This has been a GREAT read. I want to be nice and kind to brother Allen but its not in my heart.

I want to send him good, loving wishes, but.......... normally I'm a loving and caring brother - but there is something inherently FOUL about bro allen and I'm believing that he is getting what he deserved.

"WRN", Let me get this straight: A Black conservative nutcase gets caught on TAPE defrauding and stealing from a store and newsreports about it are a "smear" campaign!? Get the heck out of here! When are you Republican's going to stop drinking that Jim Jones Kool-Aid? Is there anything wrong that a Republican can do and be held to account for? I knew you guys had your heads up Bush's ass, but I didn't know it was stuck!!

"a good guy like Allen"

Yeah, but being a Negro he can't resist stealing.

Who's more likely to believe that: a right-wing, openly racist Republican, or a "make sure you don't say everything you think about those people" white Democrat. BOTH. But I still prefer sweet-hearted fools to evil ass, selfish idiots.

Well, what a surprise. If only he was a black democratic liberal he'd be a great guy with a stellar background...but how do you go about corrupting a good guy like Allen? Hmmmm...liberal food for thought. "I don't think we can corrupt him so let's smear him...yeah, great idea!" said the squinty eyed liberal.

Good riddance to wannabe rubbish! Next stop; Ms. Con~zilla Rice!

Jazzi,

No disagreement from me. If you can do the crime, you can do the time. This is not directed at you, but I find the increasing lack of civility quite troubling. Yes, some people deserve what the get, but at the same time I don't think we should take joy in someones fall from grace. Even though he may not go to jail, this man has ruined his life forever because no one likes a thief. Just ask Winona Ryder.

Jazzi,

No disagreement from me. If you can do the crime, you can do the time. This is not directed at you, but I find the increasing lack of civility quite troubling. Yes, some people deserve what the get, but at the same time I don't think we should take joy in someones fall from grace. This man may not go to jail, put he has ruined his life for ever because no one likes a thief. Just ask Winona Ryder.

nicely put, Derrick From Philly.

these filthy conservative fascists get everything that's coming to them. they are about on minute 13.

in fact, they are worse than fascists. at least the nazis put on uniformes while they goosestepped, so everybody knew who they were.

these human trash heaps do their nasty deeds in secret, just to take it out on others in public.

conservatives of any color/stripe belong in mental institutions and drugged up for life.

Why do those of us on the Left seem so insensitive, maybe nasty, take such glee when people like Claude Allen fall in the shit?

It's because people like Claude Allen have beliefs and make public policy decisions that HURT other people in the name of f_ck_in' "family values" The people they hurt are usually the most powerless in our society. We Liberals do not pretend to be forgiving, self-sacrificing Christians like the phoney religious Conservatives do. Why should I forgive you after you kick my ass? We wait for FATE to do to these Republican pigs what the American people don't have enough brains to do.
From Richard Nixon to Jimmy Swaggert to Claude Allen, it is JUSTICE when a right-wing bastard goes down --hopefully into HELL. Amen.

This is in response to your post, Texas. To an extent, I feel what you are saying. We need to show more solidarity. We need to have each others back & support one another. However, if a brother or sister is wrong, they're wrong. I cannot, in good conscience, give someone a pass just because they look like me. That's one of the many things that is wrong with the world now. That white juror may have thought he was showing solidarity toward his white brothers but he was totally misguided. Because of what he did, murderers were allowed to skip free. Terror was given free reign. If a united front means that the guilty go unpunished then solidarity isn't always a good thing. What about right & wrong?

It's not about wishing evil on Claude Allen for being a thief or having political views that I disagree with. If Claude Allen is guilty of these charges, then let the axe fall where it falls. He did it to himself. He was in a position that many of us can't even imagine being in & he screwed it up. Shame on him, not me.

"Roll the video tape."

This clown is not only guilty as hell, but stupid and a fool to boot. His political viewpoints aside, Mr. Allen is a disgrace to black Americans everywhere, especially the legions of black men past, present and future, who have striven and strive to climb up whatever greased and wobbly ladder we've found ourselves in front of, and attempt to climb.

The plot of this story is like something that Ralph Ellison might have written, if he were still living. I'd take special pleasure in witnessing this ex-White "House" negro's fall from grace, if it were not for that serious fact that all black men will in some way take the fall with him. And that's the real tragedy to this sad tale.

A couple of years ago I would have taken delight in this, but after watching the PBS documentary about the Emmitt Till murder, I have changed my ways for good. About 30 minutes into the documentary there was a segment about a white person who served on an all white jury that acquitted a group of whites for beating an murdering a group of black men. He was asked why did they let the defendants get away with the crime. His response was something like this: We knew they did it. They were white trash and were trouble makers but we decided to let them go any way because they were white. That statement hit me like a ton of bricks. After watching that, I stopped hating other blacks who had different political views. I have seen the error of my ways and have grown up to realize that they are people too and need our understanding and support also. We are so busy fighting over the petty stuff we don't even realize how much we have slipped as black people. We have gone from nigger, to colored, to black, to African-American, to the worst one: People of Color. We aren't even considered an individual race anymore. How's that for progress? I don't wish any evil on Claude Adams and my prayers are with him and his family.

I was actually feeling sorry for Allen before I read Keith's comments. I thought he was just a conservative republican with personal problems. I had no idea the extent (stank) of his conservatism.
Hatchet man for Jesse Helms? Homophobic? "Belt- tightner" at the expense of the poor? Oh hell, no! The only twist that would make his comeuppance sweeter is if he had "misdeeded" himself at Walmart instead of "Tarjay." :)

Now, all of you who've been craving a story about black homosexual men which doesn't involve "queens" or feminine males. Mr. Allen may have given us the plot material.

Just picture it, a young black conservative from North Carolina who serves the most racist senator left in the US Senate. This black right-winger is so anti-gay that he brags about "beating up fags for fun" with his white Republican buddies back in his college days. But it turns out there is something fueling his anti-Gay actions: turns out he used to suck all the pink dingdongs of his white Republican college buddies back then, and that's what's been driving his hatred all these years for openly gay men. (He's a right-wing DL, oh, goody). But he's not a total Oreo, he also used to get banged by a big beautiful black college football player who went on to become a conservative mega church preacher--a real Christian zealot. And to add a little spice, the football player is very dark-skinned with a huge black dingdong, or so we're told (this film is rated "R" so we won't get to see it).

Now, the interracial stuff might be a bit too much but that's ok, atleast y'all won't have any "queens" or sissies in the movie, but, of course, that means there wouldn't be a part for me.

I really wish all of you would stop making light of what is a very serious family issue plaguing me and my "brother." You DO NOT understand what it is like to live in two conflicted sets of skin, a problem understood as "double consciousness" in the words of the late, great WEB Dubois. Claude indeed has a "double consciousness" only it also includes the added problem of having a twin brother.

Me, I am not a Republican so I do not suffer from the same issues Claude does, I am only (as Claude likes to put it) a "regular negro" and have no relationship to the Bush Administration.

I remember this chap as a lad in the old North State. The Republican Party, which was run by Jesse helms' political action committee for 30 yrs, use to parade it token Negroes around to show how inclusive they were. The congressional club, Helms' political action group, use to support republicans as well as, its jesscrats, conservative democrats as well, and this is where Mr. Allen was trained and developed that elitist attitude. But unfortunately, this is also how many blk republicans fall from grace

So many young black republicans fall the way of this brotha, why? I don't know, but I kind of like to think its because they broke they broke the rules slaves put in place for traders. You can read about them, it is well documented especially in Virginia. I know its hard out there for a black conservative republican who choose to turn his back on his people, but some how it all comes back in bite them in the ass.

Are the conservatives taking us back too?! Black people...black...PEOPLE! What are we doin? Nothing has changed we still have to work two times harder AND smarter. It is indeed sad that Bush's crimes are overlooked, but that does not excuse this guy. I am already unsympathetic because he's a conservative (until I sit down and have a conversation with a black conservative I will always have a bias...i just don't get it, I'm still young though), and if this doesn't add insult to injury

Remember this guy is innocent until proven guilty. If the allegations are true, It's sad and pathetic. I really feel sorry for this guy.
On the other hand, he probably had it coming. Any one who would "sell out" to the powers that be and not use that position to help people, especially his own, deserves this and more. I don't mean to sound judgmental, but I've heard folks say, "God don't like ugly." The Bush administration is being exposed for the good-for-nothing, greedy politians they truly are. See how quickly the Republicans disassociated themselves from Claude Allen. Maybe now he will stop being a token and stand up for what is right — once he get's this behind him

Remember this guy is innocent until proven guilty. If the allegations are true, It's sad and pathetic. I really feel sorry for this guy.
On the other hand, he probably had it coming. Any one who would "sell out" to the powers that be and not use that position to help people, especially his own, deserves this and more. I don't mean to sound judgmental, but I've heard folks say, "God don't like ugly." The Bush administration is being exposed for the good-for-nothing, greedy politians they truly are. See how quickly the Republicans disassociated themselves from Claude Allen. Maybe now he will stop being a token and stand up for what is right — once he get's this behind him

One of the "eccentric" heirs of the Dupont family... who obviously wasnt hurting for funds.. was a known kleptomaniac. Funny how when a young single mother steals out of neccesity she is locked up but these connected individuals get a slap on the wrist, an opportunity to reinvent themselves, and a therapist to control their addiction. More likely Claude Allen is a kleptomaniac and needs therapy to get to the root of his addiction. Can he reinvent himself, redeem his character and be a good politician? Of course! There've been bigger scandals than this plaguing our country.

My Republican friends have been very quiet on this issue. Who needs compassion now.

My Republican friends have been very quiet on this issue. I hope Claude will see the light. It is he that needs some compassion.

Not clar on how this issue is "much bigger than Claude Allen". What do you mean, Keith? Seems to me like the brother might be guilty of petty theft. What are the larger issues that you point to. I am not getting them.

Cleo...your comments are hilarious!!!! ...trinkets and trash (ROFL) This is too darned funny :-)

Target and Hects (ROFL) that is too funny! Is this some kind of joke?

Target?!?! Hecht's?!?!
Isn't it amazing how the white guys, when practicing "sleight-of-hand", go for the big bucks and we set our sights on trinkets and trash.

The GOP is going to leave him twisting in the wind just as they did Colin Powell.

P.S., Love your blog!

Wow!!! The current administration is simply rife with dumb-asses. Even a complete oaf knows by now that high profile retailers logistically track their every item coming and going by its specific UPC number!!!!! There is no way anyone could get away with, for long, what Allen allegedely tried to pull. Hell, he'd been better off reverting back to the 'ole, grab and run method. WHAT...AN...IDIOT!

He will just get a good lawyer the way Tom Delay of Texas and Bill Campbell of Georgia did. Only the very stupid politicians go to jail.

You guys really are being too kind. This guy is a straight up Uncle Tom and I, for one, am glad to see his undoing. I don't call him an Uncle Tom for being a Republican, but for aligning himself with a staunch racist, Jesse Helms. Jess Helms was a racist before he became a Republican. Any African-American who would associate with such a person has serious mental problems and deserves just what Claude Allen is getting. He bought so much into the GOP line of bull that led him to the White House that he honestly believed he could afford a $950,000.00 house on salary of $161,000.00 like his white co-workers. He forgot that they were already independtly wealthy and don't rely on their government salaries to live like millionaires. He apparently started his refund fraud shoplifting scheme shortly after he bought his mansion in Gaithersburg , MD. As for his comments about "queers", he will be meeting a whole lot of "queers" in prison soon. Their really is a God!!

u have penned sure poetry keith!

thanks

like predatory birds of a feather, criminal buzzards do indeed flock together

peace
ab

I'd bet $5000 in fine Target merchandise that Claude got pressure from his wife, Jannese, to consume and covet for the sake of their happy Christian home.

The pressure of the American Dream is enough to make any patriach crack.

Gotta love those family values.

Say it ain't so, Keith. That is, I hope that Claude Allen is innocent and that all charges will be dismissed, although I find his political view reprehensible. Time will tell.

I read about Claude Allen in Sunday's paper and it was interesting that the writer wanted the readers to know that he was an African American and resigned from a high position in the Bush Administration. The fact that he is an African American is irrelevant if a crime has been committed, however why is it necessary? I totally agree with you Keith, I too want to live in an America where we're not ashamed to help each other out, where we are truly judged by thye content of our character and not by the color of our skin and yes, not for the people they screw. I still wonder what would have happened had somewhat shot Dick Chaney by accident. I guess we'll never know. I guess Claude Allen's big mistake was thinking he was "in" with the Bush Administration.

Unfortunately, that's how the cookie always crumbles in the "land of the free." You would think tragic events like 911 and Katrina would change some hearts. Maybe those events didn't hit close enough to home for the hearts that appear to need the most changing to do so....

Amen