John Stossel Calls for a Repeal of the Civil Rights Act

Appearing on Fox News, John Stossel, the Anchor of "Stossel" on FBN, defended Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul and stated that private businesses "should have the right to be racist". Adopting a rigid libertarian position, John Stossel asserted that it is time to repeal the Civil Rights Act. Stossel argued that the free market would eventually cause businesses to end discriminatory practices.

As a civil rights attorney, I have witnessed many businesses engage discriminatory conduct that was clearly contrary to their economic interests. Often, racism trumps economics. Strong laws are necessary to end discrimination.

Stossel suggests that African Americans should simply suffer through humiliating and degrading second class treatment until the market forces correct the problem. If this Nation embraced Stossel's view, African Americans would not be able to go to many restaurants, hotels and other places of public accommodations. We would be forced to sit, eat and live in the colored sections only.

Although I do not think that Stossel should be fired, his views should be challenged. Political candidates and parties sharing his views, such as Rand Paul and the Tea Party, must be defeated.

Rand Paul: Private Businesses Should Have the Right to Discriminate

On the Rachel Maddow Show, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul repeatedly stated that he opposes racial discrimination. He voiced support for a ban against discrimination in the public sector. However, stressing the importance of First Amendment rights, Mr. Paul suggested that private businesses should be allowed to discriminate based on race.

A large segment of discrimination occurred and continues to occur in the private sector. If civil rights legislation did not regulate the private sector, Jim Crow segregation would continue to exist. Businesses would be able to refuse to hire and/or promote African Americans and other minorities. Restaurants, movie theatres, swimming pools, country clubs, private schools and other businesses would be allowed to bar African Americans.

To quell the controversy, Mr. Paul recently issued the following statement. "I unequivocally state that I will not support any efforts to repeal the Civil Rights Act of 1964." That statement does not absolve him. It is outrageous that the Republican Party would nominate such an extremist.

Lil Wayne Minstrel Show at Bethel University

Confederacy Controversy "Does Not Amount to Diddly"

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell (R) made the controversial decision to recognize April 2010 as Confederate History Month and initially omitted any reference to slavery. Appearing on CNN's State of the Union on April 11, 2010, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (R) said that controversy is making "a big deal out of something that does not amount to diddly." What do you think?

Confederate History Month: It is a Celebration!

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell declared April 2010 Confederate History Month. The declaration states:

WHEREAS, April is the month in which the people of Virginia joined the Confederate States of America in a four year war between the states for independence that concluded at Appomattox Courthouse; and

WHEREAS, Virginia has long recognized her Confederate history, the numerous civil war battlefields that mark every region of the state, the leaders and individuals in the Army, Navy and at home who fought for their homes and communities and Commonwealth in a time very different than ours today; and

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to reflect upon our Commonwealth’s shared history, to understand the sacrifices of the Confederate leaders, soldiers and citizens during the period of the Civil War, and to recognize how our history has led to our present….

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert McDonnell, do hereby recognize April 2010 as CONFEDERATE HISTORY MONTH in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.

The original declaration did not even mention slavery. The Washington Post reported that:

McDonnell said he did not include a reference to slavery because "there were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states. Obviously, it involved slavery. It involved other issues. But I focused on the ones I thought were most significant for Virginia."

Essentially, slavery was not significant enough to be included in the original proclamation. Under pressure from the African American community, Governor McDonnell issued an apology and added the following clause to the proclamation:

WHEREAS, it is important for all Virginians to understand that the institution of slavery led to this war and was an evil and inhumane practice that deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights and all Virginians are thankful for its permanent eradication from our borders, and the study of this time period should reflect upon and learn from this painful part of our history…
**This section will be added between the 3rd and 4th Sections**

Belatedly adding a slavery clause does not negate the truth about the Confederacy. Virginia and the other treasonous Confederate States seceded from the Union primarily to protect slavery and white supremacy. Hundreds of thousands of people died during the Civil War. Celebrating Confederate history is a grotesque romanticization of treason, war and slavery. It is analogous to Germany celebrating its revolting Nazi history. McDonnell’s proclamation is an outrageous insult to all African Americans.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessors George Allen and Jim Gilmore, McDonnell is perpetuating the Republican Party’s southern strategy of pandering to the most reactionary, racist elements of the electorate. Instead of uniting the people of Virginia, the Governor has polarized and agitated the people. Rather than simply issuing an apology, the Governor should cancel Confederate History Month immediately.

McDonnell needs to hear from concerned citizens. He can be reached at:

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, Virginia 23218

Street address:
Office of the Governor
Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Phone Numbers:
(804) 786-2211
Fax: (804) 371-6351
TTY/TDD (For the Hearing Impaired):
1-800-828-1120, or 711

Making History: President signs Health Care Reform Bill

After a century long struggle, President Obama signed the Health Care Reform Bill into law. I commend the President and the Democrats for a job well done. We witnessed history. In the plain words of Vice President Joe Biden, "this is a big f***ing deal!" Although this legislation is imperfect for the sound reasons articulated by progressives such as U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Ralph Nader on Democracy Now, this legislation provides major tangible benefits to the American people. As stated in Tara Siegal Bernard's New York Times article entitled "For Consumers, Clarity on Health Care Changes":

The legislation .... provide[s] coverage for as many as 32 million people who have been shut out of the market — whether because insurers deem them too sick or because they cannot afford ever-rising insurance premiums.

[Within] six months .... many plans [will] be prohibited from placing lifetime limits on medical coverage, and they [cannot] cancel the policies of people who fall ill. Children with pre-existing conditions [cannot] be denied coverage.

And dependent children up to age 26 [are] eligible for coverage under their parents’ plans — instead of the current state-by-state rules that often cut off coverage for children at 18 or 19.

And within three months ....., people who have been locked out of the insurance market because of a pre-existing condition [will] be eligible for subsidized coverage through a new high-risk insurance program.

That special coverage [will] continue until the legislation’s engine kicks into a higher gear in 2014, when coverage [will] be extended to a wider part of the population through Medicaid and new state-run insurance exchanges.

Those exchanges, or marketplaces, [will] provide much more competitive, consumer-friendly online shopping centers of private insurance for people who are not able to obtain coverage through an employer.

In 2014, people with pre-existing conditions [can] no longer be denied insurance, all lifetime and annual limits on coverage [will] be eliminated and new policies [will] be required to meet higher benefit standards.

While this landmark legislation is a major accomplishment, it must viewed as a single step toward the ultimate goal, free universal health care for all citizens.

This is What Change Looks Like!