AP
In a speech to Justice Department employees marking Black History Month, Holder said the workplace is largely integrated but Americans still self-segregate on the weekends and in their private lives.
“Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards,” said Holder, nation’s first black attorney general.
Race issues continue to be a topic of political discussion, Holder said, but “we, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race.”
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RESIGN. RESIGN NOW.
portlandon on February 18, 2009 at 1:27 PM
It takes a brave man to give a midnight pardon to Marc Rich and not be worried about appearing like a totally corrupt douche-nozzle… or maybe it just takes a Democrat.
Tacitus_SGL on February 18, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Wait just one minute. Some of my best friends are cowards!
Christien on February 18, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Well is it hard to see why many avoid it when even innocent remarks or non-racial communication is tagged as hate speech and racism? I assume most people don’t want to touch it with a ten foot pole, thans to sky-is-falling racial whistleblowers like Rev. Sharpton.
Ferris on February 18, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Wow! I’m not only a racist but I’m also a coward! I’m going to crawl up in a ball and have a little cry. I feel so bad about myself! I hope Barack can fix me over the next 4 years. I really am a piece of sh!t!
sabbott on February 18, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Irony is indignant.
This from the black AG, in an Obama Admin. in the U.S., not so many years after MLK had a “dream”.
MLK’s dream wasn’t realized, the lefties hypocrisy was, and this idiot talks like this.
As I said during the run toward Nov. 04 – the One will do more to ruin racial relations in this country than most progress made in the last 30 years. It’s on.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Human nature. People for the most part want to be with people like themselves. This is a fact that only starts with race or ethnicity and further divides into countless categories, “jocks” vs “nerds”, men/women, Libs/Cons, rednecks/urban, etc. Holder is a typical moralizing Lib.
DerKrieger on February 18, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Is 1984 over yet?
faraway on February 18, 2009 at 1:34 PM
In their own private lives? How dare they? HOW DARE THEY — ?!?
/sarc
Kent18 on February 18, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Wow, that’s really going to win a lot of support for his boss (and him as well) … just a few months after America just voted in it’s first black president.
I knew the Dems were stupid, but dayum, they are surprising even me now.
thirteen28 on February 18, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Not until at least 2012.
Ferris on February 18, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Can Holder tell me that the election was not a PC megafark? When he can say that, I’ll believe the liberals’ blathering on topic.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 1:36 PM
I’m afraid.
faraway on February 18, 2009 at 1:37 PM
How is it that whites are always called the racists? It would be hard to beat Holder on this topic. That’s about as racist remark as I’ve heard in a long, long time. Was he a member of Wright’s congregation too?
jeanie on February 18, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Also, I don’t segregate on weekends, nor otherwise. I invite and associate with people based on their character, interests, intelligence, personality, etc. and not at all on the color of their skin or the origins of their grandparents.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 1:37 PM
“Melting pot”? The whole point of “multiculturalism” is the destruction of the idea of assimilation. If these Leftists really love the “melting pot”… they should support English-Only and dispense with non-melting-pot things such as “Black History Month”.
mankai on February 18, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Getting pretty close to a hate crime, ain’t it?
a capella on February 18, 2009 at 1:39 PM
How much social, economic and racial discord can one administration sow in a month?
baldilocks on February 18, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Wait!! We do not have to go on the defensive here. It is Holder who is wrong and insulting and should be taken to task for offending so many. HE is the racist.
jeanie on February 18, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Holder: You’re all cowards, except for you brave ones who voted for my boss!
Christien on February 18, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Wow is he really asking us to discuss things like
Crime as it pertains to race
Illegitimacy as it pertains to race
The pros and cons of Affirmative Action
College admission as it pertains to race
preference in Government Contracts as it pertains to race
The morality of hate crimes
The need for Equal Opportunity Equal Employment Offices
The right of people to associate as they see fit versus the need to integrate
Does he really want to have this conversation?
LincolntheHun on February 18, 2009 at 1:40 PM
What is he talking about? I watch Bernie Mac all the time.
lorien1973 on February 18, 2009 at 1:40 PM
I was going to bring this very topic up with my white friends during White History Month.
FuriousAmerican on February 18, 2009 at 1:42 PM
If Osama Obama had any b*lls — or really meant any of the drivel about race he was spouting during the campaign — he would fire Holder’s butt by close of business today.
This is the sort of crap I’d expect from “Rev.” Wright or Al Sharpton. Look for the underlying issue, the unspoken demand: when someone says “we, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race” the subtext is: “we of a particular race aren’t getting enough attention/government preference.”
I suppose in an affirmative-action president’s administration, we can expect to be hit with this sort of dung-bomb over and over.
MrScribbler on February 18, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Hey, Holder, LET THE YELLA BE MELLOW!
/Just for you, Baldi.
Christien on February 18, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Disgraceful. Backlash a comin’ in 2010 and beyond.
marklmail on February 18, 2009 at 1:48 PM
In reruns, to be sure.
Stop it!
baldilocks on February 18, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Racist cartoon? or coward?
faraway on February 18, 2009 at 1:49 PM
hell yea, every day!
mountaineer for liberty on February 18, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Yes, especially cowardly are those who don’t defend themselves strongly enough against people who so easily accuse others of being racist.
misslizzi on February 18, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Some Americans have gone, within the span of their lives, from not being allowed to eat at a restaurant because they are not black and being terrorised because they are black to seeing fellow black Americans fill roles as respected journalists, CEO’s of massive corporations and serve as Secretary of State and even as President of the United States.
This is remarkable but Holder and his ilk will never admit this because the ‘divisive racial politics’ they deride yet use at every opportunity is a cornerstone of their political strategy.
gwelf on February 18, 2009 at 1:52 PM
My take: neither racist nor cowardly. Just ill-conceived.
I don’t see it as making any point.
MrScribbler on February 18, 2009 at 1:54 PM
Then Holder would replace our right of free association with some kind of ‘fairness’ doctrine? For every hour you spend with folks of your own race this weekend, you will be required to spend an hour with people of another race? Call it ’social justice’.
Holder hides behind the rhetoric of ‘melting pot’ to fan the embers of racial distrust. It seems gratuitous, and I’m betting it was no accident. My bet is that Holder’s laying the groundwork for some ham-fisted policies.
petefrt on February 18, 2009 at 1:54 PM
They were going to protest anyway… they just needed a convenient excuse. It’s Thursday… somebody, somewhere in America is being racist… or Al is behind on his media face-time… take your pick.
mankai on February 18, 2009 at 1:54 PM
The money quote is, predictably, paraphrased on page 2.
And here I thought they had a “special responsibililty” to uphold federal law. Silly me.
hillbillyjim on February 18, 2009 at 1:54 PM
This whole ‘we need to talk’ about race meme is a not-so-clever trap – if we don’t talk about race we’re cowards/closet racists/uncaring. If we talk about race and our opinions and experiences don’t fit into the liberal framing of the issues of race then we are bigots/racists/Neanderthals. Notice how most of the time someone complains that we never talk about race they start the ‘conversation’ with hurling accusations?
gwelf on February 18, 2009 at 1:56 PM
01.21.13
Kid from Brooklyn on February 18, 2009 at 1:57 PM
How is what he said racist? He just said all of us should be less hesitant to have frank conversations about racial issues.
So every other month except for February?
crr6 on February 18, 2009 at 1:59 PM
…and all the hyphenated this, or that. You are to refer to me, henceforth, as a Transylvanian-American woman.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 1:59 PM
When are you, and yours, going to be just Americans? When? And, what will it take?
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 2:00 PM
I hate to say it, but Holder is absolutely right. Caucasians have allowed themselves to be discriminated against because of their lack of melanin content and are terrified to stand up to the scapegoaters. The US Caucasians are also the first people in world history who have resigned themselves to go from demographic majority to scapegoated minority without a shot fired.
Buddahpundit on February 18, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Is that Romanian-Transylvanian American or Hungarian-Transylvanian-American???
misslizzi on February 18, 2009 at 2:02 PM
+1
awake on February 18, 2009 at 2:03 PM
My usual weekend hangout crew includes 2 white folks, 3 Mexicans (one gay), an Israeli and a Persian.
Am I exempt from any further lecturing by this idiot since I happen to live in an area diverse enough that it’s easy to hang out with all sorts of people when I want to…and I’ve been lucky enough to find a bunch of awesome people that like playing video games?
JadeNYU on February 18, 2009 at 2:03 PM
Don’t forget, Holder was the coward who ordered Elian Gonzalez removed at the point of a machine gun.
JammieWearingFool on February 18, 2009 at 2:03 PM
“They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.”
Who is the subject of the sentence referenced directly above?
Did Obama author the last stimulus bill?
Kent18 on February 18, 2009 at 2:03 PM
How deranged would that be.
“Hey neighbor , i see you’re black , not that i matters”
I would be straight out of “The office” .
the_nile on February 18, 2009 at 2:05 PM
misslizzi, good point, Romanian-Transylvanian-white-trash-legally-naturalized-hard-working-tax-paying-not-Government-tit-sucking-American-woman.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 2:05 PM
Holder said the workplace is largely integrated but Americans still self-segregate on the weekends and in their private lives.
……….
Like Obama’s former church of 20 years?
artist on February 18, 2009 at 2:05 PM
But , do you “talk” about it. cowards..
the_nile on February 18, 2009 at 2:06 PM
Good question. Who is this they? Who is the chimp that’s mauling the country? Pelosi? Reid? Congress? Obama? All of the above?
misslizzi on February 18, 2009 at 2:07 PM
OK. I’ll start the discussion.
What is up with black on black hate crimes? Blacks are killed by blacks most of the time. Racism!
What is up with white people being accosted in black neighborhoods? Racism!
Why aren’t drug dealers being targeted by the IRS? Because they are black? Racism!
Why are blacks thought to need assistance in matters of education, jobs, and abortions? RACISM!
Feel free to discuss these amongst yourselves, you pitiful racist Socialists.
DannoJyd on February 18, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Discuss. I think it’s been talked about incessantly for years. Tell us what you’re looking for, or what it is that you feel is being avoided. For my part, I work with, lecture at hospitals across the country, mixed audience all over, associate with, discuss just about any topic, regardless of race, or anything else. What is it that you are looking for?
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 2:08 PM
My guess is that Holder is merely laying the groundwork for some new policy changes that won’t sit well with most of us, such as nixing raids on employers of illegal immigrants, or pursuing shaky discrimination charges.
Just spitballin’.
hillbillyjim on February 18, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Abject groveling…?
That’s just a guess, mind.
Kent18 on February 18, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Blacks only make up 13% of the population.
Wouldn’t it be normal to miss such a small group?
faraway on February 18, 2009 at 2:11 PM
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve hears that whites cannot discuss racism because all whites are racist. I’ve also heard that blacks can never be racist because they are black.
I see no reason to even attempt to open a dialogue with such closed minded people. Period!
DannoJyd on February 18, 2009 at 2:11 PM
How many white folks went to Obama’s church every weekend?
How many poor whites received the social services provided by Obama’s church?
How about Louis Farrakhan? I’ll bet his backyard bar-b-qs were just veritable melting pots of Americana.
funky chicken on February 18, 2009 at 2:11 PM
That’s great. More people should be like you then. In my experience people love to talk about race…to people within their own race.
crr6 on February 18, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Actually, during other months in school I learned history based on which unit we were studying.
Ancient Egypt to Rome to the dark ages to the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, Punic Wars to Revolutionary wars to Civil wars to World wars to Cold wars, Slave trades to Communist uprisings to assassinations to Civil Rights movements to “Tear down this wall”….
All the other months of the year, what I studied was grouped based upon eras and events.
It was ONLY in February that I studied something based solely on race.
Far from being “White History”, the other 11 months are simply “History”.
JadeNYU on February 18, 2009 at 2:11 PM
More people should try not to make it an issue. That involves actions, not talk.
misslizzi on February 18, 2009 at 2:13 PM
More like smart people do not go where they are not wanted. Can you imagime walking in a black neighborhood when you are white? I would rather step on a snakes tail in the dark.
STOOOOPID!
DannoJyd on February 18, 2009 at 2:14 PM
Next month is Womens History Month. I have to ask, why did my ******* get more time than my ******?
The Race Card on February 18, 2009 at 2:16 PM
“Wow is he really asking us to discuss things like
Crime as it pertains to race
Illegitimacy as it pertains to race
The pros and cons of Affirmative Action
College admission as it pertains to race
preference in Government Contracts as it pertains to race
The morality of hate crimes
The need for Equal Opportunity Equal Employment Offices
The right of people to associate as they see fit versus the need to integrate”
To this list I would only add,
Discussing who the actual racists are TODAY.
Who talks race 24 hours a day seven days a week?
Who looks at everything they do through the WARPed lens of race?
3 guesses. The first two dont count.
dogsoldier on February 18, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Unless you went to some weird experimental school your education was very Euro-centric. Which honestly, I think is fine. But don’t act like BHM interrupted your otherwise multi-cultural education.
crr6 on February 18, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Might be a new one – the one about not asking if en employee is here legally, or not, was already removed - it was hidden in the ’stimulus’ bill.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 2:18 PM
As opposed to every other country in the world…
Jim Treacher on February 18, 2009 at 2:20 PM
Huh?
misslizzi on February 18, 2009 at 2:20 PM
Wow. My respect for you just went to 0, Mr. Holder.
WisCon on February 18, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Yes, the liberals snuck it in there, and it’s one of the unreported items about this big national travesty. Employers no longer are to ask if employees are here legally, when as before they could make use of that law. Gone.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Yeah, I’ve been waiting for that to hit the mainstream front page. /s
I suspect it is above and beyond that; otherwise, why would he open that can of worms when it’s already (stealth) law? (Not that much this administration has done has an abundance of logic attached.)
hillbillyjim on February 18, 2009 at 2:24 PM
The amazing Mr Holder ought to have one hell of a speech at the Cuban Boy Kidnapped at Gunpoint by U.S. Government Day celebrations.
Limerick on February 18, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Because every time one half of the people try to talk about race, they are branded as racist.
Grafted on February 18, 2009 at 2:25 PM
No, there’s no room left on the calendar after Hispanic Heritage month, Asian Pacific-American Heritage month, Dominican Heritage month, Women’s History month, Sexual Assault Awareness month (paired in the same month as National STD Education and Awareness month, naturally), South Asian Heritage month, Haitian Heritage month, Caribbean American Heritage month (I don’t understand why the Haitians don’t qualify, since the American Indians and Alaska Natives have to share both a month and a designation), Filipino American History month, National German Heritage month, Italian-American Heritage month….
Not to even mention that Turkey Lover’s month isn’t even in November, it’s in June where it, National Seafood month, National Soul Food month, and National Candy month get lumped in with National Hunger Awareness month. Maybe if they gave tomatoes more than just the first day in June there wouldn’t be so much hunger to be aware of for the rest of the month.
James on February 18, 2009 at 2:25 PM
This is reminding me of beloved Phila. mayor John Street, addressing the NAACP:
“Oh, yes. The brothers and sisters are running this city. Running it! Don’t you let nobody fool you, we are in charge of the City of Brotherly Love. We are in charge! We are in charge!”
All the black Republicans I know, and I know quite a few, just shake their heads at this type of attitude-because they’ve already transcended Holder’s tiny worldview, and are successful here in the “US of KKA” to quote our Presidents moral compass…
hippie_chucker on February 18, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Unless it has changed, I believe it removed the requirement that anyone receiving stimulus money use e-verify to check employees’ status.
hillbillyjim on February 18, 2009 at 2:27 PM
What does this have to do with any sort of stimulus???
Okay, I know it’s off-topic. Gotta go Google!
misslizzi on February 18, 2009 at 2:27 PM
hillbillyjim on February 18, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Okay, now I get the connection. Thanks.
misslizzi on February 18, 2009 at 2:29 PM
The Senate version prevailed.
Entelechy on February 18, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Or if they are, it’s reverse racism. Because of course, normal racism is European people being prejudiced against African people. Asians and Hispanics? They always get along great!
Jim Treacher on February 18, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Black History Month, Black Caucus in Congress, Black Television (BET), black colleges, black separatists churches.
I see what he means by “Americans still self-segregate”
faraway on February 18, 2009 at 2:36 PM
This is another good told ya so moment.
It certainly isn’t that I am so smart. It is more like democrats, including Da Bama, are just so predictable. [yawn]
DannoJyd on February 18, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Exactly, and such are the attempts to empower those who refuse to earn it.
So much whine, so little cheese.
P
DannoJyd on February 18, 2009 at 2:41 PM
I never claimed to have a multi-cultural history education. What I said is that everything else is taught based on eras or events.
In my opinion, the history I was taught was not designed to be Euro-centric but America-centric. We learned about the places and cultures that contributed to and led up to our own. We don’t learn the history of China in detail – we learn about Chinese immigrants in the U.S. then fast forward to Mao and his cultural revolution because that’s where it affected us. We learn about the Sioux because the U.S. had many interactions with them instead of learning about the Tutchone in northern Canada. With the middle east we learn about spices during the Crusades and that’s about it.
In large part, Africa remains uncovered in history classes in the U.S. not because people are racists but because, with the exception of the slave trade (which is covered) the continent has not played a large role in the history of the western world.
When you get right down to it, even the “Black History” taught in black history month is America-centric. We learn about Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Banneker, Martin Luther King Jr. and the like. We’re still not learning non-American-oriented history. Furthermore, we also cover each of those people in their given era based units (Abolition Movement, Foundation of D.C., Civil Rights Movement, etc).
JadeNYU on February 18, 2009 at 2:50 PM
When will a ‘journalist’ ask Obama what he thinks of Mr. Holder’s comments – and what did he mean by them?
faraway on February 18, 2009 at 2:57 PM
So black folks who only hang out with black folks on the weekends are racists? Who’d have thought?
ctmom on February 18, 2009 at 3:02 PM
I’ll join that bandwagon…now I am Appalachian-American.
mountaineer for liberty on February 18, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Who knows?
But if and when he answers, he’ll start it off with “As I said before, in my landmark
farce of aspeech on race….”misslizzi on February 18, 2009 at 3:03 PM
We are all HotAir-Americans now.
faraway on February 18, 2009 at 3:05 PM
EEE Haaaaw! We’ll git us a banjo and have us a hoe-down! In between all of the grits and stuff.
hillbillyjim on February 18, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Nothing has come close to holding racial harmony back in this country as much as the well-oiled Democrat grievance machine, designed to produce suspicion, disaffection, resentment, and racial distrust, and thus more “correct” voters as Democrats constantly pander to it.
Go to hell, hypocrite. If you want to see the cause of what you cynically lament, look at your own hands and the hands of those around you in your party. They are filthy.
drunyan8315 on February 18, 2009 at 3:12 PM
We can’t discuss it because once the liberal starts losing his argument…drum roll please… He calls the conservative a racist.
roux on February 18, 2009 at 3:16 PM
Is it OK to use the word “C**ksucker” on this blog?
franksalterego on February 18, 2009 at 3:21 PM
That’s very true, which is the only reason why we have the idiot messiah as our Precedent and this moron, Holder, as AG.
progressoverpeace on February 18, 2009 at 3:23 PM
And don’t forget about Black Miss America Contest and the United Negro College Fund.
txsurveyor on February 18, 2009 at 3:23 PM
Let’s see… I looked back through my Outlook Calendar for the past few years to count the number of times any of my black co-workers invited me to chill with them at an evening or weekend social event. That would add up to NONE. Why is it up to whitey to do the inviting?
behiker on February 18, 2009 at 3:28 PM
So is it ok NOW to criticize the black culture without being labeled Hitler? I mean, I would hate to be coward about discussing race.
ClassicCon on February 18, 2009 at 3:33 PM
Of course, this is simply a ploy to goad us into conversation which will then be construed as racist. Watch out HotAir.
faraway on February 18, 2009 at 3:33 PM
hahaha by golly I reckon we’re fixin for a good time
mountaineer for liberty on February 18, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Allah’s boss works Holder like a gymnasium speed bag, re: “nation of cowards.”
Kent18 on February 18, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Eric, STFU.
jdflorida on February 18, 2009 at 3:45 PM
I wonder if this now means that the Justice Department is going to go after the Congressional Black Caucus for not allowing white members in their midst?
ElRonaldo on February 18, 2009 at 3:51 PM
I think it’s the PC crowd that has made us not want to discuss race. If people express their real feelings, they lose their jobs or worse. That kind of explains it.
keep the change on February 18, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Oooh, that’ll teach him!
That struck me more as torture via the “Comfy Chair.”
Allah, Michelle and Ed — along with Jonah Goldberg — voice polite, mild disagreement as Osama Obama and his minions chip away at the foundations of our nation.
I’d hate to see what would provoke them to actually take a stand. It’d probably be something we wouldn’t survive.
MrScribbler on February 18, 2009 at 3:54 PM
Enough with the flogging us with race issues crap, just, enough!
The country is sinking like the Titanic and this effing moron is flustered over the configuration of the deck chairs.
Alden Pyle on February 18, 2009 at 3:54 PM
Nothing lasts forever.
Speakup on February 18, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Are these libs just trying to piss me off every freakin’ day now? I read HotAir everyday and am convinced the world has gone crazy.
misterspork on February 18, 2009 at 4:04 PM
How many times does a black politician have to stand up and slap white voters in the face before they wake up?
Hold you are an attention whore and if race is all you have to worry about while taking care of the United States of America then you are the coward.
lexa on February 18, 2009 at 5:33 PM