When last we heard from CNN political analyst Roland Martin, he was giving heartfelt advice to members of the conservative commentary regarding suspicions surrounding the accusations of racial epithets that were allegedly heard by three members of the Congressional Black Caucus. His advice last week:
I think it’s dumb on the Tea Party’s part to be focusing on this. I mean, if you are trying to create an actual movement, this is the last thing you want to continue talking about. You want to be talking about policy. You want to getting folks involved. You don’t want to be constantly reminding people of the possibility that the “n” word was used because all you’re simply doing is having a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Mr. Martin seems to be following his own advice.
Today at CNN.com, Mr. Martin has an opinion piece about the Tea Party protests. And although he carefully dances around the question of the inherent racism that Frank Rich, Janeane Garofalo and Keith Olbermann (among others) habitually see at these events, he makes no mention of the “N-Word” episode:
Do I object to idiots holding up clearly racist signs, as well as the stupidity of images of President Obama as Hitler? Of course. That ignorance detracts from whatever commentary they are trying to make on the status of the nation.
This glancing reference is a statement that just about every American can embrace, especially with the memory of so many “Bush as Hiltler” signs are still seared in the memory of those who supported the Iraq War and the Bush Administration’s policies.
But, what is most stunning about Mr. Martin’s essay is not the exclusion of any mention of the supposed racial epithets form the March 20 protest in Washington DC, but the overall tone of enthusiastic support for the movement as well as a healthy bit of chastisement for those attempting to characterize the Tea Parties as something they are not:
First, let’s deal with the Tea Party haters. Please, shut up.
How can any liberal, progressive, moderate or conservative be mad about a group of Americans taking to the streets to protest the actions of the country? What they are engaged in is constitutional. The freedom to assemble, march, walk, scream and yell is right there in the document we all abide by.
For those who oppose the Tea Party, you have every right to gather with those who agree with you and take to the streets. If they oppose the policies of President Obama, and you support them, demonstrate your support for his agenda. Don’t whine about someone else making noise. Men and women, stand up and be heard.
Folks, this isn’t a radical transformation of the nation shaping up. It’s the latest effort by citizens primarily in one party or professing one ideology to rise up and allow their voices to be heard.
And that’s a good thing.
Read the whole thing as Mr. Martin certainly had some issue-based criticism of the movement, but forgive us if we do a bit of an end-zone dance here. When Roland Martin steps up and gives this kind of support for the Tea Parties and makes no mention of the most volatile talking point from the past month’s coverage of these protests, it sure feels like we’ve made our case and we’ve succeeded in changing the narrative.
Paradigm shift, anybody?
Now maybe we can engage in a discussion of the issues instead of phantom insults and hysteria.
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55 Comments
I would not get too excited about Mr. Martin. Nor would I claim a paradigm shift. The MSM will either force him back into line or onto the liberal plantation. Or, it is simply a shift in tactics or simply a trial baloon in prelude to such a shift.
Interesting, from the title I assumed that he meant that members of the Tea Party protests were 'haters."
The only 'support' given was the First Amendment right to peaceful protest. Gee, thanks, Roland. He totally missed the point about Tea Partiers and why we're so cheesed off about taxes. His snarky little comment about the middle class level in '09 is NOT why these protests are growing. It's the expanding of government entitlement programs for those who want what others have. Generations of slackers look around and see what people have worked for and earned and say 'I want that! The government should give it to me!' And so it does. And who will be paying for it? My son, and his children and so on. When Mr. Martin realizes that is why we're so disgusted, then we will have that paradigm shift.
The shift is because their claims and the resulting lack of interest by the people. Both the MSM and the Obama White House will seek out another way to derail the Tea Party, despite its popularity. All of this should keep the Tea Party at full speed. They are continuing to ignore the will of the people and believe the people should serve big government. We'll show them at the ballot box when we kick them all out and it's them looking for a new job!
Great. He plays good cop while Joe Klein and Bubba play bad cop?
Klein pulls out the Sedition card. Why? Some suggest a political revolution is here? POTUS 42 pulls out the Demon card. Why? Some suggest the behavior of elected officials warrants more than criticism?
Meanwhile the SEC and financial "reform" takes to the street under the cover of this noise to paint the RINO's as the culprits to stopping said financial reform. Well they are the culprits. And so is Team Bubba. (Sure Rubin y'all didn't have a clue). So is Bush I and Bush II. And Geithner. And Summers. And Bernanke. And Greenspan…..ad nauseum.
You see Joe Klein. The tea party wants all of you to go away. Not just the DNC or the RNC. And this well coordinated noise from everyone who is part of the criminal racket should be applauded for spinning many Americans senseless.
Roland. You good cop you. Financial "reform" is a good one. Shucks. Just like with Abacus. Goldman Sachs loses a little in the public eye while robbing us blind behind closed doors. You guys just can't get enough can you. So now Goldman will pay a big fine in public view while robbing us blind with financial "reform." Shucks golly gee!!!
80% of Americans do NOT TRUST THE GOVERNMENT. Nuff said.
Don't forget about the liberal MSM ratings in the tank. They are staring down insolvency.
I've been wondering for some time when rational economics enters their conference room. Not saying this is it, but I still have to believe at some point the rational reality of shrinking revenue becomes unavoidable.
…Yes, definitely, PLAYING the "RACIST and STUPID CARD" against the Tea Party has FAILED spectacularly – when black patriots are quoted saying the Tea Partyers "…are my people, Americans"….and polls show the Tea Partyers are well educated and successful….
…Roland "Round Mound of Leftist Clown" Martin is initiating Phase Two against the Tea Party – act like Obama and the Dems are not worried at all about a small crowd of 'angry' older people 'afraid' of the "CHANGE" that is 'inevitable'….
I would not celebrate this about-face in opinion. To assume Mr. Martin has suddenly seen the light would be a gross misstatement of fact. The left's strategy of merciless demonization has failed, and has pushed independents further from their party. I see this as a transparent attempt to wrangle them back to the Democrat side. Don't be so quick to forgive the horrible accusations that race-baiting, partisan bigots like Mr. Martin levied in an attempt to marginalize average American citizens.
It never ceases to amaze me how people like Janeane Garofalo can traffic in calling other people stupid and ignorant and making character assumptions about them, while at the same time displaying for all to see that self-same ignorance spilling out of her ugly hateful mouth. After living in Berkeley California for some long painful years, I have learned that the more that a person considers themselves superior or more intelligent or intellectual than another person, the more likely it is that they are both ignorant of reality……and wrong! Based on many of her woefully ill-founded statements, Janeane Garofalo is the living embodiment of the form of ignorance best described by the same phrase that Al Gore once directed at George Bush (a man with a better college record and more non-honorary educational achievements than Mr. Gore): "intellectually incurious". These people are not interested in seeking or acknowledging the truth and, blinded by ideology, they are not even aware of their shallowness. That is why they simply can't understand the Tea Party movement today – they are incapable of understanding. Ms. Garofalo and her ilk are members of a perennially angry spoiled sophomoric minority, and are ultimately irrelevant anyway.
Who is this Roland Martin… He's a professional sport fisherman, right?
Hmm! very interesting.Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
CNN is now the Black in America Channel(whatever that slogan means).
I am so strange, I never thought I would be in the majority on any issue.
What a long strange trip it's been.
Rather than complain about what Martin didn't do, I think it's more important to give him some credit for doing what's right – after all he's standing against his side that wants to paint the tea partiers as 'wingnut racists' because they can't *possibly* have any merit whatsoever.
That's what I'm saying. He's obviously a liberal, we all know that, but his point is valid. (He is, after all, talking to liberals who criticize the tea partiers).
People, people, people. Martin is talking to liberals and others who criticize the Tea Party. His point is valid. However, I'm not going to expect a change in the way liberals debate politics.
I think this is just politics. He has been extremely critical of the Tea Party. I find it interesting that all of the sudden the MSM and the Wh are reaching out to the Tea Party. They don't like the Tea Party they are just trying a new tactic because intimidation didn't work.
When you say: "When Roland Martin steps up and gives this kind of support for the Tea Parties and makes no mention of the most volatile talking point…." I have to ask: "WHAT volatile talking point?"
Great, Roland Martin is trying to be fair. That's good. But the Tea Parties don't need Roland Martin's approval to suddenly be legit.
I think you got this guys' name wrong, should have been more like "Rowan & Martin", a real patriotic af-af-af-african AM-AM-American. Notice how he's got the slave-blood lady's arm covered up so as not to expose the scar left by the shackle?
You would think we could move on and debate our policies, but Clinton was feeling left out again so he had to open his trap. Point one. Oklahoma was about tearing down the Constitution. Point two. We are about upholding it. Mr. Clinton: SHUT UP. Thank you for allowing me to get that off my chest. Now I can get back living. haha.
roland is the average cnn dumass that doesn't know that his is just talking to air, cnn has no audience, Fox took their market long ago
We need to all recall a quote from a past patriot of our great country. It means as much today as way back when it was originally spoke , so long ago.
“I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate, and you disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic, and we should stand up and say we are Americans, and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration!”
Hillary Rodham Clinton, 4-28-03
Let the Tea Partiers speak all they want. From what I have heard, their main complaint is the egregiously wasteful Government spending and the unnecessarily large Federal bureaucracy. Who in their right mind would take issue with this?
Point well taken, tommyd! Has anyone bothered to "interview" Big Bubba as to what the blazes he "IS" saying? Or are we back to the definition of "IS" again??
Knocked down just like a bowlin' pin..
The Dems need to change their insulting behavior and they are starting to figure that out. Tea Partiers represent votes – without votes the Dem party goes away. They are simply starting to see that they have to start adjusting their rhetoric if they want to survive.
They can't call Tea Partiers idiots and Teabaggers and racists until a week before elections and then start trying to gain our respect. They know that. They must stop the insulting behavior now or the game is lost. It's lost for them no matter what but, they aren't going to go down without selling their own souls to maintain their power base.
[...] by Larry O’Connor at Big Journalism: [...]
First, let me make it clear that I am not criticizing or mocking those who believe that this might just be a new ploy of the left since the old ones didn't work. It occurred to me though, that it shows just how much the sneakiness, nastiness, and manipulation of the left have caused the rest of us to try to think as they do in order to either discern what they are REALLY doing or try to anticipate what they do next. I resent that we have to try to get into their warped little minds in order to counteract their lies and shenanigan. I want my mind to be as unlilke theirs as possible.
I think the movement is growing because more and more apolitical citizens are coming around to the idea that there is no way this ideology is capable of paying for all of this.
Anyone who's had to go hungry to pay the rent, utilities, or car payment knows there is no such thing as a free lunch. And as the last people actually working and paying taxes, the government will dump it all on us.
Well, that's the pot calling the kettle black for sure….. he's annoying anyway.
Someone should tel lhim the democrat party is the party of slave owners, racists, lynchers, segregaters, and the KKK.
Republicans are the ones who died to free the slaves from their democrat slave owners.
I don't think I would classify it as a paradigm shift, not yet at least. I do think we may be able to put him on the fence with Jon Stewart though. MSM does indeed seem to be taking a different tact when it comes to the Tea Party, at least since all the hype over the violence that was sure to ensue at the Tax Day rallies failed to materialize. Overall they still seem to dismss the Tea Party movement, which I think is a good thing. If we are lucky, the DNC will underestimate the popularity of the Tea Party this November, and two years hence.
Another gasbag from the left to satisfy the token diversity quota. He has the intelligence of a barnacle and the personality of a troll.
After seeing him over the past couple of years this is just one more change to alter our perception of his value. Please do not be fooled. He is a raving idiot usually but not always with moderated vocal delivery.
That he is a racist and chooses to project that upon the Tea Party participants. He is on the gimme gimme gimme for his race bandwagon
The current tax and spend committee in DC. Ooooppps sorry you said in their right mind, that leaves them out!
Your statement regarding a liberal plantation is flat out dumb. First, NO ONE tells me what to write. I've made this point several times on my Facebook or Twitter page.
I've always believed in folks taking to the streets when they have a grievance. I'll call out dumb comments, posters and others when it is needed.
But I call 'em like I see 'em. Always have. Always will.
And when the Democratic Party in the 1960s embraced civil rights, where did the racist, southern Dixiecrats go? The Republican Party. Don't tell half the story. Tell the whole story.
[...] » CNN’s Roland Martin to Tea Party Haters: ‘Shut Up’ – Big Journalism [...]
I can not trust the Democratic Party at all or ever unless I see a major purge of the progressives and their agenda. I doubt that will happen in my lifetime. The mid-ground Democrats of my youth are leaving and will continue to exit as the party has been hijacked and there will not be a seat for them at the table.
CNN gave it to FOX as a present.
Why does anyone read or listen to these propagandists? Worse yet, why would anyone believe what they say?
Martin wants the Tea Party to move on from the racial epithet controversy, not because it he thinks it's dumb for the Tea Party movement for maintain focus on it, as he states. The real reason Martin wants everyone to move on is because it is a false accusation. The longer Andrew Brietbart's reward goes unclaimed, the longer CNN reporters say they have such evidence, yet refuse to show it, the more people realize the depth the facist left will go to to stifle free speech. Any time Roland Martin says it's time to move on, it's time to stick around and take a closer look.
The tactics utilized by the MSM and the leftist establishment to keep their members in line does not have to be as blatant as telling a journalist what to write, although that does happen. The efforts at coercion include criticism of anyone who questions the accepted narrative or who dares ask the tough quesions of Mr. Obama and company – i.e. George Stephanopoulos. In other cases the efforts turn to demonization and ridicule – i.e. Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, etc.
My guess is that no one has to tell you what to write because you are so immersed in the leftist ideology and mindset that you are conditioned to the leftist plantation. Thus you can claim to be free of coercion and yet be totally submissive.
To prove me wrong, all you have to do is state where you differ substantially with the leftist position. Perhaps an opinion audit to see just how much you differ from your other leftist MSM members who also are afraid of open discussion – i.e. Keith Oberman. We all eagerly await your defense.
The Democratic Party is the party of identity politics. They see everything thru the prism of race. Do you know what members of that party did and said to a man named Kenneth Gladney? Union thugs in purple shirts called him the N-word again and again as they beat him. Why didn't you cover that story on your show, Mr Martin? What, didn't fit the right narrative, eh?
Mr. Martin is only interested in Plantation Politics, not the actual dignity and worth of the black individual. Keep 'em slaves to the government teat, huh Rowland? Democrats have done nothing to help blacks help themselves. Big Brother has replaced "Massa". How sad for many of my black fellow Americans.
I ran across this website years ago. It is filled with writings from black conservative authors. I would encourage anyone who is interested to go there and check out these most excellent articles coming from the black community. I assure you it is a safe site.
http://www.issues-views.com/index.php
Go Dave! Well said.
So, other than being stupid and grating on the nerves, he's a pretty good journalist?
If you call not doing real research or writing and only talking points. He seems to spend more time promoting himself and is far too young to have developed the lifes experiences that would make a good commentator. Awards from NAACP, Rainbow Coalition and Black Journalists would indicate to me that this man is a definite racist pandering to a very specific audience too much of the time, even though he has won a Murrow award . When I read news I want news, if I want religion I can go to church. But I guess some might view him from where they sit as a good journalist, I can not. I expect to see decent writing and investigative skills vs single issue thumpers once you have attained a national stage. But , he meets a need for CNN and their limited audience I suppose.
If we got his approval, I would be looking to exit because it means we have messed up big time!
From this poster to Commie News Networks Roland Martin-stick it up your backside, punk.
Helmsman-you must remember-Roland Martin and his fellow useless idiots in the media HAVE NO MINDS. Roland likely has never recovered from his drug -infested days at Jeremiah Wrights "church".
Dave-be nice to let you know-Goldman just hired DC atty and Democrat syncophat Greg Craig as there attorney on this matter. The same Craig who was Obamapukes White(bet Obama hates that) House counsel, the same Craig who represented Fidel Castro against Elian Gonzalez, the same Craig who was the lawyer at one time for Bernie Madeoff with billions, the scumbag has represented every dirty outfit out there. This cant be coincidence, Craig is a fixer, not a lawyer. So your theory is likely right on. Well done.
Roland Martin was/is an Obama activist. I watched him get talking points which came from American Progress to DU and from them to him. He wrote what he was told on his blog and voiced them on CNN. They also had dummy websites where they would paste talking points and cite them for the foolish. I have to say they were very coordinated.
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