‘Reclaim the Dream’: Education Secretary Pressed Employees to Attend Sharpton Rally
- Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:20pm by
Meredith Jessup
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In an internal memo sent to 4,000 federal employees, Education Secretary Arne Duncan urged government workers to attend a rally led by Rev. Al Sharpton on 8/28. Sharpton’s rally was originally billed as a commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, but was filled with politicized rhetoric aimed at countering the large crowds gathered at conservative Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally on the National Mall.
According to the Washington Examiner, a Department of Ed employee came forward with the email because they felt uncomfortable with Duncan’s request:
Although the e-mail does not violate the Hatch Act, which forbids federal employees from participating in political campaigns, Education Department workers should feel uneasy, said David Boaz, executive vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute.
“It sends a signal that activity on behalf of one side of a political debate is expected within a department. It’s highly inappropriate … even in the absence of a direct threat,” Boaz said. “If we think of a Bush cabinet official sending an e-mail to civil servants asking them to attend a Glenn Beck rally, there would be a lot of outrage over that.”
Meanwhile, black leaders who attended Beck’s rally are coming out of the woodwork and condemning Sharpton for his divisive rhetoric. CNSNews.com reports:
Franz Kebreau, national director of the National Association for the Advancement of Conservative People of All Colors (NAACPC), told CNSNews.com that a counter-rally led by Rev. Al Sharpton, also on Saturday in Washington, D.C., was really a disservice to the slain civil rights leader.
“[Beck] is actually extending the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., which is fantastic,” Kebreau said. “You know, Al Sharpton should be here. This is where he should be. We’re trying to create a unifying effect, and create a unity.
“We would love for him [Sharpton] to be here because we’re honoring Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Kebreau. “We’re honoring Frederick Douglass. We’re honoring the idea of looking at people based on the content of their character, and not the color of their skin.”
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Comments (84)
VivRose
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 1:40amBeck’s Rally reminded me of the word…“A soft answer turns away wrath”
Report Post »Falcon
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 1:28amIt was so great to see the large screened image of Frederick Douglass at the Restoring Honor event right next to the image of Lincoln. Profoundly moving.
Report Post »texashayden
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 1:24amWho actually takes Sharpton seriously. I feel sorry for the man and will pray he comes out of the dark and into the light!
WIDE SPREAD PANIC
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 1:17am“We would love for him [Sharpton] to be here because we’re honoring Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Kebreau. “We’re honoring Frederick Douglass. We’re honoring the idea of looking at people based on the content of their character, and not the color of their skin.”
er……so where is the white guy with character?
Oh that’s right…it was Glenn Beck who dropped the hammer on those silly progressive black liberation theology idealists whose “great society” actually enslaved them,……..
Nobama2012
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 2:09am“er……so where is the white guy with character?”
What’s your point? You can never name two black guys without naming a white guy? You keeping score on race, now?
Kebreau‘s on Beck’s side.
Don‘t know what you’re trying to say.
Linda SD
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 1:11amI just couldn’t help myself. The lingering journalist & still active researcher in me wouldnt put the brakes on & I just HAD to watch the not-so-Sharpton rally. Guess what? I didn’t learn anything new & I didn’t come away inspired to become a liberal.
Report Post »Margie10
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 1:02amUn-freakin’-real!!! It WAY violates the Hatch Act!
Report Post »I think everyone should DEMAND they fire Arne Duncan!
Send it to Whitehouse.gov
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
trueblueday
Posted on September 1, 2010 at 1:53amAbsolutely requires an investigation. It is clearly evident that the Hatch Act was flagrantly violated. You would think the Education Secretary would know better!
Report Post »Justme22
Posted on September 1, 2010 at 8:36pmIt SHOULD be investigated but it won’t… how sad is that??
Report Post »two sets of laws being applied by our govt. these days !
Silversmith
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 12:04amSharpton’s game has been visible to most for some time now – remember Tawana Brawley? Not sure if he is capable of being a part of a politically healthy society. He seems to traffic in what we want to be rid of. Well, bless his heart anyway!
And the Education secretary has just shown us one more bad apple that needs to be replaced in the coming house cleaning.
Silversmith
Report Post »BrianPat
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 12:02amThis is good, it reeks of desperation ! Don’t they realize they have true Americans in their ranks who are going to publish those memos ?
jkpk
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 11:54pmSad that the Marxist/Black Liberationists/Christian types such as Reverands Sharptons and Jacksons feel that Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement is their own personal property for their own exploitation of CASH. They don’t like anyone muscling into their territory.
Report Post »Steve LeMaster
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 11:50pmAl Not-so-Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are race hustlers. They know that in order to stay in the limelight, they have to perpetuate racism.
Report Post »Bethany Patriot
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 11:43pmThe race card is all that the left has. No ideas, no plans, no engagement of the minds. Nothing but pork and payback crony spending. Chicago politics comes to Washington DC. Drain the swamp, what a joke!
Report Post »milo
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 11:06pmIt did violate the Hatch Act. He used department computers, dept software, dept mail servers, and the dept email addresses.
tarsubil
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:08pmAbsolutely correct. This is a clear violation of the Hatch Act and Arne Duncan should be investigated immediately.
Here is a memo from a regulatory expert within the Federal Government who works in DC:
“The main Hatch Act is still restrictive however useful in an office setting. However this is the first time they have come up with social media policy. I guess as more and more people use these systems they figured they better state the restrictions before they had to start taking actions. I know that last election I remember reading they wanted to remove people for forwarding email from their private account to coworkers and friends I think MSPB only agreed to suspensions.
Basic Hatch Act
Report Post »Less Restricted federal employees may not, for example:
• host a political fundraiser
• invite anyone to a political fundraiser
• accept or receive a donation or contribution for a partisan political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group
• use an official title or position while engaged in political activity
[b]• supervisory employees may not invite subordinate employees to political events or otherwise suggest to subordinates that they attend the political event or undertake any partisan political activity[/b]
Additionally, while on duty and/or in any federal room or building, Less Restricted federal employees may not, for example:
distribute campaign materials or items
wear partisan political buttons, t-shirts or other items
display campaign materials or items
perform campaign related chores
make political contributions to a partisan political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group
post a comment to a blog that advocates for or against a partisan political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group
use any e-mail account to distribute, send or forward content that advocates for or against a partisan political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group”
tarsubil
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 10:09pmAttempt to bold failed. Here’s the important thing:
Report Post »!!!!
• supervisory employees may not invite subordinate employees to political events or otherwise suggest to subordinates that they attend the political event or undertake any partisan political activity
!!!!
Mr.Bill28
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 11:06pmPelosi wouldn’t call this “astroturf.”
Report Post »yobuck
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:55pmJust more of the same from the usual suspects. Why would we expect anything different?
Report Post »TPARTY RADIO
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:51pmSharpton’s message on MLK day was that we know how to “sucker punch” them.
Report Post »What is Sharpton’s body count up to these days?
GeeWhiz
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:49pmThe old rhetoric doesn’t apply anymore and therefore, it doesn’t work. It sounds perjorative and old.
Johnny Alamo
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:52pmThat’s right. Now if someone calls you a racist you should say “Thank you” because it means you are right and not drinking the kool aid.
Report Post »Cynewulf
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:49pm“In an internal memo sent to 4,000 federal employees, Education Secretary Arne Duncan urged government workers to attend a rally led by Rev. Al Sharpton on 8/28.”
I’m shocked, shocked I say!
anhaga
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 1:57amYou should be ashamed, ‘Cynefulf’
Modern Patriot
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:41pmUnfortunately this has become the norm. The ones who were once the victims of racism are now the one‘s using it as a tool and acting as if it’s OK when they do it. As if they have a right to. The one good thing to come out of it is that it has turned into “The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf”. People are pretty much numb when they hear it now, with a what ever attitude to it.
Report Post »j-mac
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:45pmI know. Whenever I hear “RACIST” now, I just think to myself, “Aw, shut up.”
Report Post »Teezer
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:38pmIMO, Sharpton, Jackson, et al, are way past their expiration date.
Hadn’t seen Al in a whiile, he’s lost a lot of weight, it would appear.
Report Post »sybilll
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:36pmOur tax dollars used for propoganda………again?
Report Post »anniebanannie
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:34pmSharpton came across as a real shyster during that rally. Even a couple Obama supporter here thought so. I think he’s past his shelf date.
j-mac
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:30pmWhat burns me is Sharpton’s use of the term Reverend. If he isn’t preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified, he ain’t no reverend. He’s just a shuck and jive, race-baiting idiot.
Johnny Alamo
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:33pmHe’s a reverend on tax day, when he checks “exempt” on that form.
almaintx
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:53pmYou got that right!! Both of you. He demeans the word Reverend. When you preach hate and racism you have no claim to the word.
Report Post »Pablo
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 6:04amIsn’t it interesting that the rodeo clown is 100 times the preacher the “Reverend” is? Did Sharpton event mention God at his little hatefest? Not that I can find. And has anyone in the media mentioned his “overwhelmingly black” crowd?
Mermaz
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 7:57amAmen! I said while walking to Restoring Honor, I’ll refer to Sharpton as a Reverend when he takes the vow of poverty.
Report Post »Mirimichi
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 4:26pmYou’re right about Sharpton. He is no more a Reverand than I am. If he was truly looking out for the people, he wouldn’t be playing the victim card all of the time. He should be teaching them about self-respect. When you have that, then you can earn the respect of others.
Report Post »CitizenJob
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:28pmRace is the last refuge of the lowly scoundrel.
Report Post »Johnny Alamo
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:27pmAnd I wonder how many from the Dept. of Ed went? There were only 2 or 3 thousand there. And 1500 or so were paid SEIU astroturf that were bused in.
Johnny Alamo
Posted on August 30, 2010 at 10:24pmThere was more “honor” for Dr. King at the Beck rally. There was just race pimping going on at Sharpton’s. Of course.
mary otis warren
Posted on August 31, 2010 at 8:25amThat’s it. I made an appointment with a non–sectarian Christiian School in my area. Public Education couldn’t be more clearly aligned with the left. I see it at my local level. Duncan aligning with Sharpton…my son‘s school teaching ’Islam‘ tolerance and absolutely no tolerance of Christian principles to balance and fully explain our founding father’s idea of ‘freedom’. Seems like separation of church, state and education and politics only apply to conservative christians.
brazzleton
Posted on September 5, 2010 at 8:15amDarkness cannot comprehend the light. Let me be clear the darkness I am referring to has nothing to with skin color, Yes there is a war between black and white. It’s an eternal law apparent in everything. Black is not even a color, it is the absence of of all color. White is not a single color it is every color that exists. I am caucasian I am not white. Al Sharpton and “his people” which he claims to represent are not black. They are actually differing shades of brown. I learned this in art class in high school. I understood this fact studying the nature of light. Just shine white light through a prism and out of comes the same colors we see in a rainbow, ROYGBIV red, orange,yellow,green,blue,indigo and violet. Mix them like the ‘ happy little tree guy” and you can get every color except black and white. Satan is pure darkness a black where light does not exist. God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are the only source of Light, Love and Glory. We as humans have been in the gray area far too long. The darkness or Light is truly within the human soul. Satan’s greatest goal is to move our Souls carefully from the Light and Love into the gray and fade to black. No man can serve two masters. I watched God’s manifestation through His Light, Love in the hearts of our brothers and sisters. I know that smile on Glenn’s face and I know he knows from that smile even though he was an instrument in this great gathering, I know he feels like the most unprofitable servant of the Lord. With all of his fame, fortune, success and however he may come across to the naysayers, this is a man of extraordinary humility. Boldly declaring the truth to this moral decay that plagues our nation. Glenn is the biggest racist on the airwaves is a true accusation. The part that his accusers cannot see is that he sees our true natures as true brothers and sisters of the human race. My wife thinks I’m obsessed with Glenn Beck. That is a bit frustrating at times when I’m just obsessed with learning honest truth. I watched Divine Destiny and Restoring Honor and I watched the whole Al Sharpton thing about education equality. I don’t get it when the majority of the my students are brown Americans. Oh one suggestion and the only thing that I find a bit hypocritical of your program is when you say don’t hate. My dad taught me to never say hate and I teach my three girls that and the gasp when you express your love for Woodrow Wilson. You should say I really really really really really don’t like that dirt bag, progressive piece of dog crap. Wow I’m going to be tired at church tomorrow.
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