There are moments when certain individuals possess a heightened authority to address sensitive issues. Their willingness to do so, often in the face of significant personal sacrifice, deserves recognition.
This was evident recently when Tim Scott, a prominent African-American leader, Senator, and former presidential candidate, publicly came to the defense of Republican Daniel Cameron against racist attack ads launched by his opponent, Andy Beshear, who is running for Governor of Kentucky.
Scott’s response came in the wake of Beshear referring to Cameron as an “Uncle Tom.” While the character of Uncle Tom in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel has virtuous qualities, Beshear’s use of the term was clearly meant to belittle Cameron. Scott condemned Beshear’s remarks as “the epitome of racism.”
The attack ads are sponsored by a far-left Super PAC with funding from the George Soros foundation, and they suggest that Daniel Cameron, Kentucky’s first African-American Attorney General, is not supportive of the black community, as reported by the Daily Wire.
These ads label Cameron as “Uncle Daniel Cameron” and depict him as someone who betrays the black community with the provocative statement, “Skinfolk ain’t kinfolk.”
Scott, the first African-American senator to be elected in the South in 150 years, publicly condemned the racist ad. In response to Beshear’s refusal to address or withdraw the ad, Scott characterized his silence as “utterly reprehensible.”
Blasting racist tactics, Scott told the Daily Wire: “Why in the world would the governor of a state with the type of diversity he has, with the mantle the people have given him, remain silent? For one reason: Power. Unless it’s that he just authentically believes it all.”
“The simplest way to state what these yoyos are doing is race-baiting,” said Scott. “And feeding the fire for the purpose of power. They feel like they can do whatever it takes to divide the state of Kentucky, to fan the flames of racism, to be small, and to be so addicted to power that you will call that man, Uncle Tom.”
Beshear has sought to evade accountability for the ad by informing the Lexington Herald-Leader that the ad was created by “a PAC led by African Americans” and directed inquiries about the ad to them.
Beshear’s office noted: “The governor has opted to let [the PAC] comment for themselves.”
Nevertheless, the PAC persisted in their racist campaign and, in a subsequent ad, connected Cameron to the sinister character portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in the movie “Django Unchained.” This malevolent character mistreated fellow slaves and was referred to by Jackson as the film’s “hateful negro.”
Expressing concern that these attack ads convey a distorted and harmful message to vulnerable voters, especially young black individuals, Scott remarked:
“It’s a signal to every little kid growing up in Kentucky who happens to be brown, that if you stick your head up at all and espouse conservative virtues, you might be next. To think of the signal and the message that they’re sending, it’s just despicable.”
NEW: Soros-Funded PAC Labels Black Republican An Uncle Tom In Campaign Ad: ‘Skinfolk Ain’t Kinfolk’
— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) October 27, 2023
Listen to the ad here: pic.twitter.com/1EtuQwz9IX
Cliff Albright, one of the co-founders of the PAC behind the advertisements, stated during an interview with radio host Roland Martin that he had no remorse and asserted that Cameron is a supporter of white supremacy:
“He has shown himself to be just as much of a threat to the black community as the staunchest white supremacists. You don’t have to be white to pursue and reinforce white supremacist policies. As we said in the ad, all skinfolk ain’t kinfolk,” Albright said.
Like Sen. Scott, Cameron has condemned the ad as “racist and hateful.” He told the Daily Wire:
“I never faced racism or discrimination while growing up or working in Kentucky until I decided to stand up to the national Democrat establishment. I don’t support their policies, so the Left attacks me for my skin color.”
