R i g h t a r d i a: Republican Party of Duval County has racists and anti-semites at Tea Bagging event

Monday, July 6, 2009

Republican Party of Duval County has racists and anti-semites at Tea Bagging event

July 5, 2009

Editor's Note: This is another of almost weekly racist incidents that has occured on the part of the Republican party since the inauguration of Barack Obama. Why can't the GOP get this overt racism under control?

(Jacksonville, Fla.) - Duval County Republican Executive Committee (DCREC) Chairman Lenny Curry issued the following statement today following the blog-generated controversy regarding the DCREC's role in the First Coast Tea Party held on July 2.

"The DCREC had no role in the planning, organization, agenda, invitees, or speakers at the Tea Party. The DCREC merely used its extensive e-mail list to help promote awareness and participation in the event as a service to its members. The DCREC's e-mail included a "paid for" disclaimer which is required by state law regarding political communications. That disclaimer accompanies all of our communications and did not concern sponsorship of the event in question mentioned in the e-mail.

The DCREC does not condone racism or anti-Semitism in any form or fashion. While these types of behavior occur in small numbers -- and which are present in all political parties and cross all socio-economic lines - they should not, will not, and are not tolerated by the DCREC.

Unfortunately a few agenda-driven bloggers have taken the actions of a few individuals holding controversial signs who were present at the Tea Party and construed them to represent the views and beliefs of myself, elected officials present at the Tea Party, the DCREC, Tea Party organizers, and the thousand or so honest, hard-working people who were in attendance at the Tea Party.

I believe Tea Party officials made the right choice in not bringing further attention to those few people in attendance holding inappropriate signs by forcing them to leave or to put their signs away. Refusing them entry into this event or calling them out for their ridiculous signs would have given them a larger platform than they deserve.

These are some of the pictures that were photographed during the event: