Lonzie Cox – 8/27/08

This page was last updated on August 29, 2008.

McCain blathers about race; Lonzie Cox, Jr.; Beaver County Times; August 27, 2008. I am not related to Mr. Cox.

I usually don’t comment about a letter’s title because the Times usually assigns the title, not the letter author. I’m calling attention to the title in this case because nowhere in his letter did Mr. Cox use the word “blather.” Regardless of who entitled the letter, however, you have to get a kick out of it. Most of Mr. Cox’s 30+ letters since 2004 are tinged with race.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“The trivialization of the presidential campaign continues.

“Last week it was the candidate’s houses. Two weeks ago it was supposedly some imaginary ‘race card’ played by Sen. Barack Obama.”

[RWC] Here’s the comment to which the McCain campaign referred. In Springfield, MO, on August 1^st, Barack Obama said, “So nobody really thinks that Bush or McCain have a real answer for the challenges we face, so what they’re going to try to do is make you scared of me. You know, he’s not patriotic enough. He’s got a funny name. You know, he doesn’t look like all those other presidents on those dollar bills, you know. He’s risky. That’s essentially the argument they’re making.” It’s clear Mr. Obama was accusing the McCain campaign of racism.

Mr. McCain’s campaign manager responded, “Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck. It’s divisive, negative, shameful and wrong.”

In fairness to Mr. Obama, playing on race has been a staple of Democrat tactics for decades. For example, DNC chairman Howard “The scream” Dean routinely refers to Republicans as if the party is a whites-only club. During the 1990s, Democrats told us black churches would burn if we elected Republicans. The examples go on and on. Given the Democrat and Republican records on race, it’s amazing Democrats get away with this tactic, but that’s what happens when the press provides cover.

“By promoting this stupid race card notion, Sen. John McCain detracted from his efforts to be seen as a mature, thoughtful and experienced candidate. He proved that all one can learn by being a prisoner of war is how to survive being a prisoner of war.”

[RWC] If you believe Mr. Cox could ever consider anyone on the right to be “a mature, thoughtful and experienced candidate,” you haven’t been paying attention to Mr. Cox’s letters over the years. In his “defense,” Mr. Cox also bashes blacks on the right. You may recall Mr. Cox referred to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as an Uncle Tom.

Mr. Cox attempts to demean Mr. McCain’s service with the comment that Mr. McCain “proved that all one can learn by being a prisoner of war is how to survive being a prisoner of war.” What did Mr. Obama learn from being a Chicago street organizer?

“The phrase race card came out of the O.J. Simpson murder trial when racist detective Mark Fuhrman was proven to have planted evidence to convict Simpson. At any rate, race card implies that being black in America proffers some social advantage for people of color.”

[RWC] Sorry, Mr. Cox, wrong again on three counts.

First, the phrase “race card” was used in England at least as far back as the 1960s.

Second, no one proved “Mark Fuhrman … planted evidence to convict Simpson.”

Third, use of “race card” is not intended to confer “social advantage for people of color” but to distract people from the real issue. For example, opposition to leftist black candidates is routinely portrayed as racism by whites on the right. You’ll note it’s not racism for white leftists to oppose conservative black candidates.

“I defy anyone to show me where being black in America makes one privileged.”

[RWC] Has Mr. Cox heard of so-called “affirmative action” and “diversity” programs? In 1990, Mr. Cox’s candidate, Barack Obama, said he “undoubtedly benefited from affirmative action” in his academic career.

“Did the slaves have a race card?”

[RWC] How could they? Didn’t Mr. Cox tell us it wasn’t invented until the O.J. Simpson trial of the mid-1990s? Seriously, though, you’ll note Mr. Cox goes back from 53 to over 140 years ago for four of his five “examples.” And which party was it that supported slavery and Jim Crow laws? That would be Mr. Cox’s Democrat party.

“Did those who lived through Jim Crow have one?

“Did the black World War II veteran, blinded by police while in uniform, have a race card to play?

“What about ongoing job discrimination? Explain the advantage, McCain, please.”

[RWC] I repeat, has Mr. Cox heard of so-called “affirmative action” and “diversity” programs?

“Could Emmitt Till have played his race card when he was murdered by Mississippi terrorists in 1955?

“I don’t want to hear anymore about race cards, John McCain.”

[RWC] Ah, the leftist solution to what they don’t want to hear. Shut up the opposition.