Once again, the left smears without a shred of proof, it is taken at face value, and the media reports it from then on as truth.
As you may recall, a staffer for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told reporters that Clyburn and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga) had been called the "N" word several times by Tea Party protestors before the health care bill vote, although video of the event shows no such thing happened.
The Hill publishes this today where Rep. Lewis says that we lack a moral leader in America:
"Lewis' comments came after he and other black members of Congress said Tea Party protesters shouted racial slurs at them while demonstrating the healthcare vote in Washington last month."
In fact, I can find no quotes from black Congressmen that said they heard protestors yelling racial slurs. See? Now it's just reported as truth. But here's a bit of truth you may have missed.
Rep. Lewis NEVER said that he himself heard the tea party protestors shouting racial slurs at him. Go ahead. Search through all the news stories. In not ONE is Rep. Lewis ever quoted. Recently he has said that he was overwhelmed with calls from news outlet to talk about the incident, but he refuses to.
Why? I think that's pretty simple. To tell the truth he would have to call this staffer a liar. He's not going to do that. But he's not going to lie on TV either. I think he was told these things that happened, and he believed them.
In fact, Rep. Clyburn DID NOT HEAR ANY SLURS and says that here.
The only person that I can find that actually is said to have heard it, is a staffer of Clyburn's. So saying that "black members of Congress said" that is a complete lie.
You would think the media would ask Rep. Lewis outright if he himself heard the racial slurs before just accepting it as truth. But they haven't.
I think it's time for Rep. Lewis to set the record straight. If he thinks that just refusing to answer or running a circle around it exonerates him from the lying of the staffer or Clyburn, he is mistaken. He is complicit in this.
Here is my open letter to Rep. John Lewis:
Rep. John Lewis,
I may not agree with you on issues of today, but I know you were a great civil rights leader. I don't think you would lie about such a thing. So as a man of honor, it is up to you to answer this directly. Did you hear the "N" word shouted at you 15 times, as the aide said?
If you tell me you did, then I will believe it. Until then, you are letting this lie take hold and that is just wrong. The Tea Party is not about race. It is about liberty. We believe in liberty for all. We celebrate the many black speakers and leaders in the Tea Party movement and would welcome any and all to join us.
I am a child of integration Mr. Lewis. This is important for me to know.
Be the man of honor that I know you are Mr. Lewis.
Tell the truth.
Respectfully,
Kathleen McKinley
