January 15, 2011

John Boehner Doesn't Like People of Color

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us to judge a man by his actions ("content of his character"). I'm applying that logic to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and the judgment is a simple one -- Boehner doesn't like people of color. He appears to go out of his way to avoid any prolonged interaction with anyone that isn't Caucasian.

I began to notice the lack of racial comfort in Boehner last week when he turned down the offer to ride in Air Force One with the President, First Lady and others to the memorial being held to honor the fallen from the tragedy in Tucson. It didn't make sense to me that Boehner wouldn't go with President Obama to represent the nation at this seminal event of the new year.

In Tucson we witnessed a remarkable event:
A Republican, Catholic judge was killed going to the meeting of a Democratic Jewish Congresswoman who was saved by a Mexican-American intern and successfully operated on by a Korean-American surgeon. The dead were later eulogized by an African American President.
Where was Boehner at the time? He was hobnobbing with some white Republican leaders at some cocktail party. Boehner doesn't have a problem spending quality time with white folks ... especially if there is a cocktail included!

It is worth noting that the cocktail party was being held as part of an effort to unseat GOP chairman Michael Steele ... a Black man ... from the office he held over the past two years.

Today, we learn that Boehner is turning down an invitation to a state dinner being hosted in honor of Chinese president Hu Jintao and his wife. Boehner is second-in-succession for the presidency ... and he doesn't think it important to participate in this private dinner with the leader of the largest nation on the planet?

I thought perhaps Boehner just doesn't like to wear a tuxedo ... but, then I see that he didn't have any problem going to black-tie state dinner hosted by former president George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush a few years ago in honor of Queen Elizabeth II.

Boehner may joke about 'Being Black' ... but, the reality is that Boehner's rebuke of the African American family in the White House and our nation's guests from China shows a disturbing trend.

I think it is fair to say that Speaker John Boehner doesn't like people of color.   What say u?

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