Flaming Liberal

 Re: “Elizabeth Rickey, GOP Activist,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, by Danny Monteverd, September 15, 2009

Dear Blogger:

Elizabeth Rickey’s courageous efforts to combat the influence and political rise of David Duke’s practice of hate politics must never be forgotten. Ms. Rickey’s intrepid deeds to discredit the claim by the Nazi uniform wearing, cross burning, white power shouting, Jew hating, Klan Wizard that Duke had disassociated himself from his past of hate included a trip to Chicago, after Duke was elected to the Louisiana State House, to photograph Duke shaking hands with Art Jones, then the vice chairman of the American Nazi Party, at the convention of the ultra-conservative Populist Party.

However, regrettably, and quite amazing, remnants of the era of David Duke remain in the Louisiana Republican Party State Central Committee, where Ms. Rickey once served. The election of one of Duke’s most vehement supporters, a former appointee to the Causeway Commission by the Jefferson Parish Council, and perennial candidate for public office, Keith Rush, to a seat on the Louisiana Republican Party State Central Committee, in June 2007, reversed whatever gains made by the GOP to cut its ties from the Duke legacy. With the help and support of Kenner’s Republican mayor, Ed Muniz, who nominated Rush to fill a vacancy, Rush was elected without opposition by the party’s central committee. Even more regrettable, but not surprising, Rush was re-elected to the Louisiana State Republican Party Central Committee, with a 2-1 majority from a district (82nd District, Sub-district A) in Metairie, Duke’s old stomping ground.

As noted in the Times-Picayune article referenced above, taking leave of her Ph. D. studies at Tulane University, “Ms. Rickey worked for the election of John Treen when John Treen opposed Duke in a run-off election to serve in the (Louisiana) house 81 District.”At the other end of the deep Mariana Trench low, in the spectrum of “no shame” respectability and gutter decorum, in the 1989 House 81 run-off, “Duke has no notable political figures behind him, but longtime New Orleans area radio talk-show host Keith Rush endorsed him this week.” -- Source: “Flood of Endorsements likely to help Treen, Analysts Predict,” by Barri Marsh, Times-Picayune, 1989. Moreover, a further mega stain on the Louisiana GOP, on the scale of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Rush has been named to the Southern Poverty Hatewatch blog: http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2007/08/02/duke-supporter-elected-to-louisiana-gop-governing-committee/ -- an unimaginable embarrassment, even by Louisiana standards. And when Keith Rush was a talk show host at WTIX (now WIST) the U. S. Secret Service paid a visit to the station to give a warning because Keith Rush was putting out words that "encouraged" violence against William Jefferson Clinton, then the President of the United States!

Keith Rush represents the worst of Louisiana’s history of hate, and Rush can only bring more disgrace to the soiled legacy of Louisiana politics.And when will we read that the Republican Party will disassociate the Party from Keith Rush, and his sordid past? But, thus far, “no” Republican official has denounced Rush serving as a member on the governing body of the Louisiana GOP! Furthermore, David Duke backed Rush’s candidacy for a Jefferson Parish Council seat in 1991, telling supporters in an endorsement letter, “He thinks like we do. He believes in the things we believe in.” –- Source: “BLACK DISTRICT AND A DUKE PROTÉGÉ,” by James Gill, Times-Picayune, April 21, 1991. And from a Keith Rush remedial campaign letter when running for the Jefferson Parish council to known supporters of Duke, which I would say with confidence, assuredly included a generous assortment of skinheads, Klansman, and neo-Nazis, and a myriad of Arian believers as well: "Dear David Backer” – and how is Mrs. "Backer"?

Having Rush serving as a GOP official on the Party’s State Central Committee, in 2009, I cannot imagine a less appropriate testament by the GOP to honor Elizabeth Rickey’s valiant work, and what a shame. As a person who once had the honor of knowing Ms. Elizabeth Rickey, a Republican I sincerely admired and respected, I take her passing with sorrow and deep regret. She was indeed a most decent and accomplished lady. And Ms. Rickey, was the niece of Mr. Branch Rickey, who hired the great Jackie Robinson in 1947, breaking the color barrier of major league baseball.

David C. Bellinger, formerly (due to Katrina) of New Orleans, not wishing to return to a state which would embrace a politician who spoke for and supported the agenda of David Duke, and who is now serving in an elected capacity with the Louisiana GOP.

Atlanta, GA
(404) 762-8779
E-mail: davidc53@juno.com

posted by oyster  # 1:24 PM