Armstrong Williams
Monday, January 10, 2005
Stop me if you have heard the dig: Black conservatives are Uncle Tom's who are selling out their people to collect money from the white man. Not true of course. This is just silly way that leftist blacks and certain white liberals shut down debate.
That is what makes this episode frustrating. Never give your enemies ammunition. Mr. Williams has never been my favorite writer. There is just something about him that I do not trust. He seems to be a walking cliche.
Black conservatives do not need me to defend them. They are battle tested. Some of the good entries that I have seen on this issue include:
La Shawn Barber: Reinforcing the black-conservatives-are-sellouts stereotype, Williams has just handed to liberals, on a plate made of pure gold served by a well-dressed butler in a most tastefully decorated setting, enough fodder to keep them gobbling for months to come. In the aftermath of John Kerrys demoralizing defeat in a failed bid to lead the free world, liberals have found the scandal theyve been searching for. Thanks, Mr. Williams.
Watch and learn, but dont get angry and dont defend Williamss actions. Get righteously indignant. What he did was wrong, and he must pay the consequences. Thats the one thing we must be consistent about even if liberals wont. I want this episode to be a lesson to all conservatives bloggers, blog readers, writers, politicians whoever you are.
This blog is not a repository for the defense of wrongdoers, no matter what color, religion or political affiliation. Mr. Williams, my prayers are with you. I have no idea how you may be feeling right about now. You have my sympathy. The success youve achieved is admirable, and I hope your career is salvageable.
My final word to readers on this subject: if we believe were on the side of good, we must maintain honesty and integrity. Character is what you are when nobodys looking. Be neither liars nor hypocrites. Tell the truth and practice what you preach.
Michael King of Ramblings' Journal offers the following: Well, I can tell you with complete certainty that the folks that I know and associate with on the right aren't paid by the Administration. On the contrary. If I were, I wouldn't be scraping to get by like everyone else.
Armstrong's entire message becomes suspect as far as I'm concerned, though. And as far as I'm concerned, he becomes "damaged goods" in terms of any sort of conservative black message.
Just damn.
And: I appreciate Williams' apology this morning, and his stock certainly rises a bit as a result. He has owned up to his mistake and is willing to move forward. I, too, am willing to move forward, and while I can certainly forgive his shortcoming in this case, I cannot ignore it.I stand by my statement of Friday, when I indicated that his word would be suspect in the future.
And, probably the most forceful rebuke comes from Michelle Malkin: Mindless liberal critics like to paint every conservative journalist as a Republican-subsidized cheerleader. The wasteful, foolish, and shameful Armstrong Williams/Education Department's "Pay to Pander" scandal certainly doesn't help. For the record, I am reprinting my column on "No Child Left Behind" published Aug. 2, 2000. Some of us are not for $ale.
