There Is No Excuse For Racism

This following statement should not have to be said in 2012:  There is no excuse for racism – zero, nada, nothing, none.

Any candidate for office – whatever their party – who perpetuates racist positions should not be tolerated.

Sure, everyone has the right to free speech, but candidates who repeatedly made racist statements should have zero people voting for them.  They should have no support for their positions which are clearly wrong.

The recent statements that have come out from three Republican legislative candidates are beyond troubling.  They are disgusting. They are ignorant. They are hateful.

I don’t know Charlie Fuqua.  I have only met Rep. Loy Mauch and Rep. Jon Hubbard once.  I don’t know their hearts, but their statements are clearly racist.

Hubbard wrote a chapter is his book of angry “letters to the editor” entitled “The Black Blessing in Disguise.”  He argues that African-American were “blessed” to be brought to the United States in chains and forced into slavery.  Why?  Because they eventually became citizens in the United States which is the greatest nation on the earth instead of Africa.

This is racist!  I repeat, THIS IS RACIST!!!

That should be obvious, but apparently Hubbard does not think so and instead released a statement blaming “Obama-Pelosi-Beebe Democrats” for attacking him.  That is irrational.

It is his own words that are attacking him.  Words that he not only sent in a letter to a newspaper editor, but he felt they were worthy of being put into a book to be published and sold.

Fuqua also wrote a book called “God’s Law: The Only Political Solution” in which he argues that Muslims should be “expelled” from the United States and repeat offenders should be executed.  Again, this is pure madness.  When asked by the Associated Press about these statements, Fuqua said he believes his views are  “fairly well-accepted by most people.” He is wrong — they are not.

Mauch also wrote several letters to the editor over the years, one of which stated, “Nowhere in the Holy Bible have I found a word of condemnation for the operation of slavery, Old or New Testament.”

This statement is offensive on a political, moral, spiritual, and basic human level.  Not only is it factually inaccurate and racist, but it might also be considered blasphemous.  I would refer Mauch to the book of Exodus, the book of Philemon, Luke 4:18, Romans 6:20, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11, and John 8:34 to begin with.

But again, this is not a debate we should even be having.

Anyone who argues that owning another human being is acceptable should not be elected to office.  If Hubbard, Fuqua, and/or Mauch have been misquoted or somehow taken out of context, fine – come forward and explain it.  But this one is not Democrats’ fault — it’s your own words.

Finally, let me say that the statements from these three are NOT mainstream Republican views in Arkansas.  Republicans are embarrassed by these words and it is time for them to follow the leadership of Congressman Rick Crawford and Congressman Tim Griffin and say so.

I understand those on the left are using these horrible statements in an effort to defeat Republicans in 2012.  Can you blame them?  You shouldn’t.  You should know that I am not one of those on the left.  But I do call it as I see it and winning the majority in the state legislature is not worth tolerating racists.