Barr's
Views Aren't CCC's
By
Rep. Bob Barr
Minneapolis Star Tribune, Wednesday, February 10, 1999
© Copyright 1999 Star Tribune
In a
Jan. 27 column, Tom Teepen suggests I am closely associated with
a group known as the Council of Conservative Citizens. As
a former U.S. attorney who has prosecuted white supremacists and
racially motivated police violence, I find this charge so offensive
and inaccurate that I cannot ignore it.
As I
have said before, I find the racial views of this group repugnant,
and would never have spoken there if I had known of the group's
views beforehand. In fact, I have told the group in writing
that I disagree with its ridiculous opinions on race, and have
urged others to disassociate themselves from the CCC. It
is absurd and irresponsible for anyone to suggest that one speech
-- during which I discussed only the impeachment process, as I
was asked to do -- implies that I in any way share or support
this group's views. As the record shows, I don't.
Since
your newspaper is so interested in my racial views, I will reiterate
them for you. The color of a person's skin, the church they worship
in or the country where they were born should have absolutely
nothing to do with the opportunities they have in society or the
status they hold under the law. I look forward to the day when
our law and society are completely color-blind, and will continue
working toward that goal as long as I am in office.