Huckabee and the Black Vote

AAPP: I recently posted about how Black men are getting convicted of capital crimes in Massachusetts they didn't commit I also posted on Hillary Clinton's New 21st Century Southern Strategy regarding black and white voters. In the post I noted that Black conservatives are endorsing Huckabee. Yes, I called them Uncle Tom type African American conservatives praising the former Arkansas governor’s track record on traditional values Read More HERE.

With the above mentioned post in mind, It made me wonder, can Hillary or Huckabee be trusted by black folks? I mean A black blogger, Rikyrah, who I respect, says she understands the appeal. I have to take a second look. Rikyrah says, "He is a personable man, with an air of being comfortable in his own skin and making others at ease at the same time. While it's clear that Huckabee is a Christian, and that his faith is the cornerstone to his approach to governmental policy."

Rewind, "While it's clear that Huckabee is a Christian, and that his faith is the cornerstone to his approach to governmental policy."

OK, so let's take a look at Gov. Huckabee in the context of Life and Death issues like the Death Penalty and War.

Opinion Source: Michael Collins H/T Deborah at From My Brown Eyed View

As governor, Huckabee was an enthusiastic death penalty supporter. He now supports World War III against Muslim "fascists" and he's taking his message of death on the road.

A panel of talking heads on Chris Matthews' "Hard Ball" conferred legitimacy on the Huckabee candidacy last week. A more professional group of journalists at the Pew Forum treated Huckabee with deference by avoiding any hard hitting questions. There was nothing about Huckabee's February declaration of World War III or his beliefs in a final judgment in our times and no mention of his tainted past in Arkansas. Only Kathy Kay of the BBC raised questions about the specter of the candidate's extreme views.

Let's see what the former Arkansas governor and minister has in store for the United States if he's selected to win the Presidency.

After becoming governor in 1997, Huckabee signed death warrants for 16 executions by lethal injection. This violates the clearly worded, but frequently forgotten commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." He must know that World War III means even more killing and death. But neither position seems to bother him. In fact, he recently used death imagery in estimating the reaction of fellow Republicans to his fund raising gains: "If I were some of these guys, I'd have to be sitting in a warm tub of water with razor blades,"

Selective Forgiveness as Governor

Charles Singleton was convicted of murder in Arkansas and executed by lethal injection during Huckabee's term as governor. Singleton was a diagnosed schizophrenic. Huckabee was unimpressed and issued the required death warrant.

Supreme Court decisions mandate prisoner mental competence prior to execution. Singleton was given (his lawyer says forced) antipsychotic medication to relieve his schizophrenia. As a result, the prisoner regained a grasp on reality. Singleton's successful treatment for a serious mental illness then became the vehicle that allowed the state to kill him.

Of the 16 Huckabee era executions, there is a pattern of dismissing or refusing to examine legitimate questions or claims concerning mental illness.

Huckabee did find forgiveness in his heart for at least one Arkansas criminal. Wayne Dumond was convicted for raping a 17 year old girl in 1985. This fourth sexual assault conviction earned Dumond a sentence of life plus 20 years.

At the start of his first term, Huckabee took a special interest in the Dumond case and had plans to commute his sentence. When an irate public stopped that, the new governor effectively lobbied the pardon's board. Just four months after they'd denied a Dumond parole request, the board ruled favorably. These events and a broader narrative of the case were well documented by investigative journalist Murray Waas.

Dumond was released on parole in 1999. Just months after the parole, he bound, gagged, and suffocated a Missouri woman. He was convicted of that murder and a suspect in another by the time he was confined to a Missouri state prison where he died in his cell.

Huckabee continues to deny his role in the pardon despite the evidence amassed by Waas and others. On Aug. 31, 2007, Associated Press (AP) reported that the Wikipedia entry on Huckabee was edited to delete critical references to the Dumond pardon. AP traced the source of the edits to Arkansas state government computers.

First Arkansas, then the World – Better World War III than "Lose" in Iraq

Huckabee "shocked and awed" voters in his first campaign visit to New Hampshire. He announced that we're already in the midst of World War III with "Islamic fascism."

"We need to understand that this is, in fact, World War III. Unlike any other world war we've ever fought, this one is one we cannot afford to lose. Because losing it does not mean we lose some land or some geopolitical influence. It means we give up our own lives, because no less than that is the goal of the jihadists." AP, Feb. 10, 2007 Video

Just a few weeks ago he argued that his version of World War III is even more ominous than World War II: "I don't think we've ever faced a threat like we are facing now. I don't even think Germany is the threat that we're facing right now. We're facing, I believe, our possible annihilation as a country..." CNN Oct. 19, 2007

What is Huckabee talking about? Have we missed something?

More HERE