After NAACP Took Tea Party To Task Over Racists In Its Midst, National Tea Party federation Expels Leader, Mark Williams.
Tea Party Express leader Mark Williams expelled over 'Colored People' letter
BY Helen Kennedy
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, July 18th 2010, 4:18 PM
Racism is tearing the Tea Party movement apart.
The National Tea Party Federation has expelled a prominent activist group, the Tea Party Express, because it wouldn't rebuke and fire one of its leaders for writing an offensive blog post.
Mark Williams, a California radio host who is leading protests in New York against a proposed mosque near Ground Zero and has drawn Sarah Palin to his rallies, had previously called the President an "Indonesian Muslim turned welfare thug" and said Muslims were "animals" who worship "a monkey god."
But when he posted a satirical letter this week from "the Colored People" to President Lincoln about how little they want to work, that apparently crossed the line - especially after the NAACP called on Tea Party leaders to oust racists from their ranks.
"We have expelled Tea Party Express and Mark Williams from the National Tea Party Federation because of the letter that he wrote," federation spokesman David Webb said on CBS's "Face the Nation."
He called the July 14 letter "clearly offensive."
In the letter Williams posted on his blog, he wrote in what he said was the voice of slaves: "Mr. Lincoln, you were the greatest racist ever. We had a great gig. Three squares, room and board, all our decisions made by the massa in the house.
"We Coloreds have taken a vote and decided that we don't cotton to that whole emancipation thing. Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards. That is just far too much to ask of us Colored People and we demand that it stop!
"Please repeal the 13th and 14th Amendments and let us get back to where we belong."
On taxes, he added, "How will we Colored People ever get a wide screen TV in every room if non-coloreds get to keep what they earn? .. Bailouts are just big money welfare and isn't that what we want all Coloreds to strive for?"
Williams has since removed the letter, replacing it with a note urging followers to "fight those who seek to divide us by race."
In a press release, the National Tea Party Federation says it ordered the Tea Party Express to kick Williams out and say so "prominently" on their Website.
"They have no intention of taking the action we required," said federation spokeswoman Christina Botteri. "Therefore, effective immediately the National Tea Party Federation is expelling Tea Party Express from the ranks of our membership."
The federation says it represents 85 groups and more than a million activists.
Williams has had a rocky relationship with other Tea Party leaders, many of whom refuse to deal with him, but his group has more money and clout than most.
He stepped down as chairman of the Tea Party Express last month to concentrate on leading protests against the Lower Manhattan mosque, but remains a spokesman and chief public face of the group.
The Tea Party Express is one of the most influential in the conservative grassroots movement. It has reportedly raised $2.3 million this year alone and spent substantial sums to help elect Sen. Scott Brown in Massachusetts, as well as boosting once-unknown Sharron Angle in Nevada.
The group has organized three cross-country bus tours to oppose Obama administration initiatives. In March, it held a rally of 8,000 people in Searchlight, Nev. that featured a rare Palin speech.
Williams did not return emails seeking comment on Webb's declaration.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/07/18/2010-07-18_tea_party_express_leader_mark_williams_expelled_over_colored_people_letter.html#ixzz0u4Vp1sq1
BY Helen Kennedy
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, July 18th 2010, 4:18 PM
Racism is tearing the Tea Party movement apart.
The National Tea Party Federation has expelled a prominent activist group, the Tea Party Express, because it wouldn't rebuke and fire one of its leaders for writing an offensive blog post.
Mark Williams, a California radio host who is leading protests in New York against a proposed mosque near Ground Zero and has drawn Sarah Palin to his rallies, had previously called the President an "Indonesian Muslim turned welfare thug" and said Muslims were "animals" who worship "a monkey god."
But when he posted a satirical letter this week from "the Colored People" to President Lincoln about how little they want to work, that apparently crossed the line - especially after the NAACP called on Tea Party leaders to oust racists from their ranks.
"We have expelled Tea Party Express and Mark Williams from the National Tea Party Federation because of the letter that he wrote," federation spokesman David Webb said on CBS's "Face the Nation."
He called the July 14 letter "clearly offensive."
In the letter Williams posted on his blog, he wrote in what he said was the voice of slaves: "Mr. Lincoln, you were the greatest racist ever. We had a great gig. Three squares, room and board, all our decisions made by the massa in the house.
"We Coloreds have taken a vote and decided that we don't cotton to that whole emancipation thing. Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards. That is just far too much to ask of us Colored People and we demand that it stop!
"Please repeal the 13th and 14th Amendments and let us get back to where we belong."
On taxes, he added, "How will we Colored People ever get a wide screen TV in every room if non-coloreds get to keep what they earn? .. Bailouts are just big money welfare and isn't that what we want all Coloreds to strive for?"
Williams has since removed the letter, replacing it with a note urging followers to "fight those who seek to divide us by race."
In a press release, the National Tea Party Federation says it ordered the Tea Party Express to kick Williams out and say so "prominently" on their Website.
"They have no intention of taking the action we required," said federation spokeswoman Christina Botteri. "Therefore, effective immediately the National Tea Party Federation is expelling Tea Party Express from the ranks of our membership."
The federation says it represents 85 groups and more than a million activists.
Williams has had a rocky relationship with other Tea Party leaders, many of whom refuse to deal with him, but his group has more money and clout than most.
He stepped down as chairman of the Tea Party Express last month to concentrate on leading protests against the Lower Manhattan mosque, but remains a spokesman and chief public face of the group.
The Tea Party Express is one of the most influential in the conservative grassroots movement. It has reportedly raised $2.3 million this year alone and spent substantial sums to help elect Sen. Scott Brown in Massachusetts, as well as boosting once-unknown Sharron Angle in Nevada.
The group has organized three cross-country bus tours to oppose Obama administration initiatives. In March, it held a rally of 8,000 people in Searchlight, Nev. that featured a rare Palin speech.
Williams did not return emails seeking comment on Webb's declaration.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/07/18/2010-07-18_tea_party_express_leader_mark_williams_expelled_over_colored_people_letter.html#ixzz0u4Vp1sq1
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 9:30 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home