Slate.com [1]'s John Dickerson reports that the woman who founded FireDogLake and who has become the annointed 'woman of the liberal blogosphere', published just the other day the following piece of pro-Ned Lamont [2] crap :
[via The blogger who isn't helping Ned Lamont. By John Dickerson [3]]:
Ned Lamont wants to be a senator from Connecticut and that means reacting quickly to issues that get overblown by bloggers and the media. He got his first test Wednesday. Right as Lamont was busy campaigning with Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, one of his most strident supporters in the blogosphere posted a picture of Lamont's opponent, Joe Lieberman, in blackface. Go!
It pains me to no end that this appeared on none other than The Huffington Post [4], because I honestly can't believe Arianna Huffington would be a willing party to such racist trash. This may not make me any friends at the HuffPo but, seriously, someone at HuffPo needs to come out and address Hamsher's actions immediately.
I searched high and low in the blog and could not find anything from Arianna or an editor apologizing for allowing such an image to be posted on their blog. They need to do it and fast because, unfortunately, The Huffington Post (like most mainstream media; and believe me, they are) is not a bastion of diversity. The longer they try to brush this aside, the deeper it will hurt the reputation of the blog among the "other" side of the blogosphere.
Arianna, the ball is on your court.
It also pains me I read about this at Slate as I was ready to post a couple of things about Mel Gibson's "I hate Jews" drunken rage. Why because I was thinking about the timing on running a poll asking people if they think Ned Lamont is going to win (which I hope he does). There is something freaky about how my free associations always end up having a deeper meaning.
Let's go back to Hamsher.
Here's is the patheticly accusatory verbiage of an apology she gave for the posting the image:
[via The Blog | Jane Hamsher: About That Graphic... | The Huffington Post [5]]:
Unfortunately, Senator Lieberman's campaign has used this in attempt to hurt Ned and score political points, mustering their own faux indignation in attempt to further distract from the issues important to the voters of Connecticut.For weeks, Senator Lieberman has attempted to woo African Americans by pretending to be someone he clearly is not. Meanwhile, his campaign has liberally distributed race-baiting fliers that have the "paid for by" Joe's campaign disclaimer at the bottom, lying to the press about their intended recipients.
But for some reason, more questions have been asked about me, a blogger. With so much at stake this election, is the choice of images used by a mere supporter really newsworthy?
Turning the blame back at Liberman is really classy.
What an idiot. She thinks she is not hurting Lamont? It does not matter if she does not work directly for the campaign. She has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for Lamont. She, in effect is an integral part of the campaign and for Lamont to deny knowing about her or for her to minimize her involvement is not just stupid, but dangerously naive. She will be used as the poster child for restricting political speech and fundraising because she is doing exactly what people who want to legislate the net forsaw happening.
Second, who the fuck is Jane Hamsher that she thinks she can talk for the black people of Connecticut or for that matter, the whole country. Who the fuck is this woman trying to pass herself as the protector of African Americans? Not only does she suffer exactly from the same hypocrisy she calls out on Lieberman, but then dares to minimize her actions by calling herself just a blogger?
I became a blogger to share my ideas, connect with people but more over, to have a platform for effecting social and cultural change. I have never been interested in being a king-maker. The minute you marry yourself to a candidate you can kiss good-bye to your autonomy as a writer and as a hell-raiser.
Somehow the hell-raising brings me closer to people as I have become a networker, a weaver of relationships. There is a lot of work I do to raise the reputation of other bloggers and, sometimes, to defend them. Which is why I do not say this lightly : there is nothing to defend about Jane Hamsher's racist actions.
I was actually reading over at Slate Daniel Engber's How to boycott Mel Gibson [6], when I came across Dickerson's article. As much as I hate Lieberman, I have to say that he had all the right to call this deeply offensive to people of all colors, and it has absolutely no place in the political arena today.
The fact she thinks her comments are a distraction "from the issues", makes Hamsher a worse for wear bigot because she obviously has not a clue. And if she comes crying about how some of her best friends are black ... ooooooooh.
Jane Hamsher's 'day job' is supposed to be as a movie producer. She should stay in Hollywood and down shots of vodka with cousin Mel [7].
UPDATE :
I am shocked that Barbara O'Brien, of all people, is trying to rationalize the use of a blackface image by a white woman of privilege [8]. Come back to the force Maha. Just because other negroes choose to brush this aside it still does not make it right.
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