Thoughts Aloud

Archive for October 22nd, 2008

Because a couple of the names of the “freedom fighters,” mentioned in Diuguid’s racist piece below, had also appeared in something I read recently regarding writings that influenced Obama as a student (including Malcolm X), I took the trouble to look them up. Diuguid lamely implies that they were unfairly labeled “Socialists” by J. Edgar Hoover as a code word meaning “civil rights activists.”  Really?

From the Wikipedia, regarding W.E.B. Du Bois:

Du Bois was one of a number of African-American leaders investigated by the FBI, which claimed in May 1942 that “his writing indicates him to be a socialist,” and that he “has been called a Communist and at the same time criticized by the Communist Party.”[35]

Du Bois visited Communist China during the Great Leap Forward. Also, in the March 16, 1953 issue of The National Guardian, Du Bois wrote “Joseph Stalin was a great man; few other men of the 20th century approach his stature.”[36]

Du Bois was chairman of the Peace Information Center at the start of the Korean War. He was among the signers of the Stockholm Peace Pledge, which opposed the use of nuclear weapons. In 1950, at the age of 82, he ran for the U.S. Senate on the American Labor Party ticket in New York and received 4 percent of the vote. Although he lost, Du Bois remained committed to the progressive labor cause. Du Bois was questioned before HUAC about his alleged communist sympathies. In 1958, he joined Trotskyists, ex-Communists and independent radicals in proposing the creation of a united left-wing coalition to challenge for seats in elections for the New York state senate and assembly.

He was indicted in the United States under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and acquitted for lack of evidence. In 1959, Du Bois received the Lenin Peace Prize. In 1961, at the age of 93, he joined the Communist Party USA, at a time past its peak of appeal to most people on the Left.

Then, he mentioned Paul Robeson:

Through his writings and speeches, Robeson went on to defend the foreign and domestic policies of the Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin. During the Soviet purges, Robeson allegedly told a Daily Worker reporter that “from what I have already seen of the workings of the Soviet Government, I can only say that anybody who lifts his hand against it ought to be shot!”[18] After the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Robeson proclaimed during a speech at the Paris World Peace Congress in 1949 that “It is unthinkable that American Negroes will go to war on behalf of those who have oppressed us for generations… against a country [the Soviet Union] which in one generation has raised our people to the full dignity of mankind.” Sugar Ray Robinson responded to this by saying that although he did not know Robeson he would “punch him in the mouth” if he met him.[19] Even while many former left wing supporters of the Soviet Union learned of the atrocities being committed there and began publicly denouncing their former affiliations, Robeson held firm.

During his lifetime, Robeson always denied that he was a Communist Party member. But after his death, at the occasion of his 100th birthday in 1988, the American Communist Party issued a pamphlet “Paul Robeson: An American Communist,” by CP chairman Gus Hall, in which the Party acknowledged that Robeson had been a secret member. Hall wrote: “My own most precious moments with Paul were when I met with him to accept his dues and renew his yearly membership in the CPUSA.”
…

In 1952, Robeson was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize. In April, 1953 shortly after Joseph Stalin’s death he wrote a eulogy entitled To You Beloved Comrade,[21] in which he praised Stalin’s “deep humanity,” “wise understanding,” and dedication to peaceful co-existence with all the peoples of the world calling him “wise and good”.

There is plenty more regarding his being in the FBI’s sights, including his taking the “Fifth” in congressional testimony when asked if he was a member of the Communist Party; but the above alone would justify their keeping an eye on him in the climate of the time.

Wikipedia has no reference to the FBI regarding A. Philip Randolph; but there are a couple of lines that would make it surprising if they were not keeping an eye on him:

At the age of 21, Randolph joined the Socialist party of Eugene V. Debs. In response to increasing segregation and discrimination against blacks, Randolph shunned moderate reform and racial integration, as advocated by W. E. B. Du Bois, and emphasized instead socialism and trade unionism.

In 1917, Randolph founded and co-edited the Messenger, a radical monthly magazine, which campaigned against lynching, opposed U.S. participation in World War I, urged African Americans to resist being drafted to fight for a segregated society, and recommended that they join radical unions.

Thanks to hapless Diuguid, I am learning more about his Savior, and none of it comforting.  My only question is: Why don’t we have a FBI chief bold enough to warn Americans about Obama’s background? ◄Dave►

I am getting sick of all the Black racists frantically stirring the electoral pot to stifle legitimate debate. I refuse do White Guilt. Political correctness, and fear of being labeled a racist, is about to tear this nation asunder. Call me anything you like; it is past time for Patriots to take the damned PC gloves off and fight back.

In the Kansas City Star this morning, a pitiful little man named Lewis Diuguid, penned an over-the-top piece entitled, “Shame on McCain and Palin for using an old code word for black.”:

The “socialist” label that Sen. John McCain and his GOP presidential running mate Sarah Palin are trying to attach to Sen. Barack Obama actually has long and very ugly historical roots.

J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI from 1924 to 1972, used the term liberally to describe African Americans who spent their lives fighting for equality.

Those freedom fighters included the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who led the Civil Rights Movement; W.E.B. Du Bois, who in 1909 helped found the NAACP which is still the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization; Paul Robeson, a famous singer, actor and political activist who in the 1930s became involved in national and international movements for better labor relations, peace and racial justice; and A. Philip Randolph, who founded and was the longtime head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and a leading advocate for civil rights for African Americans.

McCain and Palin have simply reached back in history to use an old code word for black. It set whites apart from those deemed unAmerican and those who could not be trusted during the communism scare.

Shame on McCain and Palin.

No, shame on you, you pathetic racist jerk.

One of the comments by outraged readers (most of which admonished him to look up the definition of “Socialism,” and notice that our concern over Obama’s Marxist ideology has nothing to do with his race), was this nugget entitled “Common Cause.”:

“Without journalists of color helping to change the racially stagnant culture in newsrooms and to tell the stories about the Real America, the stereotypes grow and so do the problems that result.”

- Lewis Diuguid, “Discovering the Real America”, p. 148

“The press should be not only a collective propagandist and a collective agitator, but also a collective organizer of the masses.”

- Vladimir Lenin

I noticed the author of the first quote was the self-same author of the above patently racist tripe. Somehow, I suspect that his vision of “the Real America” is a bit different than mine. Curious, I followed the “Who’s Who?” link to the Star’s Editorial Board.  Sure enough, they have a nice picture of their resident racist:

…with his bio and contact info:

Lewis W. Diuguid is vice president for community resources at The Star. He joined the paper in May 1977 after graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. He has been a reporter, a photographer and has held several editing jobs. He has written a column for the newspaper since 1987. He serves on the Editorial Board, writes a column and administers the paper’s philanthropic efforts. He is the author of A Teacher’s Cry: Expose the Truth About Education Today and Discovering the Real America: Toward a More Perfect Union. To reach him, call 816-234-4723 or send e-mail to lduiguid@kcstar.com.

Maybe the Obamessiah will appoint him his press secretary. I’ll be sure to e-mail him a link to this, so he can appreciate how renowned he is becoming… even in flyover country.  ◄Dave►