WP: Civil Rights Commissioner Marches in Different Time

[kskiska]

Conservative Has Not Been a Traditional Activist

Gerald A. Reynolds, the new chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, described himself this way: "I am not a civil rights activist."

Reynolds also said this: "I've never been a civil rights activist." A few weeks ago, on National Public Radio, he bluntly summed himself up in five words: "I am who I am."

(snip)

But Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, was not impressed. Henderson said the Bush administration sought to undermine the intent of the commission by appointing an ideological conservative such as Reynolds.

"Gerald Reynolds's selection to head the Civil Rights Commission is the elevation of ideology over substance," Henderson said. "It signals the end of the commission as an independent voice for the protection of civil and human rights."

Having never marched or agitated for civil rights in a traditional way, Reynolds seems a quixotic choice to lead a commission that was created in an era of civil rights marches, speeches and agitation, civil rights advocates say.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14271-2005Jan16.html

[fortyfeetunder]

1. Why should we be surprised at this appointment?

Bush appoints a Black conservative to head the department of Civil Rights.

And what is the typical conservative position on civil rights issues? There is no such thing as civil rights, pull yourself up by the bootstraps, everyone is absolutely equal, it's your fault if you can't find a job, get justice, yadda yadda...

There is absolutely nothing to see here, move on to another thread. We will have to eat the results for four years....

[forgethell]

2. You can't

really expect a conservative President to nominate a liberal to any position. Why are you disappointed?

[fortyfeetunder]

5. I'm not disappointed

But all those Black folks who voted for Bush because of his anti-gay marriage stance ought to be....LOL

[forgethell]

6. Why, exactly?

Everybody knew what * was going to do. There are some conservative blacks.

[Just Me]

3. I take it this guy is not the least interested in advancing equality.

Civil rights will simply have to be placed on the back-burner until the neoCONimperialists finish destroying all the advances made in the 20th Century. Then, we can start all over again.

[Supersedeas]

4. an 'indepedent voice' - where has Wade Henderson been for the last 4 yrs