Legislator apologizes for sharing denigrating e-mail

[Judi Lynn]

Article Launched: 03/11/2006 1:00 AM MST

Legislator apologizes for sharing denigrating e-mail
By Jim Hughes
Denver Post Staff Writer



Rep. Jim Welker, R-Loveland (File)

A Loveland Republican took to the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives on Friday to apologize for having forwarded an e-mail about black victims of Hurricane Katrina that he now understands was "offensive," "inappropriate" and "degrading."

Rep. Jim Welker said he sent the e-mail - subject: "Moral poverty costs blacks in New Orleans" - without looking at it closely enough. Having read it again after people complained, he realized he never should have forwarded it, he said.

The e-mail contained an essay by a conservative black minister, the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, who wrote: "It was primarily immoral, welfare-pampered blacks that stayed behind and waited for the government to bail them out" during Katrina's aftermath.

"If you're black and a hurricane is about to destroy your city, you'll probably wait for the government to save you," he wrote. Peterson also wrote that most blacks in New Orleans "were too lazy, immoral and trifling to do anything productive for themselves."
(snip/...)

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3590975#

[Meldread]

1. Conservatism at its best.

Why apologize for your true feelings? If that's how you feel, at least have the balls to stand by it. Coward.

[rodeodance]

2. whow, there is 'meanness' in the email--and from a minister at that!

The e-mail contained an essay by a conservative black minister, the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, who wrote: "It was primarily immoral, welfare-pampered blacks that stayed behind and waited for the government to bail them out" during Katrina's aftermath.

[Auntie Bush]

16. I never thought I'd hear a black talked about another black like that!

Unbelievable! All I can say is if religious conservative blacks say things like that...I can just imagine what the white religious/and non religious republicans are saying.
I'm sure it would burn our ears. Yes, racism is alive and well and prospering better than our economy. Have these people absolutely no compassion?

[rodeodance]

3. evern a quick glance would tell anyone that the email was nasty Mr.Welker.

....A Loveland Republican took to the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives on Friday to apologize for having forwarded an e-mail about black victims of Hurricane Katrina that he now understands was "offensive," "inappropriate" and "degrading."

Rep. Jim Welker said he sent the e-mail - subject: "Moral poverty costs blacks in New Orleans" - without looking at it closely enough. Having read it again after people complained, he realized he never should have forwarded it, he said.

[Higans]

37. Ya, he really gets the "DUH" award for that one.

[Autobot77]

4. Does this mean that other victims of disasters were lazy ?

Because they expected the government to help them? If Katrina happened in an area with rich whites then government help would be expected and we wouldn't hear any of of this "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" rhetoric.
Before Katrina has any Repuke questioned whether people should expect help from the government or not?

[Arkansas Granny]

5. This seems to be the current Republican mentality. Just throw

something out there and when it proves to be wrong or unpopular, turn around and say that what you really meant was blah, blah, blah.

[NJCher]

6. yikes

If you read the article, this guy has a history of such gaffes. As far as his excuse about not having read the e-mail that thoroughly, I don't think so. Politicians are circumspect about what they send their constituents. I think this guy really didn't see anything wrong with it. This is what the people in his world think.




Cher

[chelsea0011]

7. Obviously, he needs to move somewhere not called Loveland.

[formercia]

8. I wonder if Peterson is a 'Moonie"

Moon has been recruiting Black Evangelicals for quite a while.

[acmavm]

9. This guy and that black minister should be forced into doing some time

together. Say, like 20 years on a deserted island. Let's see how well they do. No help, just survival by their wits.

Lovely.

[hatrack]

10. Yes, he's sincerely sorry that he got caught and called out on this

Ten pounds of shit in a five-pound bag. Asshat.

[mtnester]

40. "Caught" is the key word

he got CAUGHT..otherwise :shrug:

[paineinthearse]

11. Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson / Paragon House

When getting the image for the post below, the fist to appear was from PARAGON HOUSE. Someone correct me if wrong, but is Paragon House owned by the Unification Church?



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Lee_Peterson

Jesse Lee Peterson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson (born May 24, 1949 in Midway, Alabama) is the president and founder of The Brotherhood Organization of A New Destiny (BOND), a group dedicated to promoting responsible fatherhood among African Americans.

Peterson is a television personality (The Jesse Lee Peterson Show), which is produced and shown by God's Learning Channel, and hosts a nationally syndicated, conservative radio talk show on the Information Radio Network. His organization operates several programs including: the BOND Home for Boys, After School Character-Building Program, Entrepreneur Program, Inmate Rehabilitation Program, and counseling services.

Peterson is the creator of the annual “National Day of Repudiation of Jesse Jackson” event.

Peterson is a member of the advisory board of Project 21, an African American Conservative organization, and a board member of the California Christian Coalition. Peterson has been accused of having an obsession towards continuously criticizing and publicly demeaning the NAACP, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton in either public or private affairs. His views are strong towards anti-affirmative action and stands for strong family values. Though not as much recognized, his affiliation with Sean Hannity helps BOND's popularity and endorsements.

On January 17, 2006, Jesse Lee Peterson, et al., v. Jesse Jackson, et al. (BC 266505) will go to trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court after a ruling last week by Judge George H. Wu. Judicial Watch filed the lawsuit against Jackson, his son Jonathan, and others on behalf of Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, who was the alleged victim of a physical and verbal assault at an event hosted by Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. in December 2001. On January 27, 2006, a Los Angeles jury rejected Peterson's claims the senior Jackson threatened him at a business meeting four years ago. The jury also found Jonathan Jackson did not hit Peterson, but split six-six on whether he threatened to hit him. The judge could dismiss that claim. If he doesn't, Peterson could sue again.

On 28 January 2006, Rev. Peterson made news again with comments made at a student panel discussion at the University of California, Irvine on the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy. He referred to Islam as an "evil religion" and stated that all Muslims hate America. His comments caused a furor, with police removing two audience members to prevent a physical altercation. <1>

In September of 2005, Rev. Peterson penned a column for the conservative World Net Daily in which he accused black people stranded in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina of being "welfare-pampered," "lazy" and "immoral." <2>

Books
From Rage to Responsibility: Black Conservative Jesse Lee Peterson and America Today ISBN 1557787883
SCAM: How the Black Leadership Exploits Black America ISBN 0785263314

External links
BOND - "Rebuilding the Family By Rebuilding the Man"
Moral Poverty is the Problem in New Orleans, Not Lack of Money, Says Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson
Media Matters report on Jesse Lee Peterson
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson Challenges NAACP on Bond Nazi Statements
Know Your Right-Wing Speakers: Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson

This biographical article about a United States activist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[paineinthearse]

12. Isikoff: (Unification) Church Spends Millions On Its Image

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/unification/image.htm

Church Spends Millions On Its Image
By Michael Isikoff

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 17, 1984; Page A01

The Unification Church of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon is spending millions of dollars a year on a broad range of cultural and political programs, including academic conferences, foreign trips for journalists and conservative lobbying activities, that are designed to improve the church's image with the American public and promote an ideological "world war" against communism. The church also is using its vast financial resources to foster a budding alliance with the New Right and conservative political leaders. In May, a church political group called the Freedom Leadership Foundation paid for four Republican Senate staff members -- including aides to Sens. Steve Symms (R-Idaho), Robert W. Kasten Jr. (R-Wis.) and William L. Armstrong (R-Colo.) -- to fly to Central America where they met with government leaders and U.S. Embassy officials in Honduras and Guatemala and joined the official U.S. observer delegation to the Salvadoran election.

Another church political arm, Causa International, which preaches a philosophy it calls "God-ism," has been spending millions of dollars on expense-paid seminars and conferences for Senate staffers, Hispanic Americans and conservative activists. It also has contributed $500,000 to finance an anticommunist lobbying campaign headed by John T. (Terry) Dolan, chairman of the National Conservative Political Action Committee (NCPAC). These activities are described by Unification Church officials as part of a much broader, and sometimes more subtle, program to influence American politics and culture. This year, the church has spent $15 million to launch a national edition of its Washington Times newspaper and earmarked $5 million over the next five years for a new academic-oriented publishing company called Paragon House that has ambitious plans to publish up to 100 books a year.

The church also is spending $1.5 million a year on a new local think tank, the Washington Institute for Values in Public Policy, that is underwriting conservative-oriented research and seminars at Stanford University, the University of Chicago, the Institute for Energy Analysis in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and other institutions. "We're trying to combat communism and we're trying to uphold traditional Judeo-Christian values," said James Gavin, special assistant to Col. Bo Hi Pak, Moon's top deputy who serves as chairman of Causa International and News World Communications Inc., parent company of The Times. "The Washington Times is standing up for those values and fighting anything that would tear them down. Causa is doing the same thing, by explaining what the enemy is trying to do."

As a result of these activities, the church is increasingly developing financial and professional relationships with prominent conservative academics, religious leaders, journalists and political leaders. Causa's domestic affiliate, Causa USA, has recruited an advisory board that includes retired Army Lt. Gen. Daniel O. Graham, former U.S. ambassador to Honduras Phillip Sanchez and Dolan, who said last week that he was proud of his association with the group. "I talk to Col. Pak regularly," Dolan said.

much more....

[BlueStorm]

41. And I can't believe my late grandfather wanted to join this

overrated cult... Geez.

Blu

[formercia]

15. paragon house

http://www.assassinationscience.com/dxmivi1.html

[deb98126]

35. Thanks for the info

I honestly beleive that some African-American, right wing conservatives, actually have engaged in a certain amount of self loathing ( Clarence Thomas). They spew their venom on other, usually low-income African-Americans, because regardless of how successful some of these right wing conservatives are, they still see a Black person when they get up in the morning and look in the mirror and they despise themselves.

And I'm African-American!

Deborah

[GOPFighter]

38. Welcome to DU, Deb98126!

You're probably right. I also noticed that Blacks willing to play up to the bigots on the right end up getting fame and fortune. Republicans are always on the lookout for Blacks willing to turn their backs on their brothers and sisters.

[OnionPatch]

13. This is so blatantly, obviously written by

someone who has never experienced, can't even fathom, what it's like to live in poverty. Just what were these poor people to do? Call their rich relatives? Rent a boat? Phone in a helicopter lift with their American Express cards? :sarcasm:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. Reference Chimp's "Million Dollar Necklace" comments recently.

Same mindset.

[Karmakaze]

32. Worse than that!

This guy is totally overlooking that the government forces FORCED people to stay inside the affected area. They wouldnt let them leave. Some people tried to walk out, and they were turned back at roadblocks. The excuse at the time was that the government wanted to keep all the victims together because it would be easier to help them.

[Demeter]

14. I Think My Head Will Explode

Truly I say, there are some people too stupid to live. I'm not saying that I nor anyone else should "off" them, I'm just commenting on the possibility that they will commit some form of suicide on an at least weekly basis. I'm dealing with that in the co-op I belong to: the biggest problem is, my home and financial security and that of all of my neighbors is at risk as long as the "too stupid to live" have any executive power. And so it goes on the national/international stage, too.

The trouble with Evolution, Dawinian-social or observed in nature, is IT TAKES TOO DAMN LONG!!!!

[Jackpine Radical]

17. A no-lose situation for Welker.

By sending the email he lets his racist supporters know his true sentiments. Then he gets to play the victim game when them nasty libberuls make him apologize for "jus tellin' da troot."

[stevedeshazer]

19. Jim's District - Loveland, CO is a community...

-that is characterized by welcoming neighborhoods and a sense of
individual belonging

http://www.jimwelker.com/JimsDistrict/Index.html

-------
I guess hatred and bigotry are part of Jim's values, too.

[GoldenOldie]

21. His excuse was he didn't understand how offensive????

Give me a break! This old fart isn't some little kid who had to be carefully taught how to hate.....or is he? Apparently all his advantages of being white, his college education and his "moral upbringing," has done little to make him a compassionate, comprehending, human being.

[adarling]

20. I believe in free speech but this is unacceptable

when you are holding a public office as such, representing all peoples, you do not put yourself in these kinds of positions. I don't care if he apologizes, he needs to resign. This is never going to happen but he needs to resign. Anyone that says this stuff needs to resign. They are being paid with tax dollars from all people and using work sponsored e-mail to promote racism like this is unacceptable. Makes me sick and I hope people in Colorado hold him accountable.

[TexasLady]

22. I hear crap like this in my community all the time

from folks calling in the local radio stations, to just overheard talk around the schools and such. He pretty much sums it up for what it is to be a Repuke.

[Atman]

23. Yeah...another Republican sorry he got caught

"I'd never have forwarded that e-mail if I'd have know the press would find out! I'm very sorry!"

[henslee]

24. bingo.

[pecwae]

25. He did not understand

the remarks were "offensive," "inappropriate" and "degrading", BEFORE he forwarded the email?

[wellst0nev0ter]

26. Considering At Most 4 Percent of N.O. Blacks Received Welfare

His statement is even more offensive.

http://www.lipmagazine.org/~timwise/framingthepoor.html

[entanglement]

27. Tim Wise - I just love the guy. RW folk who talk about

'morals' could learn a thing or two from him

[wellst0nev0ter]

36. Heh, He Practically Changed My Life

used to be just another drop in the stream when it came to race and progressive issues, until I read one of his columns. Now I've learned to question everything.

[porkrind]

28. The true face of the GOP

A treasonous criminal alliance of crypto-racists, outright racists, nativists, white supremacists, misogynists, religious fanatics, megalomaniacs, and corporatists.

In short, racists, religious fanatics, and fascists.

I wonder why Rep. Welker even apologized. This is evidently what he really believes. I would think most of his supporters share similar views.

Disgusting.

[Catherine Vincent]

29. Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson?

I can't stand him! :mad:

[Rex]

30. See, this racist asshole didn't even know he was a racist.

A true Bush loyalist.

[David__77]

31. Peterson is like pro-segregation Black ministers in the 50s.

There WERE pro-segregation Blacks in the south prior to the civil rights revolution, and even during it. They had no problem with a subjugated position in return for a pat on the head. Peterson is the true "house n*****" referred to by Malcolm X, who would save the plantation house as its being burned down. He is human scum. He should certainly not be allowed to step foot in any Black community.

[Democrats_win]

33. Demonstrates the moral bankruptcy of the Republican Party. Racists!

[Blue_Tires]

34. only sorry that he got caught

[Eweedin]

39. Help us boot the wanker.

Today is the last day to sign up for the Larimer County Democrat party dinner. www.larimerdems.org.

Our keynote speaker will be Ambassador Joe Wilson of the Plamegate episode.

I repeat, today is the LAST DAY to sign up. Funds raised will support Angie Paccione (running against Musgrave) and Becky Jay (running against Jim Welker). Please sign up for this fantastic event

www.larimerdems.org

www.larimerdems.org

www.larimerdems.org

[Iris]

42. "I heard it on the radio somewhere"

"I didn't follow up on the details, but a couple months ago, some lady married a dolphin," he said Friday. "But I didn't do any research on that. I heard it on the radio somewhere."

Damn. This guy needs to hire a researcher AND someone to check his emails for him.