The Senate voted against president Obama's nominee to head the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department by a tally of 52-47. One senator was not present but had announced opposition to the nominee. Only Democrats supported Obama's choice, but the opposition was bi-partisan. The principle reason for opposing the nominee, Debo Adegbile, was his representation of cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal in one of the myriad of appeals brought on his behalf. Abu-Jamal killed a Philadelphia policeman in cold blood, admitted the crime and was tried, convicted and sentenced to death before he became a darling of the left wing radicals. That began a lengthy series of appeals which culminated when the death penalty was thrown out and reduced to life imprisonment. It was at that point that Adegbile got involved in yet another appeal which struck most people as more political than legal. Despite Adegbile crusading for a cop killer, Obama nominated him to head the Civil Rights Division.
It is almost funny to read the reactions to the vote. The far left is busy calling the result a manifestation of racism (both the nominee and Abu-Jamal are black). The opposition of the Fraternal Order of Police to the nomination of someone who crusaded for an admitted murderer of a policeman is also called racist. In The Nation, they call the vote "gutter racist politics".
Some day, the folks on the left will realize that it does not serve them well to call everything of this sort racist. After five plus years of watching Obama and his people use this tactic, most Americans no longer are moved by it. In the Obama era, anything that criticizes Obama is "racist". That ultimately means that racist or charges of racism have been devalued to a point where the words have become meaningless.
The truth is that opposition to Adegbile is not racist. It would be a terrible choice to have the person in charge of civil rights enforcement be someone who is so clearly hostile to police. Indeed, even if Adegbile is not hostile to police, his actions certainly make it seem that he is. For most people that perception will be the reality. Obama made a poor choice for the position. Fortunately the Senate kept that mistake from becoming a reality.
It is almost funny to read the reactions to the vote. The far left is busy calling the result a manifestation of racism (both the nominee and Abu-Jamal are black). The opposition of the Fraternal Order of Police to the nomination of someone who crusaded for an admitted murderer of a policeman is also called racist. In The Nation, they call the vote "gutter racist politics".
Some day, the folks on the left will realize that it does not serve them well to call everything of this sort racist. After five plus years of watching Obama and his people use this tactic, most Americans no longer are moved by it. In the Obama era, anything that criticizes Obama is "racist". That ultimately means that racist or charges of racism have been devalued to a point where the words have become meaningless.
The truth is that opposition to Adegbile is not racist. It would be a terrible choice to have the person in charge of civil rights enforcement be someone who is so clearly hostile to police. Indeed, even if Adegbile is not hostile to police, his actions certainly make it seem that he is. For most people that perception will be the reality. Obama made a poor choice for the position. Fortunately the Senate kept that mistake from becoming a reality.
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