CLARENCE THOMAS -- good old friend of Apartheid
Harel Barzilai
"It is not well known that Thomas was a longtime close associate
of two blacks, Jay Parker and William Keyes, who were registered
paid agents of the South African apartheid government."
[Excerpted from "The Best Man" by Edward S. Herman, from Herman's
regular column in _Z_ magazine ("Double Speak"), Oct. 1991 issue.]
Congressional/White House phone numbers enclosed at bottom.
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"In naming Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court vacancy left by the
resignation of Thurgood Marshall, Bush pronounced him the "best man"
for the job. In fact, Thomas is sclosas close to a purely political and
ideological appointment as you could get -- a right-wing black, who
participated in the early Reagan administration's gutting of benefits
to poor people, with very limited judicial experience and entirely
without distinction. He is being rewarded for services rendered to the
Republican establishment and, as a black, is a clever choice for
getting another right-wing ideologue onto the court
"It is not well known that Thomas was a longtime close associate of two
blacks, Jay Parker and William Keyes, who were registered paid agents
of the South African apartheid government. Parker registered as an
agent of South Africa's Transkei bantustan in 1977-78, and was the
official agent of another South African bantustan, Venda, from 1981
into 1985. Parker also serve for many years on the board of the U.S.
branch of the far right World Anticommunist League. In 1985, Parker
and Keyes incorporated a lobbying firm, International Public Affairs
Consultants (IPAC), which registered as a lobbying agency for the
South African government, receiving $360,000 a year plus expenses.
"In the years when he first served as a South African an agent,
1977-1978, Jay Parker organized the Lincoln Institute for Research and
Education, which put out a quarterly called _Lincoln Review_. The
Institute and Review have consistently attacked the African National
Congress, sanctions against South Africa, and the leadership and
ideas of the U.S. civil rights movement. Parker was also notable for
his opposition to a national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, who
"gave his full support to the North Vietnamese Communists" (Parker's
version of opposition to the Vietnam war), and for extending the
concept of "black radicals" to Benjamin Hooks and the NAACP. In a
speech given at California State University on April 25, 1988,
Clarence Thomas expressed his warm support for "steadfast dissidents"
like Jay Parker (and Thomas Sowell also). "I admire them, and only
hope I can have a fraction of their courage and strength."
[...]Since 1981 Thomas has been listed as a member of the Editorial
Advisory Board of Parker's _Lincoln Review_ [...]
[...]
[Thomas attending a reception for the South African ambassador held
by IPAC]
[...]
In 1984, Keyes organized a "Black PAC," Parker serving as treasurer.
This organization worked hard for the re-election of Jesse Helms in
1984, whole strongly oppositing the "terrorist outlaw" African
National Congress and "extremists" like Jesse Jackson and members of
the Congressional Black Caucus.
In June 1987 the conservative weekly _Human Events_ reported that the
Black PAC leader were holding a strategy meeting that month "to plan
for the important political battles being waged in Congress," the
attendees including Clarence Pendleton, Reagan's chair of the U.S.
Civil Right Commission, and Clarence Thomas of the EEOC. That these
two top black officials in the Reagan administration would attend a
strategy meeting organized by two _paid lobbyists_ for a foreign
government -- and a racist government to boot -- raises questions of
morality and legality that have not been discussed in the mainstream
media. [emphasis added --HB].
[....]
Although the Reagan-Bush attack on the poor is partly class-based,
there is a significant tie-in with the Southern Strategy [Barry
Goldwater, 1964, using thinly-veiled "appeals to white fears of black
advances and crimes in the streets" --HB], the legal attacks on
affirmative action, and "an antipathy toward civil rights that
stretches far beyond particular disputes about effective remedies for
discrimination" (Robert Plotkin, shortly after his 1981 resignation
from heading litigation in the Justice Department's Civil Rights
Division)
[....]
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Call Congress Today !
Local number of U.S. Congress switchboard (202) 224-3121
[When you reach the Capitol Hill switchboard, simply ask to be
connected to the office of the Member, Senator or committee you
want to reach. Please call during normal business hours on the
East Coast.]
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White House: (202)-456-7639
The White House Comments line is (202)-456-1111
(9 am- 5 pm Monday-Friday).
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Date: Fri, 21 Dec 90 01:18:29 CST
** Topic: Bush's Fax Number **
** Written 3:03 pm Dec 20, 1990 by hfrederick in cdp:pn.announcements **
Information capture off Bitnet:
George knows better than to have an e-mail address to where his
fellow citizens could write to him all day, every day.
But you can FAX him, at 202-456-2461.
Or talk to his Public Comment staff, at 202-456-1111.
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NAMES OF KEY LEADERS OF CONGRESS:
Thomas Foley [Speaker of the House] (202) 225-5604
Richard Gephardt [House Majority Leader] (202) 225-0100
William Gray [House Majority Whip] (202) 225-3130
David Bonior [House Deputy Majority Whip] (202) 225-0080