Lewis defends 'Wallace' remarks

[endthewar]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/Lewis_defends_Wallace_remarks.html

"Rep. John Lewis defended his criticism of the tone of McCain’s attacks on Obama at a forum on the 1965 Voting Rights Act last night at the Paley Center for the Media in New York.

“My only reference was to the toxic language that reminded me of another period, and rather than using George Wallace’s name, I probably should have used Joe McCarthy’s, and they wouldn’t be accusing me of using race. But it's hate speech," he said in response to a question from Pat Mitchell, the head of the Paley Center, according to a transcript from the event.

He said of Obama: "I see in this election as a down payment, as an installment, on making the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. and a dream of America real, moving us closer to a truly muliti-racial democracy to build in the beloved community. I think he is the personification of the hopes and dreams and aspirations of many, many people.”"

[H2O Man]

1. Thank you, John Lewis.

Nominated.

[endthewar]

2. Yeah, he really kicked McCain's teeth in here.

I love how the McCarthy comment meshes perfectly with comments by Bachmann, Palin, and those other Republicans being made famous for their anti-American soundbites. :patriot:

[quantass]

3. k&r

[UnrepentantUnitarian]

4. Another message most people won't hear...

The MSM won't focus on it. Maybe Lewis should be a guest on Obama's 30-minute TV program, where he could talk about this "beloved community" vision, and how hate-speech--whatever the source--only undermines it?

[MagickMuffin]

5. Rep. Lewis would know how things can get outta hand when HATE is incited against skin color

I never thought that the rethuglicons would be so open about it. It truly is a sad day in America when Hate Speech, and Fear, are used by politicians to incite their masses that can easily escalate into mob mentality.

Thank Mr. Lewis for sticking to guns. Don't let them bully you into submission.

I too have the same Dream as MLK that we move beyond race, and judge people by their character and not by the color of ones skin.