We’re Not Racist, Say Tea Partiers—While Being Racist

We didn't need more confirmation of this but here it is.

By Jamilah King Jul 16, 2010

And so it goes. First the NAACP unanimously passes an amendment asking the Tea Party to repudiate its racist factions. Then the Tea Party responds: "What racist factions?" and gets, predictably, racist.

As Joan Walsh pointed out over at Salon, Sarah Palin wrote that all decent Americans "abhor racism." Especially her, because husband Todd is part Yupik Eskimo. Glenn Beck got involved. The St. Louis Tea Party suddenly became experts on the black American family structure. Tea Party activists took to Politico to defend what they called the "First Amendment rights of millions of Americans." And after comparing the NAACP to slave traders, Tea Party Express Inc. spokesperson Mark Williams penned a mock letter to President Clinton from Ben Jealous asking, "How will we Colored People ever get a wide screen TV in every room if non-coloreds get to keep what they earn?"

Thankfully, the helpful folks at Think Progress put together the video above that debunks all the nonsense. Shout out to our commenter SoutherGirl2 for putting us onto that one.

But as Kai Wright pointed out earlier this week, the whole argument is a moot point. The Tea Party’s motives and rhetoric are not exactly well kept secrets. But if it’s one thing their crazies do well, it’s inciting enough populist rage to impact public office. And that’s the scary part.