Eric Holder's People: U.S. attorney general confirms suspicions of racial bias at the Justice Department



"This Department of Justice does not enforce the law in a race-conscious way," declared Attorney General Eric Holder in a House oversight hearing yesterday. But Politico reports on an exchange during the hearing that suggests otherwise. Rep. John Culberson, a Texas Republican, was questioning Holder about the New Black Panther Party voter-intimidation case, which the department dismissed after Holder took over:
The Attorney General seemed to take personal offense at a comment Culberson read in which former Democratic activist Bartle Bull called the incident the most serious act of voter intimidation he had witnessed in his career.

"Think about that," Holder said. "When you compare what people endured in the South in the 60s to try to get the right to vote for African Americans, and to compare what people were subjected to there to what happened in Philadelphia--which was inappropriate, certainly that . . . to describe it in those terms I think does a great disservice to people who put their lives on the line, who risked all, for my people," said Holder, who is black.

It's sometimes a useful exercise to imagine situations like this one in reverse. Suppose that in the course of defending himself against accusations of bias in favor of whites, a white attorney general referred to whites as "my people." What would we make of that?

We have to admit that, for historically contingent reasons, such a scenario would be worse. Although civil rights laws protect everyone, they were enacted to remedy brutal and systematic discrimination against blacks. Thus it is of particular importance that black Americans be able to have confidence in the impartial administration of justice.

Yet to say it is of particular importance is to draw a distinction of degree, not of kind. It is of great importance that all Americans have confidence in the impartial administration of justice. Holder understands that, at least in theory, or he would not have denied that his department enforces the law "in a race-conscious manner." But when the attorney general spoke of "my people" and meant only a subset of Americans, it confirmed the suspicion of bias that he was trying to counter.

"Holder noted that his late sister-in-law, Vivian Malone Jones, helped integrate the University of Alabama," Politico reports. That's a legitimate point of personal pride, but in his official capacity Holder owes his allegiance to the nation as a whole. If he approaches the job with the attitude that any group smaller than all Americans is "my people," he is the wrong man for the position.

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1 comment:

  1. I for one have had it up to here with this racist administration and the chickenhearted buzzards who refuse to call them out on this despicable stance! From holder to his association over the years with radical hating racists, the President always manages in the end to show his true colors. Slam his Leftist policies, you’re a racist! Disagree with his complete incompetency in foreign policy, you’re a racist. Point out the open faced lies about cutting the deficit in his budget, you’re a racist! In other words, try to have a civil discourse with any radical leftist in this country today using facts and figures, you are a racist!

    Debate and civil discourse. It’s where ideas come from! It’s a forum to, if not fix a problem, at least address it and come up with some consensus to at least try! As such, debate or discussion can hurt one’s feelings and/or illicit some rather harsh reactions. My point is until we as a people can discuss stuff without hate, until we can cast aside our own ideologies, our biases, etc. and approach a subject with open minds, there cannot be fixes. As a society we must work together. Listening is a fine art. Learning and changing one’s mind due to constructive criticism, and I want to emphasize that, constructive criticism is a sign of maturity and leadership. Can you even remotely understand this view Mr. President, or is your head stuck so far up your elitist ass that you as most politicians are too far above us mortals to bother worrying about it? From my little part of the world, it sure appears that way! One thing for sure in my view. You and your administration have done more to set back racial relations in this country than any other administration in my lifetime!

    Debate is imperative for this country to survive. Criticism is good, provided it is true! As I said, debate must be accompanied by open minds. This must be conducted by using the Truth and Facts! This must be done by educating yourselves! Keep an open mind, but dig up everything you can from both sides. Then make an informed decision. As we go forward, we will be called fear mongers and worse! WEAR IT AS A BADGE OF HONOR. Radicals of any persuasion FEAR the truth and facts, so shout it out as loudly as possible. This is our country. Love for country and the ideals it was founded on IS NOT HATE as the hard left keeps saying. Opposing bad policy IS NOT RACISM as we are charged with! Fight the BIG LIE with the TRUTH! Our country depends on this!

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