Rep. Charles Rangel likens conservative foes of health care reform to racist foes of civil rights

[sabra]

Source: NY Daily News

Scandal-plagued Rep. Charles Rangel, long a target of the right, fired back Wednesday at conservative opponents of health care - likening them to racist foes of civil rights.

Noting that he had been "cursed at and spat at" in the South in the '60s - as some Democratic congressmen say they were last week by anti-health care activists - Rangel said the similarities to Tea Party backers are striking.

"The group that were in Washington fighting against the health bill and fighting against the President, (they) looked just like and sounded just like those groups that attacked the civil rights movement in the South," Rangel, 79, told NY1's "Inside City Hall."


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/04/01/2010-04-01_charlie_teas_off_on_protesters.html

[defendandprotect]

1. Agree that there are racist overtones to this in the sense that ...

like Social Security and Medicare, it would cover everyone eventually if universal

single payer.

Social Security didn't reach all minorities at the time of its inception --

African-American women were often breadwinners, but domestics weren't covered.

Needless to say, the poorest among us are suffering the most from our long lack of

a universal health care system! And that's usually minorities/women.



Just want to add here a comment about preventive health care and post-natal care . . .

which everyone wants included in any HCR by the highest numbers.

Especially with a Cesarean rate of 38% in NJ, we need post-natal care to help families

cope and the newborn thrive. Home help and care --

And, overall -- Preventive care is the most sensible approach to keeping all Americans healthy!

[h9socialist]

2. Your darn-tootin' there's a lot of racism in the Tea Party movement!

I hope no one has any lingering doubts. The Tea Party movement is a form of populist fascism and racism is at its deepest core. Look at the caricatures of President Obama they use . . . those are invariably based on old racist stereotypes.

[kestrel91316]

3. There is a HUGE racist undertone to this opposition. I would venture a guess

that people of color are disproportionately represented among the medically uninsured/underserved.

[florida08]

4. Have to agree

with Charlie, and what's more incredulous are the GOP cheering them on.

[Democat]

5. Give 'em hell, Rangel!

Don't back down, go on the offensive against these racists!