Tell Harry C. Alford to Keep Talking: “What does that mean, though? ‘The NAACP has a resolution’- what does that MEAN?” Transcript of Mr. Alford’s exchange with Senator Boxer Ma’am.

When I first heard about this on the news (Fox News, natch. Hah.), and I heard that a black official/dignitary/whatever had accused Barbara Boxer of being “racial,” I experienced a little frisson de joie. I assumed that the accuser was a black Democrat who was playing the race card for political gain, hoisting Boxer with her own petard (you should pardon the expresion). That particular little boy has cried wolf far too many times.

When I saw the footage, on Hot Air, I saw that this was something different. Mr. Alford is right. His point is that he as the Chair of the National Black Chamber of Commerce is taking a position against this fatuous “green jobs” legislation (legislation modeled on Spain’s program, which failed miserably). In support of his position, he relies on a report by a consulting company called CRA. CRA’s website says that it is “a leading global consulting firm that offers economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, industries, accounting firms, and governments around the world.”

To counter Mr. Alford’s testimony, Sen. Boxer submits a “resolution” passed by the NAACP. According to Sen. Boxer, the resolution says “The NAACP approved a historic resolution addressing climate change legislation for the first time in the organization’s history.” Wow, everything’s “historic” these days, huh? These days when people’s memory does not go back earlier than the 1960s. That is, when people have no knowledge of events that occurred before they themselves personally were alive to hear about them. This sentence means nothing. Number one, the NAACP is not an expert, or even an amateur, on “green jobs” or global warming, so their resolution is worth nothing. Even if the NAACP was in a position to evaluate “green jobs” legislation, the fact that they passed a resolution- basta- is nothing. It’s a lot like Obama’s campaign slogans. Change. What does that mean? Good change or bad change? Changing what in particular? So, the NAACP passed a resolution. For or against, are we allowed to know that? Are we supposed to get a warm fuzzy feeling about this “historic” resolution passed “for the first time in the organization’s history”? Yeah, I think everybody’s warm, fuzzy feelings about how historic it all is are dead and gone. Gone with the economy.

The Democrats are scary. It is scary that they are so nakedly, transparently corrupt that they try to pull things like this, submitting a meaningless “resolution,” relying on people’s stupidity and obedience to authority- the sheeple factor. Mr. Alford, however, is no sheeple. Neither is he Gandhi. He’s a businessman, he wants jobs for black Americans, and jobs for the US.

Furthermore, Boxer was dripping with condescension in her dialogue with Mr. Alford. First, she was rude to him, telling him, “You don’t know when I came,” when he said he’d lived in California before she lived there. Then she quotes a black CEO and starts going on about “he would be proud that you were here,” and “he would be proud to be here” to Mr. Alford. Yes, it’s Mr. Alford goes to Washington as told by Sen. Boxer (“Ma’am”), the heartwarming story of a black man who meets with senators and he’s proud, the senators are proud, and we’re all very proud. Then one of the senators quotes another black man to him. The senator is proud, the black man she quoted is indubitably being proud somewhere else wherever he is, and Mr. Alford is very proud. We’re all very proud indeed. In fact, you could say it’s “historic.” Mr. Alford. Mr. Alford? Oh dear, Mr. Alford isn’t playing nice. That’s because Mr. Alford has genuine pride based on genuine achievement. Homie don’t play dat.

That was one of my favorite moments, when Mr. Alford muttered “proud” contemptuously and bitterly, as Boxer stupidly tried to mollify him with some babytalk.

Another one of my favorite moments was when Mr. Alford was like, “Ok, you’ve got an NAACP resolution. So what does that mean?”

Probably my favorite moment was when Boxer said she was trying to show diversity of support, and Mr. Alford spit out “Diversity?” in disbelief. Yeah, the Democrats’ idea of diversity is people who do what they’re told. That’s diversity for them: people of all ethnicities and backgrounds who think as they’re told to think. (It always reminds me of “Citizen Kane”:
“Honestly, Charles. People will think-”
“What I tell them to think.”)

Transcript:

Sen. Barbara Boxer: So, here’s the thing. I’m going to place in the record a couple of important documents. Mr. Alford, we had your address as Washington D.C. but you-

Harry C. Alford: That’s correct, Ma’am.

Boxer: You live in Washington D.C.?

Alford: Personally? I live in Bethesda, Maryland.

Boxer: Ok. Because you said you were from California.

Alford: I’m a native Californian, born and raised. I was there when you came.

Boxer: You don’t know when I came.

Alford: It was after 1962.

Boxer: Actually, you’re right on target (laughs).

Alford: It was all right there in the manual, Ma’am.

Boxer: Actually, it was 1965. Uh, here’s what I want to tell you. You don’t live there now-

Alford: I am a property owner and I pay taxes in California!

Boxer: Sir, Sir, let me talk to you.

Alford: Yes, Ma’am.

Boxer: This is friendly (subdued crowd laughter). I want us to go back there together I want you to come with me and John, and let’s go see these jobs you say don’t exist. So what we’re going to do is-

Alford: Yes Ma’am.

Boxer: Good! Put in the record the Pew Charitable Trust which says, and I’m reading one sentence: Jobs in the clean energy economy grew at a faster rate than total jobs in the Golden State between ‘98 and 2007, and it talks about all of that, and driven by venture capital and the laws on the books. So we’re going to put that in the record. Then we’re going to put the NAACP resolution that passed saying this: The NAACP approved a historic resolution addressing climate change legislation for the first time in the organization’s history.

Alford: What does that mean?

Boxer: Sir, we’re gonna put that in the record, and you can read it cuz I don’t have the time, but I’ll read the rest-

Alford: What does that mean though? I mean, the NAACP has a resolution. What does that mean?

Boxer: Sir, they could say the same thing about what do you mean? I’m just telling you they passed it-

Alford: I’ve got documentation!

Boxer: Sir, they passed it. Now, also, if that isn’t interesting to you, we’ll quote John Grant who is the CEO of A Hundred Black Men of Atlanta. Quote: Clean energy is the key that will unlock millions of jobs, and the NAACP’s support is vital to ensuring that those jobs help to rebuild urban areas. So clearly there is a diversity of opinion.

Alford: Madame Chair-

Boxer: If I can-

Alford: -that is condescending to me.

Boxer: Well-

Alford: I’m the National Black Chamber of Commerce-

Boxer: If this- if this-

Alford: -and you’re trying to put up some other black group up to pit against me.

Boxer: If this gentleman- if this gentleman were here, he would be proud that he was being quoted. Just as-

Alford: He should have been invited.

Boxer: Just as- He would be proud-

Alford: It is condescending to me.

Boxer: Just as so- Just so you know, he would be proud that you were here. He is proud I am sure-

Alford: Proud, proud (bitterly and contemptuously).

Boxer: -that I am quoting him.

Alford: All that’s condescending-

Boxer: Well, Sir.

Alford: -and I don’t like it. It’s racial.

Boxer: What’s racial?

Alford: I don’t like it.

Boxer: Excuse me, Sir.

Alford: I take offense to it.

Boxer: Ok.

Alford: As an African-American and a veteran of this country, I take offense to that.

Boxer: Offense at the fact that I would quote-

Alford: You’re quoting some other black man. Why don’t you quote some other-

Boxer: No.

Alford: Asian? Or some other-

Boxer: Well, lemme-

Alford: I mean- what- You are being racial here.

Boxer: Hey let me be clear-

Alford: And I think you’re getting to a path here-

Boxer: Let me be clear-

Alford: -that’s going to explode. In the Post.

Boxer: I’m going to respond right now, I’m going to ask everyone to listen to what I said. First, I placed in the record the Pew Charitable Trust study, a very important study for our state- our home state of California. Then I wanted to make a point that the fact is there’s definitely differing opinions in the black community, just as there are in my community.

Alford: You’re speaking on behalf of the black community?

Boxer: No. I am putting in the record a statement by the NAACP.

Alford: Why?

Boxer: Because I think it is quite relevant. I-

Alford: I understand the-

Boxer: I think they’re great leadership-

Alford: -I understand the Pew Study-

Boxer: But you don’t think-

Alford: -but why are you doing the NAACP? Why are you doing the Colored People’s Association study with the Black Chamber of Commerce?

Boxer: I am trying to show the diversity of support-

Alford: Diversity? (incredulous)

Boxer: -that we have. And I will go ahead and do one more diversity of support. The oil companies. The oil companies. I think they’re an important part of this conversation. The oil companies are the ones who funded the very first CRA report that you support. I think it’s important to note-

Alford: I have no idea of that.

Boxer: -that Exxon- I’m putting it in the record, Sir. ExxonMobil gave hundreds of thousands of dollars for that report, so I think it’s important when we have a debate here that we look at the diversity of opinion and who agrees and disagrees-

Sen. Inhofe: Madame Chairman, I have something to put in the record.

Boxer: -and that’s what I’ve decided to do.

Inhofe: I have something to put in the record. Madame?

Boxer: Yeah.

Inhofe: I think if you’re going to put the NAACP paper in the record, I want to enter the actual resolution-

Boxer: Absolutely.

Inhofe: -because it does not endorse this, and I would also say that CRA is well-respected, it represents a broad group of- whoever goes to them and wants a study, they do it.

Alford: Senator, Senator, as I said we have been looking at energy policy since 1996, and we are referring to the experts, regardless of their color. And for someone to tell me, an African-American, college-educated, veteran of the United States Army that I must contend with some other black group, and put aside everything else in there. This has nothing to do with the NAACP and really has nothing to do with the National Black Chamber of Commerce. We’re talking energy. And that- that- road the Chair went down, I think it’s God-awful.

Boxer: Let me say that, as someone who’s married to a veteran, that has nothing to do with this conversation. I just want to say to you, Sir, and to all of my panelists how much I respect your views. I will put a number of other documents in the record from many other organizations because right now the whole point is to build support. I’m trying to build support. Your organization opposes. I am showing you organizations that support. And I will continue to do this. And they are diverse. They represent America. Just as the opposition does. And that’s what I will continue to do.