WorldNetDaily is a steaming pile of right-wing lunacy. That's no secret. But you would think that even defending a guy who thinks it's remotely acceptable to even suggest blacks were better off in slavery than they are now would be too much. Well, apparently not. WND editor-in-chief Joseph Farah opined that Cliven Bundy wasn't really a racist at all. No, no. In Farah's world, Bundy is a true patriot who had been entrapped by those big, bad libruls at the New York Times.
This was a sting operation by the New York Times. The entrapment target wasn’t so much Bundy, but anyone in public life who denounced the Bureau of Land Management’s Gestapo-like tactics in dealing with him.
The people defending Bundy and criticizing the federal government didn’t examine the rancher’s racial views. They didn’t say he was an articulate spokesman representing their views on issues not even relevant to the siege. They didn’t elect Cliven Bundy to represent them in public office. They didn’t test him on his ability to articulate deep thoughts.
They simply said, “Hey, don’t treat this poor old rancher like a criminal.”
No, Joseph. Not every instance of a wingnut being called out is a conspiracy by the Old Grey Lady. And this certainly isn't. This was a public press conference,
captured on video.
Earlier, Alan Keyes claimed that Bundy was actually deploring the damage done to blacks as a result of Democratic policies--and then claimed that we're the real racists for calling Bundy racist.
Ammon Bundy, Cliven Bundy’s son, told WND that the quotes were taken out of context and that his father was commiserating over the poor situation in which blacks find themselves because of oppressive government programs, regulations and practices.
Keyes said that was evident.
“I find it appalling that we basically have a history of the leftist liberalism that wants to extinguish black people by abortion [and] destroying the family structure,” Keyes told WND. “All of these things if you just look at the effects, you would say this was planned by some racist madman to destroy the black community.”
Then when somebody comes along to comment on that damage, the leftists all scream “racism,” he said.
“I think it’s time somebody started to recognize the racism that exists in its effects – the hard leftist ideology using the black community for their sacrificial lamb, for their sick ideology. It’s time we called them what they are,” he said.
“Now it’s racist to point it out.”
Um, Alan? Your Republican colleagues are out every day claiming that blacks have been hurt by liberal policies. As false as that talking point is, at least they're able to make it without resorting to nostalgia for slavery.
WND certainly has the right to be wrong. But does it have to be wrong now?