist who examined the bodies at the families' request following their autopsies noted Chaney also had a broken jaw and a crushed right shoulder which were not mentioned in the autopsy report. As the autopsy photographs and X-Rays had been destroyed, the injuries could not be confirmed."
Kid:
There is a Black man who is the sitting Chairman of the Fulton County board. He took his potential competitor to COURT, arguing that the petition that she is using is ILLEGAL. She is an Independent and thus has to petition for ballot access.
The petition that she created has the word "Fulton County" preprinted when the law requires that the signee fill this information in.
The judge followed the law to a "T" and threw out her signatures.
Do YOU THINK that the VOTER JUSTICE people are going to attack Eaves as they did Blackwell for strictly enforcing the weight of the paper used for registrations?
If there is a protest against Eaves by the Civil Rights Pharisees for protecting the Democrat/Republican monopoly and thus denying choice - I will sell all of my computers and never use the Internet for the rest of my life.
Destructive Wingnut, I am going to play UTS and ask you what the republicans would do if they were in power in these places. Would you still see "illegal dumps on the street, yards unkempt, telephone pole memorials (where someone was murdered)."? I am just asking.
On 12/24/93, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department arrested Jamie and Gladys Scott for armed robbery even though three young males, ranging from ages 14 to 18, confessed to committing the crime and the women have unwaveringly maintained their complete innocence. Despite this, the corrupt Mississippi sheriff used coercion, threats, and harassment to compel them to turn state’s evidence against the Scott sisters due to a long-standing vendetta against a family member.
The Judge in the case, Marcus Gordon, has an extensive racist past that includes granting bail to the KKK murderer of 3 civil rights workers in 1964.
In 10/94 the Scott Sisters were sentenced to extraordinary double-life terms each, despite the facts that no one was harmed, neither sister had prior convictions, & the amount alleged to have been taken was $11.00!
___________________________________
Yes the same guy that handled the case of the murderer of the 3 civil rights worker did that to the Scott Sisters.
[quote]Destructive Wingnut, I am going to play UTS and ask you what the republicans would do if they were in power in these places. Would you still see "illegal dumps on the street, yards unkempt, telephone pole memorials (where someone was murdered)."?[/quote]
Sorry Filled Negro - I won't bite.
Just as the "Cornel West-Public Intellectual" of Columbia University named Manning Marable stated in an interview that I saw:
"Black people are the smartest voters in America. They vote for those who they know support their interests".
Do you see Filled Negro - to even ask "What Would The Republicans Do" is to assume that the Black voter would 'Get Stupid' and put those who stand against the Black interests into power.
With respect to the Telephone pole memorials I do believe that if it was an ENEMY police force that was FAILING TO PROTECT THE BLACK COMMUNITY from the Street Pirates who are killing us - the Civil Rights Pharisees would organize a "Black People Deserve To Be Protected Just As You Protect White Folks" campaign.
Thus, Filled Negro - in a perverted twist of fate the organized conspiracy to PROTECT your PERMANENT FRIENDS who are in power not troubling them with your PERMANENT INTERESTS puts the community at risk because of your protection racket.
I call on:
Afro-Spear
Color Of Change
NAACP
Bloggers While Black
NUL
National Action Network
Rainbow/PUSH
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
Organizing For America
OTHER Leftist groups to push for the case that "Black people deserve to NOT be murdered just as WHITE FOLKS deserve to stay alive".
You need to find a way to PROTEST but not take down the people that you put into power.
This is a tough one.
Let me get back to you on that one.
Constructive Feedback said...
Sorry Filled Negro - I won't bite.
_____________________________________
Translation: I don't have any answers .Those Conservative organizations that I'm paid to work for don't want me to give out answers, because we don't have any.Our job is to get President Obama out of office as quick as possible so that Republican criminal crooks can steal more money from America and screw over poor people.
Interesting. Still no answer. But let me say this to you: I see all the groups you mentioned in your comments as at least trying to help the plight of those who you would consider members of the underclass. They might not always get it right, but at least they are trying. I think that is why folks like kid get so frustrated with you. It seems that you have a lot of criticism but no answers.
"Translation: I don't have any answers .Those Conservative organizations that I'm paid to work for don't want me to give out answers, because we don't have any.Our job is to get President Obama out of office as quick as possible so that Republican criminal crooks can steal more money from America and screw over poor people."
See what I mean Destructvie Wingnut? You make it so easy for kid and company. :)
The GOP is such a herd of tit for tatters. My instinct says this guy and they are trying to replicate the David Iglesias case. They're trying their best to find duplicate incidents that they think will make Obama look like Bush so they can scream "hypocrisy" at the left while appealing to their base, which is why they're so desperate to paint the oil leak in the Gulf as "Obama's Hurricane Katrina." They still don't understand why they lost the White House.
[quote]I see all the groups you mentioned in your comments as at least trying to help the plight of those who you would consider members of the underclass. They might not always get it right, but at least they are trying. [/quote]
Filled Negro:
When George Bush TRIED to help out in Hurricane Katrina was their ATTEMPTS enough to pacify you?
WHY are you so easily pacified now?
The key question that I have to your CHECK LIST of what these people that you defend are doing is:
IS IT WORKING?
IS IT COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH TO EFFECT A SOLUTION?
The best thing that I can do is to prevent you and others from smelling your own underarms and pretend that you sell a rose garden per your SELF REPORTING.
White people just don't understand niggershit when they see it.
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