Nationally Syndicated Columnist Demands Talk Show Host Apology for Racial Slur of Condeleeza Rice

John Sylvester, a popular Madison, Wisconsin radio talk show host recently called Secretary of State designate Condeleezza Rice an Aunt Jemima." A defiant Sylvester refuses to apologize for his racial insult. Sylvester and others are perfectly free to express legitimate political differences with Rice and the Bush administration, and there are many differences, but hurling racial epithets is totally unacceptable. Sylvester must apologize, and be reprimanded for his conduct.

(PRWEB) November 22, 2004 -- John Sylvester, a popular Madison, Wisconsin radio talk show host recently called Secretary of State designate Condeleezza Rice an Aunt Jemima." A defiant Sylvester refuses to apologize for his racial insult. Sylvester and others are perfectly free to express legitimate political differences with Rice and the Bush administration, and there are many differences, but hurling racial epithets is totally unacceptable. Sylvester must apologize, and be reprimanded for his conduct. Racial name calling by a high profile media personality sends the dangerous message that racial bashing and insults are perfectly acceptable," says nationally syndicated columnist Earl Ofari Hutchinson, The stations management and media professionals must condemn his remarks."

Sylvester and the others assume that blacks in the Bush administration are wind up toys to be manipulated by Bush and the Republicans, and play no part in making or shaping policy. But Powell did buck Bush and back affirmative action, urged a formal nuclear treaty ban, prodded increases in economic assistance, and HIV/AIDS prevention aid to Africa, and futilely pushed for the US to participate in the U.N. World Racism Conference in Durban in 2001. Even when he practiced deception at the UN on WMDs, he still held out for a bi-partisan, global engagement approach on Iraq. Powell gave the Bush administration foreign policy luster and credibility that it couldnt buy. Bush needed him much more than he needed Bush.

Rice lacks the stature, track record, and racial sensitivity of Powell, but she has sterling academic and political credentials that Bush sorely needs to keep his foreign policy star from further corroding. It remains to be seen whether she can duplicate Powells fetes. But if the verbal hatchet welders have their way shell never have that chance.

Powell and Rices assailants believe that all blacks are inherently, or should be inherently hostile, to Bush administration. They arent. Powell and Rices great sin is not that they slavishly defend Bushs much maligned foreign and domestic policies," says Hutchinson, But that they honestly believe that they can make a difference in an administration that many blacks loathe." The real Aunt Jemimas and Uncle Toms are the ones that name call them for trying. Milwaukee mayor Dave Cieslewicz, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, and Milwaukees Urban League have repudiated Sylvesters remarks, and others should do the same.

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