Post Racial America??

There has been a lot of slander recently thrown out at us folks that participate in the tea parties. Those that are trying to petition their government through peaceful means to signal that we don't agree with the direction they are taking our country. There was an excellent letter a poster shared on the Big Journalism site today. It was in response to this article, written by Andrew Breitbart. For everyone out there no matter what side of the arguments we face we are on, please seriously think about what Christine here is saying. I also encourage everyone for the appropriate background to read Mr. Breitbart's article in its entirety.

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Here is a letter I wrote to Congressman Lewis - I submitted it to "The Hill" but I don't think they will publish it.

Dear Congressman Lewis,

Let me start with a very serious question Congressman. In 1965, which offense could your soul and spirt accept less, the institutional effort to refuse you and other blacks the right to express your voice participating in the political process via the ballot box or the effort by GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS to physically beat you and other demonstrators in order to SILENCE your voices and serve as a warning to others to scare them into turning their heads to injustice?

Given that you and so many others bravely risked serious harm marching on Bloody Sunday, I assume that the fear of being beaten and possibly death was easier for you to accept then the continuation of being denied the basic right to participate in the political process with your vote - your voice.

While I could not attend the recent rally in Washington, I did attend 2 tea party rallies in the last year and have been proud to stand with my fellow citizens. I was very concerned to hear about charges that a group of tea party protesters shouted racial slurs over and over again - "a chorus" as the reports indicated. While I do not believe thousands and thousands of protesters should be smeared by the actions of a few, I was very curious and intent on looking into these reports myself because the people I had met would never utter such words nor allow a group of people to utter them in our presence without confronting them sternly and insisting they leave.

I read everything I could about the incident and have watched many videos trying to see and hear for myself. I have become convinced that Representative Andre Carson and Representative Emanuel Cleaver are not telling the truth. Racism is a very serious charge - It should not be made lightly.

You lent your name to this charge based on hearsay. There are now many videos posted that do not show what Representative Carson and Representative Cleaver asserted yet this charge continues to smear the thousands and thousands of your fellow citizens loud, but peaceful, protesting.

I say this with 100% of the courage of my convictions, I would rather have been beaten by you and the other members of your group and have the proof of those scars and the blood stains. My soul and spirit could endure that better than the malicious smears against us as racists which is nothing more than an effort by GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS to intimidate and silence LAW ABIDING, PEACEFUL, citizens trying to petition our government concerning a health-care bill and out-of-control spending that we do not like, think is hurtful to our families, to our country and ALL its citizens regardless of color.

Congressman Lewis, regardless of your position on health-care or your personal opinions on the tea party protests, please do not let this charge against me and our fellow brothers and sisters stand without investigating for yourself. Please speak to Rep Carson and Rep Cleaver and look them in the eyes.

If you determine that these charges are false or exaggerated and say nothing to correct the record you have become one of those men on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Whether you can see it or not you have become a government official trying to silence me and scare others from speaking up and I grieve for your heart and soul and our county.

I have a clear conscience knowing that at every rally I attended I behaved respectively and so did every other person I observed, reports to the contrary are slander and those who level it should be ashamed.

It is time to apologize if you have the character that Dr. King dreamed we would all be judged by.

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I believe that all speaks for itself and how many of us feel.

Remember to keep yourself informed and don't be afraid to speak out.