Ron Paul: A Long History of Racism and Anti-Semitism

OPINION

By Palash R. Ghosh: Subscribe to Palash's

September 11, 2011 8:00 AM EDT

Ron Paul, the once and future Republican presidential candidate and cult-hero among Libertarians, has a long and disturbing history of racialism and anti-Semitism.

During an appearance on Chris Matthews’ ‘Hardball’ TV program on MSNBC a few years ago, Paul defended earlier comments his son Rand made regarding the 1964 Civil Rights Act (which he asserted his father’s Libertarian views would have led him to oppose the law).

Share This Story

Ron Paul told Matthews he would have voted against the Act in Congress, and added "I wouldn't vote against getting rid of the Jim Crow laws."

He explained that didn’t necessarily oppose the intent of the Act (to eliminate institutionalized discrimination against blacks), but rather because it imposed on the personal rights of private business owners.

In 2004, during the 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, Paul spoke against the law, stating that it violated the Constitution and curbed individual freedoms.

Follow us

“The Civil Rights Act of 1964 not only violated the Constitution and reduced individual liberty; it also failed to achieve its stated goals of promoting racial harmony and a color-blind society,” he said.

According to various reports, years ago, Paul was affiliated with newsletters that were obsessed with racial subjects.

Paul had published a plethora of newsletters over his political career with names including Ron Paul’s Freedom Report, Ron Paul Political Report, The Ron Paul Survival Report, among many others.

In June 1992, in the wake of the ‘Rodney King riots’ in Los Angeles that killed dozens and caused $1-billion of property damage, the Ron Paul Political Report wrote: “Order was only restored in L.A. when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks three days after rioting began,”

The editorial suggested that the looting and rioting was an inevitable consequence of the federal government providing blacks with “civil rights quotas, mandated hiring preferences, set-asides for government contracts, gerrymandered voting districts, black bureaucracies, black mayors, black curricula in schools, black TV shows, black TV anchors, hate crime laws, and public humiliation for anyone who dares question the black agenda.”

Paul’s screed also attacked the media for espousing the belief that “America’s number one need is an unlimited white checking account for underclass blacks.”

A few years before, in December 1989, Paul’s Investment Letter spelled out a doomsday scenario for the future, warning that “racial violence will fill our cities” because “mostly black welfare recipients will feel justified in stealing from mostly white ‘haves.’”

Two months later, another Paul newsletter predicted “The Coming Race War.”

In the following year an article advised readers: “If you live in a major city, and can leave, do so. If not, but you can have a rural retreat, for investment and refuge, buy it.”

This article is copyrighted by International Business Times, the business news leader
Sponsor Link:
Join the Conversation
IBTimes TV

73 yr Old Becomes Oldest Woman to Climb Mount Everest

Global Markets
Existing Home Sales Jump, World Banks Lowers China Forecast, Euro Prepares for Greek Exit