Rev. Walter Fauntroy has responded to a column that Eliot Morgan and I published in the August 5 edition of the Washington Post. Unfortunately, some people are more focused on me and Eliot than they are on determining whether or not Memorandum 46 is a fraud. I'll concede that we are mean guys with bad personalities...does that mean that Memorandum 46 about black Americans is real?
Anyway, a couple of observations and comments about Rev. Fauntroy's response:
1) WHERE'S THE FOIA REQUEST?
On June 12 or 13, talk-show host Joe Madison invited Rev. Fauntroy on his show for a discussion about Memorandum 46. At that time, Rev. Fauntroy said that they (apparently the Congressional Black Caucus and colleagues) asked for--and were granted--a Freedom of Information request for Memorandum 46.
You would think that, in a commentary of more than 2,200 words, that Rev. Fauntroy would have mentioned the FOIA request that must have been stamped with FOIA on it to prove that Memorandum 46 about black Americans was real.
After I heard Rev. Fauntroy on the air with Madison, I e-mailed Rev. Fauntroy, Madison and Randall Robinson on June 14 asking for any information that could help me independently verify the authenticity of Memorandum 46. Madison had replied to an earlier e-mail about this, to the production director, but I never received a response from Rev. Fauntroy, Madison, and Randall Robinson. I do know that Madison received the e-mail because the programming director at the station angrily told me about it before we were dismissed!
I'd be happy to send the audio of Rev. Fauntroy and Madison discussing Memorandum 46.
2) MEMO TO JOE MADISON: PUT THE RIGHT FAKE DOCUMENT ON YOUR SITE!
On May 30, Madison said that the Congressional Black Caucus held hearings on Memorandum 46 and that Memorandum 46 was mentioned in the Congressional Research Service. Rev. Fauntroy didn't mention any supporting documentation in that regard in his response. A colleague of mine did a search of the CRS and couldn't come across a mention (although, I must admit that he was laughing out loud so hard about Memo 46 that he may have missed something).
You would think that with the Congressional Black Caucus, Randall Robinson, and Rev. Fauntroy all on the case that Joe Madison would be able to do better than to have a copy of the Memorandum on his site with Brzezinski's name misspelled!!! Just search for "Brezinski" on Madison's Web page.
I also have the audio of Madison discussing Memorandum 46 and will send it upon request.
3) HE CAN'T FIND MEMO 46, BUT LOOK AT WHAT HE KEPT!!!
Finally, it is incredible that Fauntroy and company would go through the process of submitting a FOIA request, and then not even hold onto to a top secret document with the government admitting a major plot against black Americans and Africans! Did he toss that out with the Sunday morning newspaper coupons?
Rev. Fauntroy cites the Church report, COINTELPRO, and the investigation into the death of MLK as circumstantial evidence bolstering the case for Memorandum 46's authenticity. If he was so aware of those things, and linked them to Memorandum 46, then what in the hell was he thinking when they allegedly got back the FOIA request documenting that Memorandum 46 was a real government document? He would not have had to bother with circumstantial information and dot-connecting.
Of course, it has been almost 30 years, I don't expect people to hold on to every document. I will note, however, that while Rev. Fauntroy may not be able to locate the FOIA version of Memorandum 46, he did keep track of many documents in 58 boxes, archived at George Washington University:
A random sampling:
Box 5 Folder 19: Invitation, Open House for Walter E. Fauntroy 1970
Box 5 Folder 20: Invitation, National Conference on Nonprofit Housing Organizations 1970
Box 5 Folder 21: Invitation, Ebon Meritorious Award Ceremony 1974
Box 5 Folder 22: Invitation, Birthday Celebration for Walter E. Fauntroy 1975
Box 5 Folder 23: Invitation, Reception for Walter E. Fauntroy at the National Democratic Club 1976
Box 5 Folder 24: Invitation, "Holiday Warm-Up" 1977
Box 5 Folder 25: Invitation and Ticket, Mardi Gras Masquerade Birthday Ball 02/16/1979
Box 5 Folder 26: Invitation, "A Valentine Gala", 47th Birthday Party for Walter E. Fauntroy 1980
Do you really believe that such a meticulous guy with many years of government service would not have held on to a top secret document outlining a high-level government plan against black Americans and black Africans acquired through a FOIA request?
There is plenty of nonsense in Rev. Fauntroy's response, but the more time I spend on it, the more I feel that I'm investigating Santa's existence based on first-hand accounts from children...
CJL
Anyway, a couple of observations and comments about Rev. Fauntroy's response:
1) WHERE'S THE FOIA REQUEST?
On June 12 or 13, talk-show host Joe Madison invited Rev. Fauntroy on his show for a discussion about Memorandum 46. At that time, Rev. Fauntroy said that they (apparently the Congressional Black Caucus and colleagues) asked for--and were granted--a Freedom of Information request for Memorandum 46.
You would think that, in a commentary of more than 2,200 words, that Rev. Fauntroy would have mentioned the FOIA request that must have been stamped with FOIA on it to prove that Memorandum 46 about black Americans was real.
After I heard Rev. Fauntroy on the air with Madison, I e-mailed Rev. Fauntroy, Madison and Randall Robinson on June 14 asking for any information that could help me independently verify the authenticity of Memorandum 46. Madison had replied to an earlier e-mail about this, to the production director, but I never received a response from Rev. Fauntroy, Madison, and Randall Robinson. I do know that Madison received the e-mail because the programming director at the station angrily told me about it before we were dismissed!
I'd be happy to send the audio of Rev. Fauntroy and Madison discussing Memorandum 46.
2) MEMO TO JOE MADISON: PUT THE RIGHT FAKE DOCUMENT ON YOUR SITE!
On May 30, Madison said that the Congressional Black Caucus held hearings on Memorandum 46 and that Memorandum 46 was mentioned in the Congressional Research Service. Rev. Fauntroy didn't mention any supporting documentation in that regard in his response. A colleague of mine did a search of the CRS and couldn't come across a mention (although, I must admit that he was laughing out loud so hard about Memo 46 that he may have missed something).
You would think that with the Congressional Black Caucus, Randall Robinson, and Rev. Fauntroy all on the case that Joe Madison would be able to do better than to have a copy of the Memorandum on his site with Brzezinski's name misspelled!!! Just search for "Brezinski" on Madison's Web page.
I also have the audio of Madison discussing Memorandum 46 and will send it upon request.
3) HE CAN'T FIND MEMO 46, BUT LOOK AT WHAT HE KEPT!!!
Finally, it is incredible that Fauntroy and company would go through the process of submitting a FOIA request, and then not even hold onto to a top secret document with the government admitting a major plot against black Americans and Africans! Did he toss that out with the Sunday morning newspaper coupons?
Rev. Fauntroy cites the Church report, COINTELPRO, and the investigation into the death of MLK as circumstantial evidence bolstering the case for Memorandum 46's authenticity. If he was so aware of those things, and linked them to Memorandum 46, then what in the hell was he thinking when they allegedly got back the FOIA request documenting that Memorandum 46 was a real government document? He would not have had to bother with circumstantial information and dot-connecting.
Of course, it has been almost 30 years, I don't expect people to hold on to every document. I will note, however, that while Rev. Fauntroy may not be able to locate the FOIA version of Memorandum 46, he did keep track of many documents in 58 boxes, archived at George Washington University:
A random sampling:
Box 5 Folder 19: Invitation, Open House for Walter E. Fauntroy 1970
Box 5 Folder 20: Invitation, National Conference on Nonprofit Housing Organizations 1970
Box 5 Folder 21: Invitation, Ebon Meritorious Award Ceremony 1974
Box 5 Folder 22: Invitation, Birthday Celebration for Walter E. Fauntroy 1975
Box 5 Folder 23: Invitation, Reception for Walter E. Fauntroy at the National Democratic Club 1976
Box 5 Folder 24: Invitation, "Holiday Warm-Up" 1977
Box 5 Folder 25: Invitation and Ticket, Mardi Gras Masquerade Birthday Ball 02/16/1979
Box 5 Folder 26: Invitation, "A Valentine Gala", 47th Birthday Party for Walter E. Fauntroy 1980
Do you really believe that such a meticulous guy with many years of government service would not have held on to a top secret document outlining a high-level government plan against black Americans and black Africans acquired through a FOIA request?
There is plenty of nonsense in Rev. Fauntroy's response, but the more time I spend on it, the more I feel that I'm investigating Santa's existence based on first-hand accounts from children...
CJL