Civil Rights Leaders Equate Sessions' Conservatism with Racism

Star Parker writes about how those opposed to Sen. Jeff Sessions' nomination for attorney general equate his conservative views with racism:

Striking about the testimony of these three black professionals was that all of them knew and worked with Sessions for 20-plus years. Each had personal stories about his professional and personal integrity. . . . Judiciary Committee General Counsel William Smith captured the views of all three saying, "After 20 years of working with Jeff Sessions, I have not seen the slightest indication of racism because it does not exist..." 

In contrast, the three Black Caucus members, Sen. Cory Booker, Rep. John Lewis and Rep. Cedric Richmond, went on about their opposition to Sessions because of his alleged weakness on civil rights -- a polite way of suggesting he is a racist -- while bringing virtually no evidence to support their allegations. . . . Unfortunately, politics has come to be conflated with racism. 

That is, those on the black left who have dominated black politics for so many years now brand anyone who does not share their political views as racist. . . . [B]ased on these beliefs, because he is a conservative, Sen. Sessions must be racist. 

Let's think for a minute why racism is so horrible. Racism is about denying a person's unique humanity and thinking you know who they are based a few external characteristics. It is sadly ironic that this is exactly what those on the black left, who claim to bear the standard for civil rights, do.

Instead of engaging in a meaningful debate about Sen. Sessions' policy views, Sen. Sessions' political opposition has chosen to call him a racist for no other reason than that he is a conservative.  This does nothing to bring the unity and healing that civil rights leaders claim to be fighting for.