There actually is a situation here, in which a lot of black people feel betrayed by Clarence Thomas, Watts, Powell, Rice and other black Republicans. You and others seem to think it's only Belafonte, Jackson and the cc.net liberal mafia -- it's not. My posts in this thread -- and Timing's and glynch's -- seek to explore the phenomenon. The right wing line is that those blacks who feel betrayed are what? Dumb? Mean? Racist? There is a reason that 96% of blacks voted for Gore. If Republicans choose to ignore this, they will do so at their peril. There are bread and butter issues on which most black feel the Democratic Party better represents them. That's just not racist, it's not labeling people on account of their color, it's an honest reaction to a difference in policy making. If Powell agrees with more and more important Republican policies than Dem ones, so be it. If that leads to other blacks feeling betrayed, so be it. The exact same situation exists between gays and lesbians and the Log Cabin Republicans. It's not hard to understand why. I fully support the Log Cabin Republicans (and black Repubs) right to support a party based on other issues, even while that party's policies are perceived to be harmful to gays, lesbians or blacks. I just don't get the scandal. Belafonte's remarks were over the line, yes. But the sentiment is neither a new one nor a controversial one.
