Apparently I Missed A Meeting

So no one told me that there was a "we hate hate-crimes" march at the Justice Department today. Rev. Al isn't getting a Christmas gift from me this year.

Anywho, this is what some of the marchers were saying:

"I feel that [the DOJ is] ignoring African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities, and treating us as if we're insignificant and don't need anything," said Sheila Barnett, who came to Washington with a group from Cleveland.

Treating people as if they are responsible adults? How dare they!

My favorite quote of the day:

Others, however, said people of all ethnicities were hurting. "A lot of injustice is being done to the black race, white race, green race, whatever. We need to pull together," said Ruth Blackwell-Rufus, a 52-year-old nurse from Temple Hills. "I think that the Justice Department has fallen down. I think that they're closing their eyes and they're forgetting about the poor people."

It's bad enough that "pulling together" means absolutely nothing, but the "green race?"

While I fundamentally disagree with the concept, it is baffling to me that very few black "leaders" can be found to intelligently promote federalization of hate crimes (Prof. Charles Ogletree standing alone in this capacity, as far as I can tell). The staggering inanity of these statements, coupled with nonsensical congressional tirades from Sheila Jackson Lee and Rev. Sharpton himself only exacerbate the perception that blacks are ignorant fools not only requiring -- but demanding -- paternalistic protection from the government.

This is not progress.