April 26, 2011: Civil Rights Leader Says Trump’s ‘Birther’ Accusations Use Racist ‘Code Words’

Civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson tells a reporter that the “birther” conspiracy theory, which for three years has questioned President Obama’s US citizenship, is at its heart fundamentally racist, and is part of a larger pattern of opposition to civil rights. “Any discussion of [Obama’s] birthplace is a code word,” Jackson says. “It calls upon ancient racial fears.” Jackson says of billionaire Donald Trump, who has in recent months leveled a spate of “birther” attacks against Obama (see February 10, 2011, March 17, 2011, March 23, 2011, March 23, 2011, March 28, 2011, March 28-29, 2011, March 30, 2011, April 1, 2011, April 1, 2011, April 1-8, 2011, April 7, 2011, April 7, 2011, April 7-10, 2011, April 7, 2011, April 7, 2011, April 10, 2011, April 14-15, 2011, April 21, 2011, and April 26, 2011): “Trump has trumpeted this cause. For him to go down this low is a bit surprising. He is now tapping into code-word fears that go far beyond a rational discourse.” Jackson cites a broadening pattern of hostility towards civil rights issues, including the battle over public sector unions, a transportation policy that he says disadvantages poor minority city dwellers, and a renewed interest in policies like voter ID. “I’m saying there’s a pattern here. It’s not just name calling of Barack. We’ll win that battle. There is a retreat—a pronounced, documented retreat on civil rights enforcement.” Jackson adds: “This is the most personal attacks on any president ever. Whose personal religion has ever been challenged before (see October 1, 2007, December 19, 2007, Before October 27, 2008, January 11, 2008, Around March 19, 2008, and April 18, 2008)? That has strong racial overtones.” [Politico, 4/26/2010]