“Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen and the JEWS HATE Jesus.” That’s what a flier warns voters in Memphis. The racist and anti-semitic flier was written by African-American minister Rev. George Brooks here in Murfreesboro, TN to help Steve Cohen’s African-American opponent, Nikki Tinker, in an upcoming election in Tennessee’s 9th District.

Circulated by an African-American minister from Murfreesboro Tenn., which isn’t even in Cohen’s district, the literature encourages other black leaders in Memphis to “see to it that one and ONLY one black Christian faces this opponent of Christ and Christianity in the 2008 election.”
[Jewish Rep. Cohen Battles Antisemitism and Racism In Re-Election - WashingtonPost - 02-13-08]

The flier is the product of an African-American minister from the Middle Tennessee town of Murfreesboro. Rev. George Brooks said he distributed it because the 9th District is “about 90-something percent black.” (The actual figure is close to 60 percent.) Does the Tinker campaign agree with the Anti-Defamation League that the document “attempts to incite tension” between African-Americans and Jews? They aren’t saying.
[Race-baiting in the 9th - Commerical Appeal - 02-13-08]

It’s up to the 9th District of Tennessee to decide if hate and racism best represents them in the U.S. Congress, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit back and let anyone win on such a disgraceful platform.

Until Nikki Tinker publicly and specificly admonishes the racism and hate in this flier, and especially the man who created it, I urge bloggers across the state to help fund Steve Cohen’s campaign. I am pledging $100 today. 

And let’s not forget the person who is ultimately responsible for injecting racism and hate into Tennessee politics: Rev. George Brooks. I don’t know enough about the guy, but all of you will know as much as I learn over the coming months.

UPDATE 02-15-08 3:18pm - $100 pledge fulfilled. Now, on to getting to know our friend the Rev. George Brooks.