one way to deal with charges of racism

[johngr]

With statements like this:

"Under bush II, N black americans have died and N have been injured in a needless war" Many black people see military service as a way out of poverty. There are more of them proportionally in the military ranks. My opponents want the death and maiming of black people in Iraq and possibly elsewhere to continue. Under my watch, not one of them will die in an undeclared war and I will not police the world at their expense." (Who's the real racist, in other words)

"Under the administrations of the past 40 years, uncounted black americans have had been incarcerated under draconian drug laws, which the constitution does not allow. They have been the overwhelmingly disproportionate victims of this. I will end this immediately as a matter of enforcement policy and work with congress to make sure that not one more african american has his liberty taken from him under such an unconstitutional law." That position might not win the black vote but it's an answer that's hard to counter."

Essentially, he should keep the focus on conduct rather than opinions or "what one feels in one's heart".

[Therion]

We don't need to play the race card to win.

[mdh]

Both of the same are true of white, hispanic, asian, and whatever else Americans too, though. Why create these artificial divisions based on race?

[enan]

Because in one of his newsletters, Ron Paul said something that could be construed as racist. Hence the purpose of this thread, I guess.

[johngr]

I'm not talking about "playing the race card" (it's not even in Dr. Paul's "deck"). Reading the thread title again, I see it could be ambiguous. I'm talking about how he responds to charges he's a racist. Certainly you've read about the infamous newsletter. He will probably have to deal with that problem.

I couldn't agree more that race should have nothing to do with anything Ron Paul says. Rights are rights and US citizens are US citizens. His opponents will try to smear him as a racist (they have little else). How he responds to such charges is very important, imo. I'm not sure that completely ignoring and refusing to respond would be the most effective strategy.

[Captain Shays]

I agree especially with regard to the claim that Ron Paul is an anti-semite. We need good strategies to counter this crap. Remember it practically ruined Pat Buchanon simply because in one of his books, or an interview he said that the USA shouldn't have gone into Europe to save the Jews from the haulocost.

Funny thing, I heard Michael Medved say the same thing two months ago and he's a very fundamental Jewish person yet it didn't ruin him. I guess because a Jew cannot be an anti-semite any more than someone of African decent can be a racist these days so they get away with racial slurs all day long while Imus gets the boot.

This is the world in which we live.

[johngr]

That doubletalking "anti-semite" smear is long past its "use by" date. It worked against Pat Buchanan in 1992. Alot has happened since then (and ordinary Americans have paid the price in blood and wealth). Calling Dr. Paul an "anti-semite" won't work -- in fact, it might have the opposite of the intended effect.

[RonPaul4President]

Sorry but I don't get the point of this thread. Are you trying to say that your quotes in the OP are racist? If so, they are not racist at all, imo.

Scenario: I hear gunshots. I call the police. As I'm talking to the dispatch I see a black man running down the street. I tell dispatch there is a black man running away from where I heard the gunshots.

Do you consider my comments to dispatch racist? To state a fact based on race is not racist. It is fact.

[johngr]

I personally think that "racist" connotes something not much different from "asshole" or "sinner". If (or maybe before) the "racist" smear against Dr. Paul gets traction, we'll need to deal with it, that's all I'm saying. It will have to be answered in some way that imparts something other than your or my view -- they are not to popular (in NLP terms, you need to "meet [people you want to influence] at their model of the world").

[Harald]

keeping wikipage up to date with links to RP responses to allegations should help

[Patriot]

I'm glad I found this thread. I was just about to ask the same question. It seems to me the racism charge is the most tangible criticism Mr. Paul's detractors can come up with.

Here is the way I have been dealing with it in other forums.

"Ron Paul is not a racist, he is a straight talker in a politically correct world. He tells it like it is and that may offend some people. "

Anyone else have any better suggestions?

[mesler]

I wonder if the best response would be for his supporters to each do their own research and to report their findings? For example, I'd as honestly as I could seek to find evidence in what Dr. Paul has said that would hint that he is racist, consider things he has said, and decide from that.

The biggest reason I feel that he's not a racist is because I feel he's a man of integrity, and if he says he didn't write those things (referring to the fleet-footed comments) I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and take him on his word.