Check Out Bush's Idea Of A Civil Rights Commision Chair

by Steve

"I just assume somewhere in my life some knucklehead has looked at me and my brown self and said that they have given me less or denied me an opportunity, but the bottom line is, and my wife will attest to this, I am so insensitive that I probably didn't notice."
--Gerald A. Reynolds

Check out Bush’s choice to head the Commission on Civil Rights. Bush has just named Gerald A. Reynolds to succeed Mary Francis Berry as chair of the commission. Bush now has 6 of the 8 commission seats filled with conservatives.

For starters, Mr. Reynolds feels that affirmative action is a “big lie.”

Mr. Bush feels that Mr. Reynolds is qualified for this position because he did a stint at the Department of Education for Bush through a recess appointment when Congress would not confirm him due to his lack of experience. So what are Mr. Reynolds’ qualifications at this time, besides being a black conservative? Well, he is an energy company attorney. Gee, that sure sounds like good training.

Mr. Reynolds has doubts that racial discrimination still exists, and thinks that the best way to advance the civil rights of minorities in this country is by addressing education disparities, even though his commission isn’t the Education Department and has no direct influence over how educational programs are run in this country. Oh, and to show how committed he is to the notion that progress can be made through education, he and his wife are home-schooling their children.

I would submit that Mr. Reynolds’ focus on educational disparities is a smokescreen for the White House to do nothing on civil rights for the next four years. If Mr. Reynolds wants to do a great deal for the civil rights of minorities in this country, then he should focus on why so many minority voters are disenfranchised intentionally each election by the GOP. Until he grapples with that, he and Bush are frauds when it comes to civil rights.