Overly sensitive nonsense from the usual suspects
Rep. Joe Wilson’s outburst last week drew new recriminations from his colleagues Tuesday, with a member of the Congressional Black Caucus suggesting that a failure to rebuke the South Carolina Republican would be tantamount to supporting the most blatant form of organized racism in American history.
Makingan obvious reference to the Ku Klux Klan, Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga.,said Tuesday that people will be putting on “white hoods and whiteuniforms again and riding through the countryside” if emerging racistattitudes, which he says were subtly supported by Wilson, are notrebuked. He said Wilson must be disciplined as an example.
Hours later, the House passed a resolution to formally admonish Wilson, who bellowed “You lie!” as President Obama delivered a health care reform address to a joint session of Congress last Wednesday. House Democratic leaders had decided days ago to move forward with the measure if Wilson did not apologize on the House floor.
Butalthough Wilson was widely condemned by colleagues on both sides of theaisle for breaching protocol, some went a step further and accusedWilson of being racially motivated.
“He didnot help the cause of diversity and tolerance with his remarks — if Iwere a betting man I would say it instigated more racist sentiment,”Johnson said Tuesday. “And so I guess we’ll probably have folks puttingon white hoods and white uniforms again and riding through thecountryside intimidating people. … That’s the logical conclusion ifthis kind of attitude is not rebuked, and Congressman Wilson representsit. He’s the face of it.”
Johnson seemed to reference the protestsheld in Washington, D.C., on Saturday in making his claim. While manyprotesters were there to demonstrate against big government and federalover-spending, Johnson argued that a “fringe” element is motivated byrace and that Wilson “winked” at that fringe with his behavior.
New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote in her column Sunday that Wilson’s outburst convinced her that racial angst is the underlying motive among Obama critics like Wilson.
“I’vebeen loath to admit that the shrieking lunacy of the summer … hadmuch to do with race,” she wrote. “But Wilson’s shocking disrespect forthe office of the president — no Democrat ever shouted ‘liar’ at W.when he was hawking a fake case for war in Iraq — convinced me: Somepeople just can’t believe a black man is president and will neveraccept it.”
Dowd wrote that Wilson “clearly did not like being lectured and even rebuked by the brainy black president presiding over the majestic chamber.”
Asked about the claim Sunday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said race is not the factor.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Tuesday that he “did not take a racial connotation” from Wilson’s outburst.
“The attacks on President Obama are harsh. I hope they are not racially motivated,” he said.