Hypocritical
(sung to the tune of Unforgettable)

Hypocritical, that's what you are are.

Hypocritical, though near or far.

Like poison ivy that clings to me,

How your actions do painful things to me.

Never has someone been more

hypocritical in every way.

And forevermore, that's how you'll stay.

That's why its incredible,

that someone so hypocritical

Thinks that I am just like you.

Dear Friends and Voters,

Unbeknownst to me, the Democratic State Party Chairman, Jerry Meek, released a statement last week about me. He never called me or sent an email inquiring about it, even though he could have easily done so as he has done so in the past. Instead, he wrote without thinking and apparently without reading.

In his statement, he contended that I was a racist and that I had called Mr. Robinson a slave. I did not. I said his behavior was like that of a slave. He should understand the use of a simile, but perhaps that was overlooked in his elementary education.

Someone who had read the statement, understood it and suggested that what I meant to say was that Mr. Robinson's behavior was like that of an "Uncle Tom." That was exactly the point, although I did not use those words.

I offer another simile, which is less racially charged, to describe the behavior. How many of us have a pet, maybe a cat or dog, that eats and then disgorges its meal because it ate grass or has a hairball? Sometimes, the owner is not immediately aware of the incident and the animal will return to the area and eat the food that it vomited up and so we have the expression of an animal returning to its own vomit. The behavior in question was like that.

I was at the 2005 NC GOP convention. I saw how Mr. Robinson was treated. It was as disgusting then as it is now. Try as I might, I cannot fathom how an individual who was treated like that would go back to the very same people now for approval. "Facts are stubborn things," as John Adams said. You can characterize it in whatever simile, metaphor or analogy you wish, but the facts remain the same regarding the behavior.

I am neither a racist nor a bigot. As I stated last year in a statement, I am half Jewish. I have been to Holocaust concentration camps in Germany and museums in the United States. I have seen the horrors the Jews suffered in WWII. This kind of genocide must NEVER happen again, whether it is directed at Jews, or between the Hutus and Tutsis of Africa, or the Serbs, Croats and Bosnians or any other ethnic group. And the same is true for religious intolerance or slavery of the kind we had here in the US, although I am sad to say that it still goes on in other countries. It is wrong and must not be allowed.

When Senator Hillary Clinton spoke to a group on Martin Luther King Jr. day, she said: "When you look at the way the House of Representatives has been run, it has been run like a plantation, and you know what I'm talking about."

Senator Clinton was criticized by Republicans for this remark, yet I did not hear a word from Democrats, including Mr. Meek. Where was his outrage? Where did he call for an apology? Perhaps the difference lies in the fact that she is part of the Neo-con War Party Establishment beast and I am not?

Or perhaps one would not expect him to comment since she is not a senator from our state. However, House Speaker Jim Black is in our state and his actions do affect all citizens here. Mr. Black has allegedly engaged in some improprieties and may have committed a crime. It remains to be seen whether he is indicted, although his aides have been. We have seen others, like Frank Ballance and Meg Scott Phipps, go to jail, while John Carrington has been sentenced and Sam Currin was recently indicted. Clearly, criminal behavior seems to be an equal opportunity employer and corruption is rife in this state. Where was Mr. Meek on these issues? I would have expected him to talk about Republicans, but has he criticized any of the Democrats? Did he demand an apology from any of them? Did he ask Speaker Black to step down from his position as speaker for the sake of the Democratic Party? How hypocritical is it to tolerate allegedly criminal behavior from Speaker Black but to attack me for comments about a Republican?

Recently, Jerry Meek sent out a message, which is on the NC Democratic website, to recruit dissatisfied Republicans to the NC Democratic Party. What message does this send to Republicans who are dissatisfied with the Art Pope/NC GOP? It tells them, we want you to vote for us, but we really don't want you as a candidate nor do we want to hear your ideas. And if you do join and run as a candidate, you will receive the same kind of treatment that I received. Isn't this also an example of his message being hypocritical?

As for his comments about endorsement by the Democratic Party, I have not asked any one or any party to endorse me. In fact, this is a non-partisan race for a judgeship. A judge has to represent all of the people, even if they are diehard Republicans. I wish that all races were non-partisan, and some people who have recognized this fact in Winston-Salem have suggested just that in a school board race. The political parties should stay out and not endorse anyone and should merely list the candidates on their website. Despite this wishful thinking, such is not the case and the Democratic Party can voice their support or endorsement or not.

However, Jerry Meek has been meddling in affairs for months and never had any intention of having the party endorse me. He pointedly left only me out of the list of judicial candidates on the Democratic Party website. Why, after I had supported the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates? He has offered no real explanation and his statement about alleged judicial financing is nothing more than a lame excuse.

And the party is not supposed to be involved in primaries, but Mr. Meek was very involved in the primary for the Wainwright seat. He even sent an email to me about one of the candidates, Judge Gore, asking if I knew of the judge's responses on a particular questionnaire. He was emailing this out and suggesting that Democrats should not vote for Judge Gore. Who else did he contact? Was it done to assist his choice for the seat?

Mr. Meek has asked me to apologize. For what? For saying something I did not say? No, Mr. Meek, I will not apologize to Mr. Robinson. And I find it very strange indeed that you are supporting not only Mr. Robinson after he made outrageous charges against your own Democratic candidate, but also my opponent by your inaction and silence.

Here are some excerpts from the Democratic Party's own platform:

This is party shall provide an avenue for the free and open expression of diverse ideas and opinions, including the right of every person to dissent, and shall work to promote government which is responsive to the legitimate needs, interests, and aspirations of every man, woman, and child in a manner which does not diminish human dignity or those fundamental rights, which are the birthright of all people of a free and democratic nation.

As the party of inclusion we recommit ourselves to a North Carolina Democratic Party that is open to all people. We believe the principles and goals of our party are more important than personalities or primary election disagreements. We expect Democratic candidates and those who have been entrusted with public or party office to set an example of loyalty to the party, to its principles, and to all of its nominees. We encourage all Democrats to unite and support the entire ticket in the General Election. We encourage Democrats to support the North Carolina Democratic Party in every race, from local contests, to judicial elections to the top of the ticket.

As the party of inclusion we recommit ourselves to a North Carolina Democratic Party that is open to all people. We believe the principles and goals of our party are more important than personalities or primary election disagreements. We expect Democratic candidates and those who have been entrusted with public or party office to set an example of loyalty to the party, to its principles, and to all of its nominees. We encourage all Democrats to unite and support the entire ticket in the General Election. We encourage Democrats to support the North Carolina Democratic Party in every race, from local contests, to judicial elections to the top of the ticket.

I guess those words don't mean anything to Jerry Meek because he has chosen to ignore them, whether its because of his own personal agenda of ambition for power or because he is controlled by the Neo-con War Party Establishment. Or is he just being hypocritical again?

More importantly, Mr. Meek, you have guaranteed that if the Democrats had any chance of taking control of our Supreme Court, they have just lost it. The composition of the Court will be 4-3 in favor of the Republicans if the Democrats succeed in winning all of the other seats. However, any victory is even more in question now as the NC GOP is already poised to attack the other Democratic candidates as "liberal activist" judges, even though they are all as solidly Establishment as they can be and only turn into activists when it suits them, like in Leandro.

Jerry Meek and other officers of the NC Democratic Party have made it clear that they support certain NC GOP candidates to the election for office and that it is really no different than the Art Pope Party/NC GOP. What have I told you? The beast, by whatever name you call it, controls both parties.

However, I will not be cowed. On the Democratic website, there is an invitation for all Democratic members of the public to attend the Democratic state convention in High Point. I do not plan to disrupt the convention. Nor am I a delegate, so I will not vote. But I reserve my right to attend as a Democratic member of the public. I also have reserved a booth and plan to politic there as will any other Democratic candidate.

Best Wishes,

Rachel Lea Hunter