Representative Bobby Rush (D-IL) used the racially charged ‘lynching’ metaphor to challenge anyone who might oppose Governor Blagojevich nomination of Ronald Burris to Senator Obama’s vacant Senate seat. Seems like it is time that this ‘lynching metaphore’ be retired. To think contesting this nomination has anything to do with race is beyond a stretch.
Rush — who defeated Obama in a 1990s congressional race — went on to implore reporters gathered in Chicago not to “hang or lynch” Burris, despite the bizarre circumstances of his appointment.
“This is a good decision,” Rush told reporters. “Roland Burris is worthy. He has not, in 20 years of public service, had one iota of taint on his record as a public servant. He is an esteemed member of this state and this community.”
“I would ask you not to hang or lynch the appointee as you try to casitgate the appointor,” Rush added. “Separate, if you will, the appointee from the appointor. Roland Burris is worthy.”
Frankly, I find this scandal ammusing. Whenever one party decares moral superiority, you can count on a prominent member of that party having a real barn-burner of a scandal. However, it might be wise to hold on to a modicum of sanity in this mess, and relegate the political contortions to the topical issue of whether Burris should or shouldn’t be approved. It seems that preemptive insinuations of racisim are really not needed and not appropriate.
Filed under: Independent, Moderate, Obama, Politics, media | Tagged: bobby rush, hanging, hanging lynching, lynching, ronald burris
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