Tea Party Nation: Movement 'is not racist'
(CNN) – A national Tea Party group responsible for the conservative movement's first national convention is out with a statement Monday responding to the weeklong controversy about claims of racism within the movement's ranks.
"As most of you are aware, one of the leaders in the tea party movement posted a controversial blog many took to be racist,' the statement says in an apparent reference to a blog post by Mark Williams which Williams published but then later removed from his personal blog.
"The Tea Party Movement is not racist," the statement says. "Tea Party Nation and many other groups have repudiated racism and racists."
After pointing out that the Tea Party Nation website states the group's no tolerance policy when it comes to racism, the national Tea Party group also says it has "banned members who were racists and will ban any members who show themselves to be racist."
The statement ends on a welcoming, conciliatory note.
"Tea Party Nation welcomes all patriots, regardless of gender, ethnicity or national origin to join us and help save this great country."
The Tea Party Nation organized a national Tea Party convention held in February in Nashville, Tennessee. The group is also one of the organizers of a National Tea Party Unity convention planned for October in Las Vegas.
–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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You folks can NEVER unring all the bells your speakers have rung.
Denounce the ones that encouraged hate and fear and divisiveness.
Denounce the ones that encouraged "taking our country back from THEM".
You're all off in the head
By denying it, does not make wrong right.
when you see all white in the crowd with disgusting poster, conclusion is very simple that TEA party is very conservative arm of republican party led by DICK ARMY.
May be they should also fire DICK ARMY along with Mark william.
What they meant to say was that the tea party isn't *only* racist... they are bigots too.
The Tea Party movement has never been about race. As in ALL groups (including the democratic party and the NAACP), there will be a fringe element.
The NAACP's attempt to pin 'racism' on the Tea Party movement was weak at best. Until they clean themselves up (Black Panthers, Jeramiah Wright and others), they probably should keep think twice before penning hypocritical, political resolutions.
Note: I'm glad that the Tea Party movement booted Williams. He sounds like an idiot.
"The Tea Party Movement is not racist" the statement says.
Many of its members on the other hand...
I use to try to believe that, but I have seen and heard to much to believe it.
Yeah that's a good one. They'll welcome you with a new white sheet and matching hood!!
No matter if the pig has lipstick, it is still a pig. These people are racist and bring no good to the american debate.