California Conservative

For a man who’s always outspoken and indignant, DNC Chairman Howard Dean has been unusually quiet on this issue. Something caught his tongue?

Yesterday, La Shawn Barber stopped biting hers and weighed in on the controversial story that broke earlier this week about Mexico’s newly-released issue of postage stamps: a racist collection against blacks.

“I wasn’t going to blog about this because it nauseates me, then I changed my mind. Whenever I see racist caricatures of blacks from back in the day, I cringe. To think there was a time in the U.S. when whites openly mocked and ridiculed blacks with these exaggerated stereotypes, and blackface comedy was all the rage.

I don’t need more reasons to dislike Vicente Fox. The reasons I have are more than enough.”

Never a doubt that La Shawn is going to speak her mind. Too bad more don’t follow the example.

This story is an outrage. And it should have the attention of every black person in America because it highlights the fact that the condition of racism is still alive and well in countries outside our nation’s border. Even right next door.

Where’s Jesse Jackson? Al Sharpton? Kweisi Mfume? All the race-baiters that make a living on attacking our government and private industries on the basis of accusations that normally have little or no merit. Why aren’t they taking to the streets in protest? Getting on a plane to visit Mexico? No deep pockets to shake down.

On this issue, Democrats have all been oddly silent. On Capitol Hill and elsewhere, no one is saying a word about this blatant, modern-day example of racism against blacks. Very, very strange.

With Howard Dean’s recent efforts to “reach out” to the minority communities, especially African-Americans, it’s too bad that he doesn’t see the great opportunity here: Make headlines on behalf of the DNC by strongly and publicly condemning the evidence of racism seen across the border. Play the role of the moral crusader.

It may be only symbolic, but he could raise his party’s profile positively among all minorities by pointing his finger at Vincente Fox and saying: “This is not what the civilized world should be endorsing. Racism is wrong. It has no place in America, and it should have no place anywhere.”

So, why isn’t Howard Dean speaking out?

RELATED:
Howard Dean: Revealing The “New” 2008 DNC Strategy

UPDATE: Mexico’s Fox Says New Stamp Not Racist

“The stamps were being offered on eBay for more than $200 for a full sheet. Hundreds of people lined up at Mexico City’s main post office to buy them for 6.50 pesos, or about 60 cents, when they went on sale Friday.”

This entry was posted on Friday, July 1st, 2005 at 8:47 am and is filed under Activism, DNC, Liberals, Mexico, Washington, DC. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.