Comments on: DC Greens Respond to Washington Post McKinney Piece

By: Steve Kramer

Steve Kramer — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:10:28 +0000

A good piece in response, though as I’ve said before, this is the Post and nothing really will change their slant. If Cynthia McKinney were to walk on water in front of their editorial board, the headline the next day would read, “MCKINNEY CAN’T SWIM”. :-)

Unfortunately, McKinney made it too easy for them to paint her in that fashion. She went public with her claim about killings in Louisiana without having a shred of evidence to back it up, and plays the 9/11 conspiracy nonsense front and center in her campaign. It seriously undermines her credibility.

If she’d just stick with the actual issues, such as challenging the Democrats on true universal health care and their plans to “shell-game” the troops rather than simply remove them from Iraq, and the Republicans on their plans which don’t even go that far, the Green message would get out better, and people from all over the political spectrum would realize what we’re about.

By: Reb

Reb — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:09:27 +0000

Ralph Nader may be of Arab and/or Greek ancestry, but he does not claim being a person of color in any political way. In fact, whenever he is confronted with anything regarding his “race”, he turns to some ancient “melting pot” ideology where race doesn’t appear to matter to him.

He may break down institutional racism in the U.S. well. However, he does not show to be actively anti-racist in his political thinking.

And for those of us who CANNOT LOOK WHITE, ACT WHITE, nor PASS AS WHITE, it is difficult not to see Ralph Nader as other than white. When Nader starts claiming some political identity over his racial background, then we can move forward accepting him as a person of color. Until then, people like McKinney have no choice BUT to be non-white.

By: David Gaines

David Gaines — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:06:54 +0000

{{America’s first presidential ticket with two women of African ancestry}}

The GPUS headquarters is determined to milk this claim for all it’s worth……..as I reminded Scott McLarty after this came out, we’re ALL “of African ancestry” if you want to go back far enough. How much up-close “African ancestry” did Lenora Fulani’s Latina running mate in 1988 have? Or Monica Moorehead’s in 1996 & 2000? I dunno, but I suspect their African lineage is probably a lot closer then mine. I wish the Green Party would just drop this claim altogether — it’s not getting any traction in the press anyway.

By: Mike Gillis

Mike Gillis — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:30:55 +0000

Gregg, Just because Richard Winger says something does not make it true.

He has an Arab surname, he’s ethnically Arab and he grew up speaking the language.

But hey, whatever… clearly facts aren’t facts in the Green Party these days.

By: Gregg Jocoy

Gregg Jocoy — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:46:57 +0000

As has been pointed out to Mr. Gillis on several occasions, including by Richard Winger himself, Ralph Nader is of Greek ancestry. His family moved to Lebanon. That does not make him Arab any more than being born in South Africa made P.W. Botha Black.

By: Washington Post sucks

Washington Post sucks — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:17:54 +0000

Washington Post also supported the Iraq War. It seems to be most closely aligned with the DLC (right-wing Democrats), like the Clintons. I’m not surprised that they would slander Cynthia McKinney or the Green Party.

Regarding the post above me, yes it is true that Ralph Nader has Lebanese ancestry. However, the definition of ‘white’ has been expanded to include light skinned people from North Africa and the Middle East. For example, that definition often appears on employment applications.

By: Mike Gillis

Mike Gillis — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:44:23 +0000

Just a factual correction. Ralph Nader isn’t white.

He’s an Arab American, whose parents are first generation immigrants from Lebanon. His first languages were English and Arabic. His surname is Arabic.

He’s not a white guy.