The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Grist's David Roberts Defends Van Jones, Ward Churchill of the Greens

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The Spectacle Blog

Grist's David Roberts Defends Van Jones, Ward Churchill of the Greens

By Matthew Vadum on 9.5.09 @ 6:45PM

The America-hating communist 9/11 "truther" Van Jones has an ally in his fellow Huffington Post writer David Roberts.

Roberts of Grist, a misanthropic far-left environmentalist webzine bankrolled by many of the same funders who have backed Van Jones's nonprofit ventures, is currently in contention to be the most shameless liar of the left-o-sphere.

We already know that Jones believes George W. Bush hates black people. Jones founded Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement (STORM) and the Ella Baker Center both of which participated in a vigil the day after Sept. 11, 2001, "mourning the victims of U.S. imperialism around the world."

Jones sounded like Ward Churchill when he released a statement Sept. 12, 2001, mourning only "the deaths of innocent working class people" and "those who would surely lose their lives in subsequent U.S. attacks overseas." It seems anyone who died in the terrorist attacks who wasn't working class deserved to die, according to Jones's own words.

Roberts, like his idol Van Jones, spews leftist hate from Grist and the Huffington Post on a regular basis.

In a recent post, he deliberately distorts evidence to falsely claim that green jobs czar (and Arianna Huffington pal) Van Jones renounced communism.

Roberts should win the Walter Duranty Prize for writing Sept. 2 that "Jones is not a black nationalist or a communist."

While it is true that Jones distanced himself from his past as a "rowdy black nationalist," he has NEVER renounced communism.

Roberts performs this sleight-of-hand by basing his argument on an interview in 2005 that Jones gave to an alternative newspaper called East Bay Express. Jones said that he came out of jail after the Rodney King riots and "spent the next ten years of my life working with a lot of those people I met in jail, trying to be a revolutionary...I was a rowdy nationalist on April 28th, and then the verdicts came down on April 29th," Jones said. "By August, I was a communist."

In the same interview Jones explained how he changed his public image Alinsky-style but retained his core radical beliefs. "I'm willing to forgo the cheap satisfaction of the radical pose for the deep satisfaction of radical ends," Jones said. The article also details the evolution of Jones as a coalition-builder and dealmaker but never indicates that his core beliefs have changed. More importantly, Jones himself has never indicated that his core beliefs changed.

The evidence that the now-mature community organizer Jones still believes in communism is EVERYWHERE. Google "communism" and "Van Jones" and the ever-expanding oceans of research from credible sources burst forth. Much of the evidence comes right out of Jones's own mouth.

Roberts's propaganda platform, Grist, is funded by some of the same extremist foundations that have funded Van Jones's revolutionary activism over the years. Grist took in $1 million from the Kendada Fund in 2008. It has also received $175,000 from the Tides Foundation since 2004.

According to philanthropy databases, Green for All, another Jones creation that is part of a cynical Obama administration effort to use 9/11 for political purposes, has received charitable contributions from the Kendada Fund ($1 million in 2008). A major donor to the Ella Baker Center is Tides Foundation ($891,168 since 2000).

Meanwhile, more America-hating radicals are speaking out in support of Van Jones. Useful idiot Josh Nelson announces that a website called StandWithVan.com has been created.

View all comments (14) | Leave a comment

Brian Hamlin| 9.5.09 @ 9:15PM

You know, I eschew attack radio absolutely.. Why reduce printed (or web) words to the same level? Where is articulate, nuanced insight when you need it? I am no "fan" of Van Jones, and, I think columns like this are quickly polarizing thinking people. Given we as a nation are facing genuine challenges, deep challenges.. Are "spew" and "hate" the right concepts to elevate at this crucial time? More heat than light here...

Daisy| 9.5.09 @ 9:37PM

Why are liberals so afraid of the truth? Jones let off plenty of heat himself just months ago when he called republicans "@ssholes" in front of hundreds/thousands of people. Sounds like some serious 'spewing' to me.

We're already polarized, and the Right has only STARTED to fight back! We can sing Kumbaya another time. Nice try, though.

Van Jones out now!

ConservativeWanderer| 9.5.09 @ 11:28PM

Brian, were you also just as concerned about polarization during the previous 8 or so years, when we were treated to multiple examples of the then-President being compared to one of the worst figures of history?

Just want to see if you're consistent, or if you reserve your opprobrium for those who happen to criticize lefties.

Missy| 9.5.09 @ 11:49PM

CW, wise Conservative that I am, I'm betting on Brian's 'inconsistency'. Do I get a prize or something for the right answer?

SoCon| 9.6.09 @ 12:26AM

Moron Jones just resigned. Commie

martin j smith| 9.6.09 @ 8:00AM

Van Jones is just one of 37 czars. The voters should have objected to development of this shady shadowy government well before Van Jones. Now Saul Alinsky the rest.

Ken (Old Texican)| 9.6.09 @ 10:14AM

People...GET POLARIZED!

The communists went polarized some time ago.
It is PAST time to choose sides.

Oldefarte| 9.6.09 @ 12:51PM

This guy is nothing but a RADICAL; and is definately anti-American!!!!!!

nanyonjo| 9.7.09 @ 2:30AM

Seriously? We're now resorting to accusing people of being Communists? What is this? 1954?

Peter| 9.7.09 @ 3:35AM

Thanks McCarthy! With Hugo Chavez as the dunce of communism it hardly needs a kangaroo court here. Free healthcare, education and not soiling your own environment (which the Soviets did all the time) might be good ideas for a modern nation.

I find Grist, Huffington etc to be quality, overall positive journalism, not *misanthropic* greed and warmongering which from a foreigner appears to be the USA way.

As for 9/11 conspiracies: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity".

Mark Roberts| 9.7.09 @ 3:47AM

He said he is a Communist, and by the way MacCarthy said the first leader of the U.N. Hess was a Communist. Guess what ? Learn your history nany.I don't like haveing anything in common with a Commie. Yup Commie! Commie...

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mateo| 10.7.09 @ 10:21PM

The vitriol that you spit is funny and off the mark. Everything I've ever read from Dave Roberts (and I've read a lot) has very little political hate in it. Most of the time, he simply explains green legislation. It seems this article was written by doing two google searches:
1) Van Jones Supporters - where you found the name of Dave Roberts.
2) Dave Roberts - where you found out that he worked for Grist.
It seems that is the extent of your familiarity with his work. However, I'm certainly wasting my time on this post, as it's a month past and the only people who seem to be commenting are Kobe & MJ.