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Berry: Tanner's "Supposed Apology" Is "Even Funnier"
Mary Frances Berry, the target of a racist "joke" by then-DOJ voting-rights chief John Tanner, has responded to the insult, and to Tanner's credulity-straining semi-apology.
Berry, the former chair of the US Commission on Civil Rights, spoke Wednesday at a legal conference held by the American Constituion Society, entitled: "The Road from Lincoln to Obama: The Constitution and the New Birth of Freedom."
She began her remarks like this:
Welcome. Today I have to tell you that even though I am black, I am not bitter. (Scattered laughter).Bitter some of the time, but not here.
And I would tell you that the guy who made the comments sent me an email last night, in a supposed apology, which is even funnier, but I won't take up the time.
Here's the video:
According to a Justice Department report released this week, Tanner told a colleague over email that he liked his coffee "Mary Frances Berry style -- black and bitter."
Seems like the right way for Berry to play it.
Josh
Zachary
I'd love to hear her response to the entire letter.
January 16, 2009 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
A great reaction ! No need to be nice to these guys.
January 16, 2009 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Racists seek each other out since they are in such pain - the sharing eases their suffering and sustains their ego's delusion of personal strength. It is like drinking salt water.
January 16, 2009 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
That is true! I understand clinical researchers refer to it as the Asshat, begat Asshat principle!
January 16, 2009 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
To all that think that an Obama Presidency marks the end of an era... Surprise!!!!!
Mr Slozman and Tanners' influence on voting, redistricting and there lack of enforcing critical civil rights legislation could have affected EVERY American who pulled a lever this November. This wasn't just a joke in poor taste, this was about people in positions that could have set this country back to the pre-Construction days.
I sincerely hopw that no one sees this as angry black people flying off the handle again. Their work is exactly why we need civil rights legislation and enforcement in the first place!
I'll leave you all with the fact that the 1965 Voting Rights Act still needs to be renewed on a routine basis. President Bush in 2006 had the distinguished honor of renewing it this time for a whole 25 years???
X
January 16, 2009 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
So wait, do we get to know what was in the apology?
January 16, 2009 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh. There it is!
January 16, 2009 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just hope that the Obama DOJ and Mr. Holder remember to follow up on John Tanner - and what he is doing regarding Redistricting in Alabama.
Alabama has already had some weird election changes during the bush years. "U.S. District Judge Keith Watkins has given Alabama Gov. Bob Riley (pictured at right) the title of "special master" and placed him in charge of developing an overdue statewide voter registration database. The decision was over the objections of Democratic Secretary of State Nancy Worley and the Alabama Democratic Conference. The request of the Justice Department to move the responsibility for the voter database to a partisan elected official is unusual."
And I hope we see all of the corruption exposed in the Siegelman case - especially corrupt judge Fuller.
January 16, 2009 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink