posted February 18, 2009 02:57 PM            

In a speech to Justice Department employees marking Black History Month, Holder said the workplace is largely integrated but Americans still self-segregate on the weekends and in their private lives.

"Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards," said Holder, nation's first black attorney general.

Race issues continue to be a topic of political discussion, Holder said, but "we, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race."

He urged people of all races to use Black History Month as a chance for honest discussion of racial matters, including issues of health care, education, and economic disparities.

Race "is an issue we have never been at ease with and, given our nation's history, this is in some ways understandable," Holder said. "If we are to make progress in this area, we must feel comfortable enough with one another and tolerant enough of each other to have frank conversations about the racial matters that continue to divide us."

He told hundreds of Justice Department employees gathered for the event that they have a special responsibility to advance racial understanding.

Even when people mix at the workplace or afterwork social events, Holder argued, many Americans in their free time are still segregated inside what he called "race-protected cocoons."

"Saturdays and Sundays, America in the year 2009 does not in some ways differ significantly from the country that existed almost 50 years ago. This is truly sad," said Holder.

As a presidential candidate last year, Barack Obama gave a landmark speech on race relations during the hotly-contested Democratic primaries as he tried to separate himself from the angry rhetoric of his then-pastor. Holder cited that speech by Obama as part of the motivation for his words Wednesday, saying Americans need to overcome an ingrained inhibition against talking about race.

"If we're going to ever make progress, we're going to have to have the guts, we have to have the determination, to be honest with each other. It also means we have to be able to accept criticism where that is justified," Holder told reporters after the speech.

Holder is headed to Guantanamo Bay early next week to inspect the terrorist detention facility there. Obama has assigned Holder to lead a special task force aimed at closing the site within a year.

Holder's Justice Department will have to decide which suspects to bring to U.S. courts for trial, which to prosecute through the military justice system, and which to send back to their home countries.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090218/ap_on_go_pr_wh/holder_race;_ylt=AqNxptDJ0P1bw.zYo0yerT.yFz4D

posted February 18, 2009 04:14 PM            

This is the little thug who pushed for presidential pardons for convicted terrorist felons who had killed citizens in the United States...and who were in prison in the United States.

This is the little thug who pushed for a presidential pardon for flight from US territory...Marc Rich...for cash to the demoscat party and to Kommander Korruption's library.

This is the little thug who acted as de-facto legal counsel for Fidel Castro in the return of the Gonzales boy...after his mother lost her life trying to get him out of the Communist Worker's Paradise of Cuba.

This is the little thug who sent armed federal agents into the home of the Gonzales boys relatives in Miami who pointed military assault weapons in their faces while other federal agents kidnapped the boy and sent him back to Cuba.

For what Eric Holder has already done, he should be hauled before a Federal Grand Jury, indicted, prosecuted, convicted and jailed for 10-20 years.

posted February 18, 2009 07:09 PM            

This country is a **** because of big left socialist agenda. They sell dreams and hopes like magicians sold snake oils in the days of yore. I am sick of their victimization game. Where they see stigma, I see perspective.

Screw these politicians , taking our liberty. They want us to mix with beggars while they live in mansions. They are the bloody marxists who rule people by diving people in to classes. They will implement more and more rules and suck all our tax payers money. The congress men/womans salary are being revised every now and then while municipal engineers has relatively same salary for decades.

They are playing with peoples money. Creating more insecurity. Not a single one raised their voice when house prices overinflated from the 80's and now they have come back with a promise "things will change". Anyone remember how homes were 60k once upon a time as opposed to 600k for single family. Agreed inflation should account for that, tell me how many times was minimum wages revised? Tell me how many times wages were revised for people in non IT sector.

Not a damn thing changes. Our school systems are a mess. The police men/women are becoming jobless. The fireman too. And the politicians keeps raising the taxes.

All those home property values are going to go in to toilet. A big correction is due on home prices.

posted February 18, 2009 11:22 PM            

quote:

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saying most Americans avoid discussing awkward racial issues

---

I haven't seen that. Rather, I thought we were a nation infamous for "playing the race card." And though Miley seems to be excused (though only by the public, not by certain organizations demanding an apology), I still recall the brouhaha that came about over Rosie O'Donnell's "ching chong" comment. Some talk show had an ep called "Minorities stole my job!" About a year ago, IIRC, there was a big deal made over some stupid magazine cover--ah, yes, found it.

The recent presidential campaign was full of conversation on "awkward racial issues," too.

Speaking of which...

quote:

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America in the year 2009 does not in some ways differ significantly from the country that existed almost 50 years ago

---

Really, could Obama have even gotten on the ballot in 1959? Would the Attorney General be black? Even in sports, would Jennifer Hudson (ie, any black woman) have sang the national anthem at the Superbowl?

posted February 19, 2009 01:20 PM            

really mannu, is this country worse than india? i would seriously like to know. though i hear from a friend who has a house in india that it appears to be gearing up to a creative renaissance akin to the 60s here! maybe we should all just emigrate and leave the us to sink in its own petard ... like so many indians have done coming here to escape that wonderful land.

i am tired of conservatives whining about the "victim" mentality of liberals when they are doing exactly the same thing. your life is what you make it and though we have RUN OUT OF FRONTIERS we don't have to take any of this lying down.

people have been flocking here from all over the world for centuries now to escape intolerant regimes. we are overrun with people who not only REFUSE to speak the dominant language but also send a lot of their pay back home. and what would we be without the constant influx of cheap (not to say slave) labour?

posted February 19, 2009 02:04 PM            

Thomas Jefferson died July 4, 1826. I make that to be more than 182 years ago.

About 750,000 Americans lost their lives fighting a civil war in America which was partially about the abolition of slavery. That war ended April 9, 1865. Slavery and Involuntary Servitude were ended. I make that to be more than 126 years ago.

The Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act were enacted in 1964 and 1965 with overwhelming Republican support and resistance from democrats...among whom were Al Gore senior, father of the blockhead Algore and the mentor of Kommander Korruption, William J Fulbright. I make that to be more than 44 and 45 years respectively.

Talk about living in the past.

posted February 19, 2009 05:15 PM              

in 1969 it probably would have been mahalia jackson or odetta (though i don't think odetta has the range) or leontyne price singing the national anthem.of course that was only 40 years ago!

*sigh* I'd give my last dime to have seen Jackson sing at the Lincoln Memorial.

You won't find a more pigheaded defender of Jefferson here at LL, but, sadly he didn't free his slaves on his deathbed. It's complicated.

"If we're going to ever make progress, we're going to have to have the guts, we have to have the determination, to be honest with each other. It also means we have to be able to accept criticism where that is justified," Holder told reporters after the speech.

posted February 19, 2009 06:40 PM            

No, US is much better than India. And just as stock prices flattens out just after a slump .. perhaps it may take 100s of years for India to beat US. But fact is Asian markets are so dependent on western consumers especially America. So if we start saving and remove unwanted expenses from our indovidual lifes, how will their economy thrive? The asians have to spend like the west if things were to change radically.

posted February 19, 2009 09:06 PM            

What was slavery in the days of TJ? Some kind of maid ship. Even if he would have set his slaves free, what will his slaves do for a living? Nothing controversial about this. There is problem, if one is looking for one, otherwise everythings crystal clear.

If I am right about Aries - Most do not like to master over servants. All fire signs are inherently independent and non clinging in whatever they do.

posted February 20, 2009 06:42 AM              

quote:

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is this country worse than india?

---

In terms of racism - its just the SAME or maybe i should say different....

Get this - the language and lifestyle change every 40 kms anywhere in India and we have every major religion and its hundereds of sub - groups . So how can you compare our sense of Unity as a nation or sense of Individuality as Communities and religious groups is frankly bewildering.

As for what we come to America for ?

Money ,honey - period .

This is where you can get the most cash for the same amount of work and talent - what i mean is in regard to currency conversion of course.Also if you want to talk about India - we have a lot of scoialist schemes for the poor which means our hard money goes to no - good lazybags - we hate that - so those who do business here in India - only make 10 % of their income official - we have the highest black income statistics .

posted February 20, 2009 11:23 PM            

a. India is too overcrowded.
b. the socio political environment could change all of a sudden...there are atleast one major riot a decade.
c. I do not like the way they treat foreigners. they have to pay in dollars for the same museum ticket. so unfair. in america, we don't do that , we don't ask you to pay in rupees nor do we ask europeans to pay in euros it is these things that flips me out. all this is a symptom of socialist disease that has pervaded the society due their Godhood figures and Gandhi.

posted February 26, 2009 07:05 PM            

Enough is enough. I have had thirty plus years of enough. I have had enough of being called a "racist." I will not sit here and be called a racist and a coward by a self-serving, race-baiting politician like Eric Holder.

You wanna talk racism, Mr. Holder? Okay. It's time we talked. In fact, we should have had this talk thirty years ago. It's time someone like me talked to someone like you about race.

Why am I qualified to talk about racism? Simple: I am a middle-aged white American male -- this fact alone qualifies me as a racist in this Wonderland of political correctness that is the United States.

But my "racism" goes much deeper than particulars of gender and skin color. In fact, as a working writer and a retired politician, I have a lifelong pattern of "racism." I was called a "racist" twenty-five years ago when I voted against "hate crimes" legislation in the Idaho State Senate. I had this insane notion that all violent crimes were hate crimes -- clearly a racist thought (no doubt instilled by the white culture of hate that surrounded me).

I have been called a racist for writing that the science behind man made global warming is shaky -- and for defending Sarah Palin's acceptance speech for her vice presidential nomination at the RNC. Surely these are thoughts that spring from a childhood that must have been spent with the KKK.

During the past twenty-five years, I have been called a racist for writing about gun control, taxes, international banking, property rights, the Constitution, and abortion. All of these topics are obviously crucially related to race relations in the United States. How could I have been so blind?

In short, I am a racist because I am not a liberal. I am a racist because I do not agree with Eric Holder's politics. Not only am I a racist, Mr. Holder informs me, I am also a coward because I don't want to talk about being a racist.

Mr. Holder wants me to pony up, be a man, and finally face my cowardice -- and the inner hatred I may have of human beings that have a skin color different from mine.

There is one tiny little problem: Holder's request is coming about thirty years too late. And, if my son's and my life experiences are any indication, Holder is twenty to thirty years late challenging other Americans to look inside of themselves.

The fact is that most Americans have already been there, done that. We let go of our racism -- if we happened to have had any -- years ago.

I first heard about my soon to be son when he was two days old. I had had a friend call me about the baby. My friend was on an adoption list. He was seventh on the list. He told me that there was this newborn baby boy that no one wanted.

I bluntly asked my friend if the infant was physically deformed or had some mental impairment. "No. Not exactly," he told me. "Maybe you should come and take a look at him."

So I did. I first held my son when he was three days old. His skin was discolored by jaundice and his body was swollen with some type of blood incompatibility. His skin was a puffy, dark, almost Brunswick green -- except for his fat butt -- which was glaucous hued.

I still tease my son about our first few moments together. Honest to goodness, I thought I was holding My Favorite Martian. He looked like some creature out of a really bad science fiction movie.

As I gazed down at this strange and lonely little being in my arms, I had, what might be called, a religious experience. Lights flashed at the periphery of my vision. (Think of the lights that flash by in the tunnel on a subway.) I found myself sitting in a park on a bench staring into the eyes of a handsome young black man. We were laughing together. We were connected through the laughter to a profound friendship and empathy. I understood and loved this young man and he understood and loved me.

The lights flashed again. I was staring into the eyes of the little baby boy in my arms that I now knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, was my son.

That was some thirty years ago. And in those thirty years, I have watched America grow up regarding matters of race. I have watched most of my fellow citizens learn how to treat all people as human beings. And my fellow citizens have been doing a damn good job of it. I know this for a fact because for thirty years I have watched the people around me mature and treat my own son with increasing respect and dignity as a human being.

Sure there were a few racial related problems in the late 70s when I first adopted my son. (I was still in graduate school when he was adopted. We lived in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia until the early 80s.) I went to meetings where some people would not sit next to me because I was holding a little black baby. (Not very many people -- but there were a few.)

I had a couple of people ask me if I was "looking for trouble" by adopting a non-white child. My response? I asked them if they were looking for trouble by asking me such a stupid question.

Reflecting back, problems like these were few and far between.[i] Most people congratulated us, supported us, and admired us. I don't remember any person openly hating us.

They certainly did not hate my son. In 1982 we moved from the east coast back to Idaho. My son started his education here in Idaho. He was an extraordinarily popular kid in school. In a few of the schools he attended he was the only black student in the school. Although there was some name calling in some of these schools (there always is in every school), there was only one outright racial incident that I know of.

One time, in the sixth grade, one of his classmates called my son a "nigger." The kid physically challenged my son. My son accepted the challenge (he was taught never to back down from this kind of mindless bullying) and agreed to meet the young thug in the playground after school to settle the matter.

I found out about the impending confrontation and drove to the school. I hid behind some cars in the parking lot to watch the episode unfold. Apparently, the ruffian expected my son to be a no-show. I watched as the punk walk down the steps into the schoolyard, got a good close look at my son's fists, and then turned tail and sprinted back into the school crying.

The thirty young white kids, who had gathered in the playground to witness the event, encircled my son and cheered. Six years later, my son went on to be elected student body president of one of the whitest high schools in America. That, Mr. Holder, is how racist America really is -- which is to say not much.

Racism exists in America only in the communities were it is stipulated, reinforced, and taught as a alternative to the veracity of hard work and lasting opportunity that is the real America. In other words, Mr. Holder, racism, where it exists in this country, is a political and cultural contrivance sustained and manipulated by people like you.

Is more evidence needed? My son has always had a job (in fact, he has always had multiple job offers) since he reached manhood. Why? Because he is a responsible, articulate, hard working, smart, human being -- who happens to be black. For someone like my son, belonging to a minority race in today's America is not a curse -- it is a blessing.

My son is married to a very good-looking young white woman. They have two (soon to be three) beautiful sons.[ii] Maybe my daughter-in-law carries the brunt of the racism. I called her the other day, told her I was writing this article, and asked her how bad the racism surrounding her marriage was. What was it like to walk into a store with a black husband and two little mixed race sons. Was she ever threatened? Was she ever afraid?

She just laughed at the questions. (She tends to laugh at me -- must be a daughter-in-law thing.)

"Never," she replied in one word.

"Never what?" I asked.

"Racism. Never. Not once ... well, my ninty-year-old great grandmother didn't like the idea of me dating a ‘colored man.' I remember she really hurt my feelings. But, other than that, I can't think of anything. It just doesn't happen. People love my husband. They respect our family. We just don't have those problems. I don't think people have those problems."

She then told me about some of the mixed race marriages of some of her friends. None of them have problems either. When these couples get together, they don't even talk about racism -- because there isn't any.

Sorry, Mr. Holder, it isn't cowardice that keeps Americans from discussing racism -- it is the fact that there is nothing to talk about. The racist America that you are talking about started to disappear at least thirty years ago.

There are, of course, certain communities in this country that have been deliberately and continually segregated by people like you. In these communities people eat, drink, and breathe racism.

It is a shame that racism still exists in this country. But the Eric Holders, the Jesse Jacksons, the Al Sharptons, and the Barack Obamas of the world are keeping this issue alive. Mr. Holder, the shame and the cowardice of racism belong to you -- not to my son and me.