“21st century Willie Horton”: Right-wing race-baiting and the phony New Black Panthers scandal

Written by Eric Hananoki

Published

Right-wing media have amplified the race-baiting behind the completely unsubstantiated allegations that President Obama's Justice Department engaged in racially charged “corruption” in the New Black Panther Party case. Now, CNN contributor and RedState.com editor-in-chief Erick Erickson has called on Republicans to “seize on this issue” and turn the New Black Panther Party into the “21st century Willie Horton.”

Adams: DOJ's action in New Black Panther case shows racially charged corruption

Adams: DOJ decision not to pursue charges in New Black Panther case demonstrates racially charged corruption. J. Christian Adams, a GOP activist, penned a Washington Times op-ed leveling accusations of a “corrupt” and racially charged dismissal of the New Black Panther Party case and appeared in a two-part interview with Fox News' Megyn Kelly. During the interview, Adams accused the Justice Department of “a hostility in the voting section and in the civil rights division to bringing cases on behalf of white victims for the benefit of national racial minorities.” Adams further said that “the decision to dismiss this case was corrupt,” adding, “to abandon law-abiding citizens and abet wrongdoers constitutes corruption.” In a Pajamas Media post, Adams wrote:

If we had that frank, truthful discussion about race, we'd learn that the Obama administration doesn't believe some civil rights laws protect every American. The Bush Civil Rights Division was willing to protect all Americans from racial discrimination; during the Obama years, the Holder years, only some Americans will be protected. Americans have a right to know and judge the racial policies of the administration they elected in 2008.

A “21st century Willie Horton”: Right-wing media turns up race-baiting behind phony scandal

Erickson: Turn New Black Panthers case into Willie Horton ad. In a July 13 blog post, headlined, "[New Black Panther Party member] King Samir Shabazz Should Be 2010's Willie Horton," CNN contributor and RedState.com editor-in-chief Erick Erickson wrote: “Republican candidates nationwide should seize on this issue. The Democrats are giving a pass to radicals who advocate killing white kids in the name of racial justice and who try to block voters from the polls.” Erickson added: “The Democrats will scream racism. Let them. Republicans are not going to pick up significant black support anyway.” Erickson's employer, CNN, notes that the Willie Horton ad “played to racial fears and portrayed Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis as soft on crime.”

Fox's Glenn Beck program: an hour of race-baiting. During the July 12 edition of his Fox News program, Glenn Beck repeatedly added to his already long history of race-baiting:

  • Beck claimed “radical revolutionaries,” and the New Black Panthers “have ties to the White House.”
  • Beck claimed, “We seem to be experiencing a government that doesn't care about racism from [The New Black Panther Party].”

Beck: “They want a race war ... and our government is going to stand by and let them do it.” On the July 12 edition of his radio program, while discussing the New Black Panther Party, Beck said: “They want a race war. We must be peaceful people. They are going to poke, and poke, and poke, and our government is going to stand by and let them do it.” Beck added, “We must take the role of Martin Luther King, because I do not believe that Martin Luther King believed in, 'Kill all white babies.'”

Beck: NBPP are part of Obama's “army of thugs.” On his July 9 radio program, Beck claimed that the New Black Panther Party is part of Obama's “army of thugs.” Beck also claimed during the show that Obama is sympathetic to the NBPP's hate speech.

Limbaugh: Obama and Holder “continue to protect and represent” New Black Panthers. During his July 12 show, Rush Limbaugh said that Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder “continue to protect and represent” the New Black Panther Party.

Levin: New Black Panthers are part of the “armies of the left.” On his July 12 program, conservative radio host Mark Levin falsely claimed that Eric Holder didn't “allow sentencing” for New Black Panthers, and added that the NBPP are part of the “armies of the left.” Levin previously claimed that Holder, the nation's first African-American attorney general, “embraces the New Black Panthers.”

Quinn: Welfare breeds “indolence” and “hatred.” Radio host Jim Quinn said on his July 8 program, in response to an anti-white rant by a member of the New Black Panther Party, that welfare breeds “indolence” and “hatred.”

Race-baiting continues pattern. Media Matters previously noted numerous examples of conservative media figures using the New Black Panther Party for race-baiting.