Government

‘Ignorant’: Michigan Dem Running for Congress Accused of Not Being ‘Black’ Enough

Michigan Congressman Hansen Clarke Accused to Pretending to Be Black Says Racism is Destroying Detroit

US Representative Hansen Clarke, Democrat of Michigan (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

A Michigan congressman is being attacked by his opponents for not being “black” enough to represent the state’s newly redrawn 14th district, which includes Detroit, CBS Detroit reports.

Rep. Hansen Clarke (D-Mich.) responded Wednesday to allegations that he is only posing as a black man in order to gain votes, saying racial divides are tearing Detroit apart and are partly to blame for the state of the city’s economy.

Clarke is running against two black women, Mary Waters and Brenda Lawrence, and two white men, state Rep. Gary Peters and Bob Costello. After participating in one debate this election cycle, he says won’t do any more because the racial rhetoric is too intense.

For instance, a racially charged robocall was also reportedly released in the district this week claiming that Clarke was “not black.” Furthermore, Waters previously told the Detroit Free Press she’s the only black resident of Detroit in the race.

A distraught Clarke spoke with Talk Radio 1270 host Charlie Langton and discussed the influence of race in the election.

“Who really gives a care right now?” Clarke told Langton. “My opponents are so desperate they can’t attack me based on what we’re doing, based on my record, so they’re going after my poor deceased parents who have been dead for 30 years.”

Although Clarke’s mother is listed as “white” on her birth certificate, he identifies himself as “multiracial” with a light-skinned black mother and Indian father.

“That’s the way it is, sometimes people viewed light-skinned black folks as being white,” he said. Either way, the congressman says the race of his mother shouldn’t sway voters.

Clarke also argues racism has stopped business owners and new residents from coming to Detroit, where roughly 80 percent of all residents are black.

Michigan Congressman Hansen Clarke Accused to Pretending to Be Black Says Racism is Destroying Detroit

City of Detroit (Source: Time Magazine)

“Our region has been so divided based on race it’s actually undercut our economic growth,” Clarke explained. “The only reason we’re the only metro area in the country without mass transit is these politicians want to play race all the time. The costs have been enormous on us.”

“When people believe they’re going to be hassled because of who they are as a person they don’t want to live in that community,” he continued. “It’s overall, it’s part of the whole equation when you look at where to live. Nobody wants to live in a neighborhood where they feel their kids are going to get hassled and threatened and jeered. No employer wants to do that either.”

Instead of continuing to divide voters, Clarke explained he wants to bring everyone together as a multiracial candidate. His mother was Episcopalian, his father a Muslim, and he’s a Roman Catholic.

“You want to talk about race mattering? It does matter. We have young black kids who can’t read who are going to prison in droves, costing us billions of dollars, wasting these young men’s lives, and depressing our economy, robbing us of their contributions. That’s what we need to focus on.”

He continued:

Don’t cheapen people like that, that’s been the problem in metro Detroit, we’ve appealed based on the worst of people and look what’s happened to our city — look at it… It’s because of this kind of ignorant perspective. We need to be focusing on serving and helping people.

Comments (89)

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  • Deda1
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:44pm

    Kudos to the gentleman, because he has his work cut out for him dealing with a bunch of Demorats who are members of the KKK.

    Report Post »  
    • weknewbetter
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 8:49pm

      Rember, diversity is our strength. lmao
      Good luck in this brave new world that these socalled anti-racists are creating.

      There will be no room in it for the likes of you and I

      Report Post »  
    • rickc34
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 11:05pm

      So he is half just like the president? Obama is not black enough if Clark is not black enough. so much racial division even on the left. Oh well here is your hope got any change

      Report Post »  
    • The_Almighty_Creestof
      Posted on July 5, 2012 at 1:09am

      Just to clarify, what has stopped new business owners from coming to detroit, Flint, Etc…is racism on the part of black people against whites.

      Oh, …and the fact they steal whatever they can get their hands on whether they have a penny in their pockets or a thousand dollars.

      Report Post »  
  • gyro
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:43pm

    must be nice living there

    Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 9:48pm

      God .. no … I lived about an hour away .. and it is turning into a pit too …. It as so depressing last summer .. I decided not to go this year … and the crime is spreading out from Detroit … disgusting.

      Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:29pm

    Detroit….home of the freeloaders land of the slave…..

    Report Post »  
    • arbeauchamp
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:41pm

      What’s happened to us? This shouldn’t be happening anyway in this country. My kids don’t see race – and that’s a good thing. Our president has taken us back 40 years and I’m disgusted by this story

      Report Post »  
    • Apple Bite
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 7:32pm

      Detroit is in ruins because of Liberal policy, and cities like Houston and Chicago are shortly to follow all the same. Liberal policy has never made a positive difference in people’s lives.

      What happened to this country? Liberalism. It’s as simple as that. From our schools to the highest level of government, Liberalism is like the Black Plague to our society. It cripples the mind and has people believing in Utopia.

      The only Utopia to ever exist is with God.

      Everywhere else is War and Despair. Man can never replace God. Man can’t even touch God. But God can certainly touch man and replace him all the same should he desire to do so. But Liberalism has people believe they can play God through abortions, manipulating the food supplies, giving money to people that refuse to do better for themselves, telling you what you can and won’t eat or drink, etc….

      Report Post » Apple Bite  
  • Apple Bite
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:28pm

    Shouldn’t this be the Wake Up Call for Democrat supporters? At some point, there should be a tipping point of the mind that says, “Wait a damn second…just how long have we been doing this crap?”, thus the slippery slope towards common sense begins.

    Report Post » Apple Bite  
    • MRMANN
      Posted on July 5, 2012 at 4:37am

      I was quite surprised to read that Clarke is a Democrat, since the race card is traditionally played by Democrats against Republicans. Now it appears that the Democrats’ logic is so twisted & convoluted that they are eating their own.

      Report Post »  
    • atechgeek
      Posted on July 5, 2012 at 9:08am

      You are fighting the “I’m gonna get mine” mentality. As long as the Dem’s promise to give you something for free, they will get elected and this will eventually destroy the country. The change we need is in our hearts. This country has NO honor and integrity left. It is all gimme gimme gimme.
      I miss the days of neighbors looking out for one another.

      Report Post »  
  • Popp40
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:20pm

    Has anyone seen the story regarding a man trying to turn parts of Detroit that have been run down into a Zombie theme amusement park?

    Here is a website talking about it:
    http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/64474-detroit-eyed-for-zombie-theme-park

    Report Post »  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:28pm

      Hmmm the theme park idea won‘t be necessary because zombies inhabit that dead city already in real life and it’s going to get worse.

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
  • nappy
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:12pm

    In 2008 I asked many times.. “Show me ONE city in America that has become more peaceful. prosperous, inventive and successful after blacks became the majority political force“ The only answers I got were the usual ”you racist” comments. That or the moderators filtered the question out.

    Blacks who ARE intelligent, thoughtful, clear thinking and able are culled from the pack because they’re not black enough.

    I am still looking for that city. It sure as hell ain’t Detroit, Chicago, Compton, Los Angeles, DC, Baltimore, Newark…

    Report Post »  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:23pm

      That’s right,every city controlled by progressives black or white but mainly blacks has failed and those cities you listed are dead and will never recover as long as idiots continue to run them into the ground.

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:06pm

    I know one business that’s thriving in Detroit; they even have their own TV show….

    ….American Jewelry and Loan.

    I guess that sums it up.

    Report Post » The-Monk  
  • NDPINDNT
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:00pm

    Detroit should be celebrating Entitlement or Dependence Day, not Independence Day. It’s sad that such a great place in the past has become what it is today. It’s a fine example of what Socialism will do to a city with Liberals in charge year after year.

    Report Post »  
    • sy212
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:15pm

      Keep giving them free shlt and they keep taking it and nothing happens. Watch Detroit. I will be the first city to implode.

      Report Post »  
  • stopprintn
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:58pm

    Hear Rush on Detroit.
    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/12/rush-limbaugh-the-problem-with-detroit-is-liberalism-its-the-one-constant-in-the-last-50-years/

    Report Post »  
  • Ted Zeppelin
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:44pm

    “The only reason we’re the only metro area in the country without mass transit is these politicians want to play race all the time.”

    See, there is some good that comes out of it. There is almost nothing that’s a greater waste of tax payer dollars and more inefficient than mass transit, especially rail. And, especially for a city that no longer has a viable tax base, just moochers, criminals illiterate trash and freeloaders.

    Report Post »  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:23pm

      Ted zep……..you forgot union government parasites…….

      Report Post »  
    • RLNoland
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 9:27pm

      Detroit paperboy…..Consider only the cost of one Gov employee. How many people have to pay taxes to cover one . The socalled Prez has added 100,000s of new Gov employees.

      Report Post » RLNoland  
  • seeker9
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:43pm

    Any one ever watch Hardcore Pawn on cable? It’s about a Detroit pawn shop. The attitude of some of those pawn shop users never ceases to amaze me. I, for one, would have a great amount of difficulty of even communicating with them. I know that I am not black enough!

    Report Post » seeker9  
    • TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:10pm

      I’ve always wondered… what IS Black enough to make most Blacks accept one another instead of shooting each other? I’ve seen where Blacks will disparage other Blacks if they try to, or do too well in school, verbalize the English language as correctly as possible, getting along with authority figures who may or may not be Black, or trying to better themselves by getting out of gangs, avoiding gang behavior/mentality or trying to get out of the hood by whatever means necessary.

      Defeatist is the only answer I can come up with…

      Report Post » TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12  
    • designbyinspiration
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 8:19pm

      The libs judge everyone by the COLOR of their character.. Therefore you cannot win the argument they put forth, it is engineered that way. time to call the truth of the principle argument flawed. If anyone claims a color in an argument they are being racist- It must ne made PROFOUNDLY apparent that a persons actions and values are not tied in any way to their color.

      Report Post »  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:36pm

    Well, that crazy, fear mongling Glenn Beck said these elections were going to be made about race. Damn if he wasn’t right again.

    Report Post »  
  • marcus_arealius
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:33pm

    Has he tried a bottle of shoe polish?

    Report Post »  
  • MBA
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:32pm

    If not being black enough is a problem, why wasn’t it for obamy? He’s a traitor to all Americans black, white, green and purple.

    Report Post »  
  • kuhl
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:22pm

    The sad part is in Detroit the racists will win out…

    Report Post »  
    • scrudge
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:34pm

      dETROIT its a dead town… who cares what they do ???

      Report Post »  
    • MAMMY_NUNN
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:01pm

      Just elect the one with the biggest criminal record.

      Report Post »  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:12pm

    If all one can do is to vote for skin color, then don’t even bother voting, because you are too ignorant.

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:11pm

    Now I‘m worried that Romney isn’t white enough. Is it too late to run Edgar Winter?

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:11pm

    Hey DEtroit DEmocrats, happy DEpendence day !!!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • Ravings of a lunatic planet
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:08pm

    Good grief…….he’s running against 2 white people and two black women…….names Mary Waters and Brenda Lawrence , damn just their names scare the bajeebies out of me…….especially “Waters”…….yikes. “Detroit”……………worthless pc of land due to the Lib’s running the show…….And hey, many cities are in the same outhouse ………..I live in Maryland, land of the “free ****”……..it‘s only a matter of time before all the kings horses won’t be able to put back together what has fallen…..oh just something to mention……we now have a “flush” tax……..yep………….Pardon me while I go puke……….outside and not in the toilet……

    Report Post » Ravings of a lunatic planet  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:08pm

    Not surprising. Same district that kept John Conyers in office all those years. If you value your life folks, don’t visit Detroit, it’s a slum.

    Report Post » KickinBack  
  • woodyee
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:08pm

    If Hansen is so concerned about racism, then why is he a Democrat, the party that takes individualism and sorts it out by race, nationality, color, creed, religion and sexual orientation?

    Report Post » woodyee  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:06pm

    Yeah, he’s not black enough, and that really really black thing has work oh so we’ll in my hometown…. Yeah , the blacker the better, who cares if they can’t put a sentence together………….

    Report Post »  
  • RougeFastFingers
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:00pm

    Is anyone else getting real tired of black racism?

    Report Post » RougeFastFingers  
    • welovetruth
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:35pm

      Very tired. Too bad these ppl that cry “racism” seem to be the ones who promote it: “too black, “not black enough”, or just the old “you aren‘t talking or thinking just like everyone else so therefore you’re an Uncle Tom”. How divisive.

      Report Post »  
    • rawmilker
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:37pm

      Mammy!

      Report Post » rawmilker  
    • Your Name Here
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 2:50pm

      I have started telling people “Yer darn tootin‘ I’m racist. I love me some NASCAR!”
      Either that or I’ll say “Dam* right I’m racist! I hate you red commie bas-terds.”

      Report Post » Your Name Here  
    • RougeFastFingers
      Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:00pm

      Imagine if a white person claimed someone wasn‘t ’white enough’ to run. Or claimed you have to be white to govern whites, since many now claim only blacks should govern blacks. The left has really did a number on us with all of this division, we are no longer Americans but instead racial and financial sub groups. There are no ‘african americans’, you are either american or you are not. I’ll bet right now 99% of American blacks never stepped foot in Africa for at least 5 generations.

      Report Post » RougeFastFingers  
  • JQCitizen
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 1:57pm

    Hmmm…. I like his perspective. Sounds kind of “common sense” on the surface.

    But then we had another bi-racial/bi-cultural candidate that did that too!

    It’s a shame if this guy is on the level and people are too “gun-shy” to take a chance. Me? I’m a Conservative, and Conservatives can‘t take a chance we’ll get another “Rubber-Stamp Democrat” at ANY governmental level in case Obama stays in.

    Report Post »  
  • gunslingerpatriot
    Posted on July 4, 2012 at 1:54pm

    And this is the same reason why Memphis is struggling as well, and why people have moved out to the suburbs to get away from a populace that only looks at skin color and not content of character.

    Report Post » gunslingerpatriot  
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