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In the Democratic primary for a Brooklyn congressional district two weeks ago, assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries romped to victory against controversial New York city councilman Charles Barron, perhaps best known for stating “I want to go up to the closest white person and say, ‘You can’t understand this, it’s a black thing’ and then slap him, just for my mental health” at a 2002 rally for reparations for slavery. Although the race was expected to be relatively close, Jeffries won by over 40 points in a landslide. But MoveOn.org, the progressive advocacy group that backed Jeffries, did a rather peculiar thing after their endorsed candidate won. They issued a mea culpa.
In an email sent out yesterday, Justin Reuben, MoveOn’s executive director, apologized profusely to members that his organization criticized Barron. His email started:
Last month, you received an email from MoveOn about Councilman Charles Barron, a candidate for Congress in your district. It was offensive and inflammatory—and we shouldn’t have sent it.On behalf of the MoveOn staff, I apologize to you and to the Brooklyn community.
The email was all too reminiscent of the kind of attacks that have been used by our opponents to divide progressives over and over again—white folks from African Americans, Jews from non-Jews, recent immigrants from descendants of immigrants, etc.
The original email about Barron labeled him “unfit to serve” and catalogued many of his more outlandish comments over the years, including his praise for Muammar Qadaffi and Robert Mugabe as well as his venomous disdain for the state of Israel. It ended by comparing Barron to the “most offensive tea partier. Those tea partiers, frankly, don’t belong in Congress. And neither does Charles Barron.”
Although it’s understandable why some at MoveOn might have found this rhetoric a little strident, it’s mind-boggling why they would apologize for it. After all, they backed the candidate who won in a landslide against the candidate described by the New York Daily News as a malignant clown. Normally, that’s worth a victory lap, not public self-flagellation.
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c u n d gulag on July 07, 2012 1:11 PM:
This.
THIS!
THIS IS WHY WE LIBERALS LOSE!!!
We're too damn nice.
We even apologize for calling people names. People ostensibly on our own side - crazy, or not.
When's the last time a Conservative ever said he/she was sorry, or apologized?
NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They issue some lame no-pology, and then go back to smearing, muddling, lying, and throwing red meat to their moronic and sociopathic base!!!
schtick on July 07, 2012 1:20 PM:
Amazing when an organization apologizes for telling the truth while the rest NEVER apologize for telling lies about everything. How freaking backasswards is that?
Mitt's Magic Underpants on July 07, 2012 2:16 PM:
Silly Ben -- Liberals are more concerned with everyone's fee-fees than winning!
beb on July 07, 2012 3:28 PM:
Someone with a lot of money got to Moveon.
second trip because of insane captcha
Matt on July 07, 2012 3:49 PM:
Somehow, I'm more offended by the suggestion that Barron's comments and behavior is representative of all black Americans in the issuance of this apology.
TCinLA on July 07, 2012 7:05 PM:
And now you see why I have moved on from MoveOn. They've been taken over by the chardonnay-and-Volvos set.
kyle on July 07, 2012 8:35 PM:
I think beb's on to something. Seems like this is a case where a tsk-tsk is nice but some reporting would be a lot more helpful.
... that fucking captcha is moronic.
Anonymous on July 08, 2012 5:56 AM:
Liberals are too damn nice is right.
Who the hell do we impress by turning the other cheek so much?
Emilio on July 08, 2012 8:40 AM:
I don't get this story. Either I'm losing it or there's a major problem with this alleged report: it's like one of those Breitbart stories, lacking veracity and lop-sided.
JEA on July 08, 2012 8:43 AM:
If you don't see any problem with Mr. Barron there's something seriously wrong with you.
CharlieM on July 08, 2012 10:38 AM:
It's inflammatory to compare Barron to Tea Partiers and suggest that neither belong in Congress????
More inflammatory rhetoric please.
DisgustedWithItAll on July 08, 2012 1:21 PM:
Why in the hell can't liberal take their own side in a fight?
DisgustedWithItAll on July 08, 2012 1:28 PM:
Believe me. It's time to spike some fucking footballs after a win. There is only one thing that will stop the obnoxiousness of the GOTea, and it isn't showing them wrong in a debate of the issues. They've figured out to avoid showing defeat in debates: they claim the facts are wrong, and visit the facts from an alternate universe.
The ONLY thing that will tamp down on their vicious, out-of-control nausea-inducing obnoxiousness is humiliation. Rub their fucking noses in it. And if you don't understand that, you aren't putting up with them on a day-to-day basis. These are ignorant, self-aggrandizing bullies. There is no other way.
dst mvy on July 09, 2012 10:54 AM:
It is about time we get rid of bad candidates in the PRIMARY elections. I've been a MoveOn member for years, organizing anything is like hearding cats. There are a lot of different opinions and they get expressed randomly through the organization. The one thing they agree on is that Rebublican crooks and the Democratic bums need to be tossed out.