Eric Holder, really?

[RedskinsDave]

So the black Attorney General who is in the black President's cabinet actually still has the balls to make a negative comment on race in this country?

"Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards," Holder said.

His timing is impeccable.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090218/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/holder_race

[SkinsKY]

So the black Attorney General who is in the black President's cabinet actually still has the balls to make a negative comment on race in this country?



His timing is impeccable.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090218/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/holder_race

The difference is that he's not talking about being discrimination or being held back. The point he's making is that many people shy away from talking about race (which is true in most cases), and that in social circles people still tend to group themselves by race (which is true).

It's hardly Sharpton-esque and not overly inflammatory, so this is a non-issue for me.

[akhhorus]

Regardless of context, its not for a sitting AG to say something like that.

[Ibleedburgundy]

I'll reserve judgement until I get some context. The snippet really doesn't enligten anyone as to what his overall point was, the context, or how he was making it.

On the one hand he may have meant it as in there are still a lot of racist bastages left in this country. Which is true, although we have certainly made a lot of progress.

Or maybe he meant it in the way that Bill Cosby meant it as in to say, hey there are no excuses. Pick yourself up.

Or maybe he's just speaking to the average joe's ability to even talk about this stuff.

As for his title vs. whether or not he should be saying stuff like this, I tend to think people in power should be able to use their influence as they see fit so long as they are not breaking the law or abusing their power. It's not as if civil rights issues are unrelated to his job.

[BurgundyNGold]

I'll reserve judgement until I get some context. The snippet really doesn't enligten anyone as to what his overall point was, the context, or how he was making it.

On the one hand he may have meant it as in there are still a lot of racist bastages left in this country. Which is true, although we have certainly made a lot of progress.

Or maybe he meant it in the way that Bill Cosby meant it as in to say, hey there are no excuses. Pick yourself up.

Or maybe he's just speaking to the average joe's ability to even talk about this stuff.

As for his title vs. whether or not he should be saying stuff like this, I tend to think people in power should be able to use their influence as they see fit so long as they are not breaking the law or abusing their power. It's not as if civil rights issues are unrelated to his job.
I tried to get some context on the local news last night. NBC4 ran with a clip of the AG calling America a "nation of cowards" with regard to race. But when they should video of him in his speech, they left out that part entirely and provided no context at all, lol.

So then I go to the WaPo figuring that this would be a pretty big deal. There's nothing on the front page of the web site. I had to search for his name in the "Search box".

That brought up this article titled "Holder Urges Justice Dept. Workers to Discuss Race Openly"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/18/AR2009021803148.html

After reading it, I'm still unsure of the context.

[Keino]

Regardless of context, its not for a sitting AG to say something like that.

Just curious as to your rationale for this comment.

[akhhorus]

Just curious as to your rationale for this comment.

The AG is the head of law enforcement for the United States. More than any cabinet member, they're supposed to be above politics and political discussions(don't bring up Ashcroft or Gonzo please) because their only job is to enforce the laws of the United States. A comment like "America has been cowards(or whatever) because they fail to confront racial issues and the racial divide" is for the President to make since their job is about facing the issues that face the United States. An AG, if they want to deal with racism and the racial divide in the country, should confront it in their job: going after institutional racism for example.

[redskin_rich]

The AG is the head of law enforcement for the United States. More than any cabinet member, they're supposed to be above politics and political discussions(don't bring up Ashcroft or Gonzo please) because their only job is to enforce the laws of the United States. A comment like "America has been cowards(or whatever) because they fail to confront racial issues and the racial divide" is for the President to make since their job is about facing the issues that face the United States. An AG, if they want to deal with racism and the racial divide in the country, should confront it in their job: going after institutional racism for example.

Just reading that makes me dizzy.

Which is it?

[Keino]

The AG is the head of law enforcement for the United States. More than any cabinet member, they're supposed to be above politics and political discussions(don't bring up Ashcroft or Gonzo please) because their only job is to enforce the laws of the United States. A comment like "America has been cowards(or whatever) because they fail to confront racial issues and the racial divide" is for the President to make since their job is about facing the issues that face the United States. An AG, if they want to deal with racism and the racial divide in the country, should confront it in their job: going after institutional racism for example.

I just read the speech/talk and came away with the feeling that this was much ado about nothing.

I certainly don't agree with the notion that his job title precludes him from voicing an opinion on the issue.