The Multiracial Activist Newsletter
Special Alert 09 – January 27, 1999
The Multiracial Activist Newsletter is an informational digest of news, events, new websites and other information of interest to the biracial/multiracial individuals, interracial couples/families and the transracial adoptee community. Published irregularly, with special alerts as news items warrant. The Multiracial Activist Newsletter is registered with the Library of Congress, Washington, DC – ISSN: 1522-6905. Past newsletters and alerts are archived at https://www.multiracial.com/newsletter.html.
Special Alert 09
January 27, 1999
Editor, James A. Landrith, Jr.
https://www.multiracial.com/
email: racial_politics@hotmail.com
MEDIA ADVISORY – January 27, 1999THE MULTIRACIAL ACTIVIST CALLS FOR
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER LOTT TO RESIGN
Alexandria, VA — In a January 25 letter to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, James Landrith of The Multiracial Activist called for the Senator to resign from the Senate after his ties to the white supremacist organization the Council of Conservative Citizens became public last month, stating that “for any public servant to have ties with an organization such as the Council of Conservative Citizens, who consider my marriage and the existence of my children as a threat to be eliminated is not only disturbing, it’s infuriating.”
The text of the letter follows, and is also available online at a https://www.multiracial.com/editors/lott.html:
The Honorable Trent Lott
Senate Majority Leader
487 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2403
Dear Majority Leader Lott:
As the interracially married father of two multiracial children I feel compelled to express my extreme disappointment with your choice of company. For any public servant to have ties with an organization such as the Council of Conservative Citizens, who consider my marriage and the existence of my children as a threat to be eliminated is not only disturbing, it’s infuriating.
In light of the recent discoveries regarding your affiliations with the racist, white supremacist organization known as the Council of Conservative Citizens and your long history of affiliation and advocacy efforts on behalf of other racist organizations such as Bob Jones University, I ask you do the only honorable thing left – RESIGN. Your recent statements disassociating yourself from these types of organizations is a classic case of too little, too late. You should never have become involved with bigots and dangerous extremists in the first place. There is no place in the 106th Congress for a man committed to the principles of segregation and racial intolerance.
Again I ask, RESIGN.
Sincerely,
James A. Landrith, Jr.
Editor & Publisher
The Multiracial Activist
cc: Charles Michael Byrd, INTERRACIAL VOICE
Deb Brown, INTERracial
Candy Mills, INTERRACE
Matthew Kelley, MAVIN Journal
Colette Lantelme, Metisse Magazine Online
Susan Graham, Project RACE
Ramona Douglass, Association of Multi-Ethnic Americans
Steve White, A Place For Us
David Goldman, HateWatch
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The Multiracial Activist – An activist journal dedicated to the struggle for and preservation of civil rights for biracial and multiracial individuals, interracial couples/families and transracial adoptees.
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Copyright © 1999 The Multiracial Activist. All rights reserved. {jos_sb_discuss:8}
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 05:17:30 -0800
From: “Richard M.”
To: The Multiracial Activist Newsletter
Subject: Re: The Multiracial Activist – Special Alert 09 – January 1999
I read the following letter you wrote to Trent Lott and I think you are being quite unfair. Let me explain why. As soon as Sen. Lott was confronted with the fact that CCC is a racist organization he publicly repudiated the organization and denounced its racism. He did not rise to defend the group, but made an immediate public denounciation. I think that was the only honorable thing to do. Your concern about joining the group in the first place is a respectable question. Since neither one of us is a politician I think it is important to realize that they are extremely busy and when they are not involved in the political process itself they are usually trying to gather donations.
This group that he was associated with but not a member of (they have confirmed this) has a title that gives the impression that it is only a politically conservative group. Although you may find this hard to believe, I believe that Sen. Lott as a very busy politician was deceived by the title of the group and did not have the time to look into the matter any further. His assistants and researchers should have, but obviously they did not do their job. Politician’s research assistant’s often do not research as well as they should, perhaps because they aren’t well paid. I don’t know. But such an extreme punishment for a person who is on record for denouncing his past association and has not been accused of committing any crime is uncalled for, in my opinion.
Moreover, if we are to demand his resignation, then I’m sure you would also want Rep. Bob Barr’s for being associated with the same group, and perhaps Sen. Strom Thurmond’s for having been a racist leader many years ago. The you should also ask for the resignation of Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd for having been in the Ku Klux Klan many years back. Should the Black Congressional Caucus also resign since they signed a covenant with Louis Farrakhan, who also hates interracial marriage, a few years back? This would include everyone from Maxine Waters to current NAACP head Kwesi Mfume. Their association is even worse since they knew before entering the covenant that Farrakhan is a racist. Not only that, but they have not yet repudiated they’re association with Farrakhan.
Contrast that with Lott, who not only can plead ignorance, but once he found out the racist nature of the group denounced it.
Sincerely,
Richard Mendoza
Editor’s Response: You fail to mention the fact that Senator Lott spoke to the Council 3 times over a period of 7 years and met privately with their senior leadership in his Washington office. You also fail to mention that Lott’s uncle is a member and executive of the organization and the uncle is quoted as saying that Trent was well informed as to the beliefs of the organization. After the initial press story about his involvement, his staff said that he hadn’t had any dealings with the council for over 10 years, which was a blatant lie. Further, I’ve worked on Capitol Hill and currently work in the government relations department of a national trade association as well as the administrator of a national political action committee. I know all about how busy Members and Hill staff are. This kind of organization’s true identity would not slip by the well informed and hand picked staff of the Senate Majority Leader. Senator Lott knew.
You mention that Senator Robert Byrd was a member of the KKK, of which I was aware. His story is that when he joined he was ignorant and led to believe that he was joining an anti-communism Klavern. He went on to filibuster against the civil rights act, but has since converted to liberalism. While his explanation for his previous behaviour is suspect, I have no evidence, based on his present conduct in the Senate that he is a racist and will not label him as such. Trent Lott, however, has worked for segregationists, fought civil rights legislation and campaigned for non-profits to remain tax-exempt while still being allowed to practice discrimination against interracial couples. Senator Byrd currently does none of this. On to Bob Barr, I’m not sure if I believe that he was unaware of the groups mission or not. It is highly possible given Lott’s and Gov. Fordice’s endorsement of the Council he was fooled into thinking it was a legitimate, mainstream conservative organization. Part of me wants to give him the benefit of the doubt and another part of me thinks he’s completely full of it.
As far as the Congressional Black Caucus and their offensive dealings with the racist Nation of Islam goes, I won’t even start in on them now, I’ll save that for an editorial.
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 08:43:36 -0600
From: “Cheryl Hughey”
Subject: Senator Trent Lott and call to resign
The following is my e-mail comment to Senator Lott regarding his links to racist organization. I encourage you to send your e-mail comments, too.
Here is the e-mail address: http://www.senate.gov/~lott/eform.htm
“Post and other national news organizations have published links of Senator Lott to the racist organization entitled, “Council of Conservative Citizens.” As a St. Louis advocate of transracial adoptions, internet leader and wife of a five-year alderman, I support the call to your resignation.”
Cheryl Hughey
Date: Mon, 01 Feb 1999 00:05:56 -0400
From: “Christopher J. Tennant”
To: The Multiracial Activist Newsletter
CC: ct01@zeus.odyssey.net
Subject: Re: The Multiracial Activist – Special Alert 09 – January 1999
Dear Sir or Madam,
I received your alert the other day and wanted you to know how much I appreciate the letter Mr. Landrith wrote to Senator Lott.
The letter clearly expressed a concern that should be raised by all of us, the Senator’s association with extremist organizations, and I wish to thank Mr. Landrith for voicing a grave concern and your organization for alerting me.
Sincerely,
Christopher J. Tennant
Editor: You’re welcome, Mr. Tennant.