Burnt Orange Report

August 30, 2004

Nader in bed with KKK Apologists

By Byron LaMasters

Further proof that Ralph Nader will do anything to screw Democrats in 2004, just as he did in 2000:

Texas Democrats, led by two prominent black senators, called on Ralph Nader on Saturday to step down as the Reform Party's presidential candidate after it was disclosed that the party's leader once defended a murderer from the Ku Klux Klan.
The Democrats, still angry about losing votes to Nader in the 2000 presidential election, issued the call as he formally accepted the party's nomination in a small conference room at a hotel in Irving.

Nader was introduced by Shawn O'Hara, national chairman of the Reform Party of the United States of America. O'Hara is also an outspoken defender of Samuel Bowers, former Imperial Wizard of the KKK in Mississippi.

Bowers was convicted in 1998 in the fire-bombing death of Vernon Dahmer, a black civil-rights activist from Hattiesburg, Miss. Prosecutors said Klansmen shot up and bombed Dahmer's home in 1966 because he helped blacks register to vote by letting them pay their poll tax at his grocery store.

On Saturday, O'Hara sat next to the podium, nodding approvingly as Nader gave his customary stump speech, accusing Democrats and Republicans of being in the clutches of corrupt corporations. He also said he planned to sue the Democratic Party for working to keep him off the Nov. 2 ballot in most states, including Texas.

So what did Ralph Nader have to say after learning that the leader of the party that has given him ballot lines in seven states is a Ku Klux Klan apologist?

After his speech, Nader appeared stunned when asked about O'Hara's relationship to Bowers and the KKK.

"That's false. I think that's propaganda," he said as supporters quickly ushered him onto an elevator.

But O'Hara, also of Hattiesburg, acknowledged that he actively worked on Bowers' defense team. The political activist, who is not a lawyer, said he began defending the Klan leader after failing to find hard evidence of his guilt.

Ralph Nader doesn't care. He'd probably take the Nazi Party line if it gave him ballot access in more states. He doesn't care about winning this election, or doing anything for democracy in America. Ralph Nader is a pathetic disillusioned activist who needs to hang up his boots, and call it a career. He did too much good for America prior to 2000 than to have his entire career be defined by his recalcitrance in hopeless crusades for president in 2000, and 2004 that only serve to dampen his otherwise exceptional career.

Posted by Byron LaMasters at August 30, 2004 07:29 AM | TrackBack

Comments

Could you please point to some evidence that Mr. O'Hara "is a Ku Klux Klan apologist?" That's quite a weighty accusation to make based on the lack of evidence in your post. If he is, in fact, a Klan apologist - that's one thing. But there's nothing in your post but innuendo.

You say that "O'Hara is also an outspoken defender of Samuel Bowers," but what does this mean "an outspoken defender?" Later in the post you note that O'Hara "said he began defending the Klan leader after failing to find hard evidence of his guilt." So he's not defending the Klan, or Klan activities, or the activities for which Mr. Bowers was convicted - he thinks (or thought?) that Mr. Bowers was innocent of the charges? A lot of people think that Mumia Abu Jamal didn't kill Daniel Faulkner. I don't think that those people are "cop killer apologists" - I think they believe that a man was falsely accused.

Moreover, lines like: "[Nader would] probably take the Nazi Party line if it gave him ballot access in more states" are just pathetic. Come on, you can do better than this.

If Ralph Nader is associating with racists and Klan members, then he should certainly be called out on it. But as far as I can tell from what you present, you all are taking things out of context and blowing this out of proportion in an attempt to create a sensational smear campaign worthy of the SBVT.

Ralph Nader is doing a fine job of making himself look like an irrelevant fool. Don't drag yourself down with him.

Posted by: seth at August 30, 2004 08:22 AM

o.k...
just stop talking about Nader...
just ignore him...
I was a Nader supporter in 2000.
Would not have bothered to vote otherwise.
Every time you Dems bring him up at this point you just piss me off.
I'm not voting for him this time and I don't know any serious progressives who are (and I'm in Texas too, not some swing state)...
anyway, if we're truly about making our system more democratic and responsive we should be about having more choices on the ballot, not fewer...if we had worked to get the libertarians and the constitution party on the ballot we could be taking votes away from Bush on the right...
When I run (as a nihilist) in 2008 I am going to ask anyone gathering signatures for me to also gather signatures for any other candidates who would like to get on the ballot...
ya know why? cause I believe in democracy. I believe in giving people choices. I believe that the American people are smart enough that if they're given an honest debate of the issues from many sides/angles that they will make the best choice.
anyway, just ignore nader please...
help keep the peace between progressives and democrats...

Posted by: Mike Switzer at August 30, 2004 09:59 AM

Anyone know if Larry Flint is speaking at UT during his visit to Austin this week. I know he is going to be at Bookpeople tonight, but I heard he was speaking on campus on Tuesday. Anyone know anything about this?

Posted by: CJ Buchanan at August 30, 2004 12:16 PM

Flynt is speaking tomorrow at 7 I believe at the Jester Auditorium.

Posted by: Ramon at August 30, 2004 12:55 PM

Nader sucks.

His delusional apologists want us to ignore him and his Republican backers while he misleads enough people into giving the Flightsuit-in-Chief another dubious four-year lease on the White House.

When Nader retires, we will gladly ignore him.

Posted by: Tim Z. at August 30, 2004 11:35 PM

Is he meeting with West Virginia's senior Senator yet?

Posted by: peter at August 31, 2004 11:53 PM

News, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas

August 30, 2004

Nader in bed with KKK Apologists

By Byron LaMasters