Rick Perry is not a Racist Despite WaPo Smear

Rick Perry is not a Racist Despite WaPo Smear

via Big Journalism by Ali A. Akbar on 10/3/11

Governor Perry, my Governor, is no racist.
I suppose there's a first time for every baseless accusation, it's just hard to understand why it always must come from Newsweek, Huffington Post, The New York Times, or, in this case, another usual suspect, The Washington Post.

Crooked River Ranch is the place in question. Apparently at one time the word, Lord forgive me, "niggerhead" was written on a rock at one of the entrances. The word is offensive, terrible, and has no place there or anywhere. The Washington Post wants you to believe that Perry drew the word itself—on his property—and is now trying to hide his white robe.
But facts are stubborn but neutral things.
Perry and his family never, not ever, owned the property. This is a 42,000 acre ranch is owned by the Hendricks Home for Children, a west Texas charity.
About the charity:

Since 1939, Hendrick Home for Children has been a safe and loving "home" for thousands of children after living their early lives in poverty, abuse and neglect.

Perry's father reportedly painted over the offensive language on the rock in question soon after leasing the 1,000 acre parcel in the early 1980s. Seriously. A 1,000 acre rental on a 42,000 acre ranch owned by a West Texas charity that assists homeless children. The Washington Post literally took an inch and made it a mile.
When Perry became a party to the hunting lease from 1997 to 2007, the property was described as northern pasture. His campaign told the press that the Governor hasn't even been to the site since 2006. And Hugh Hewitt gets it right, "many, many people were interviewed for the story. Only seven recall seeing the rock, and not one of them connect Rick Perry to it, nor do any of the people …"
That's not journalism.

Anonymous sources tell me that the Washington Post is dying and that race-baiting might accomplish its two objectives: 1) destroy the right-of-center movement, and 2) sell newspapers. Anonymous!
Jazz Shaw is right to call this a witch hunt and journalistic-malpractice. Stirring a division that was put out of law a generation ago and is now actively shunned both culturally and socially does nothing to fix social security, save or create jobs (whatever that means), or protect us from enemies. This is why new media is successful. This is why outlets like TPB exist. This is why American newspapers are unlike their European counterparts, who are not feeling eminent death.
We need good investigative journalism from reporters and trained professionals; we do not need hit-pieces loosely laced with the faint aura of fact.
In 1991, the Texas Legislature passed a bill to rename old, offensive site names. God Bless Texas.
I'm appalled and I believe every proud American should be too—including Perry's competitors. As a young, bi-racial (Arab and African-American) man, I see this for what it is. This is an attack on me. This is a hit piece on our ideals—the ideals shared by virtually every candidate on our side vying to challenge President Barack Obama.
Recently, I've been a race-driven crusade of my own. My open letter and invitation to Morgan Freemanto come to any tea party anywhere in the country went viral. Now we're on a mission to end the media's favorite theme: the tea party is racist. The tea party is not racist. It stops here. We're not dealing with this during the summer and fall of 2012—it stops now, right now, on our watch.
Now, fight with me to defeat this race-baiting, race-driven divide that aims only to re-elect President Obama.
Full Disclosure: I vocally supported Kay Bailey Hutchinson's bid for Governor in 2010 and opposed Perry seeking another term.