Protesters debate race outside RNC HQ

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http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/04/protesters-debate-race-outside.html?wprss=44
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Dani McClain stood behind a lectern on the sidewalk in front of the Republican National Committee's Capitol Hill headquarters and demanded that its chairman "stop stoking the hate." It was noon Thursday.

"We're asking the Republican Party's leadership to address the venomous rhetoric coming from their grass-roots supporters," she told a dozen supporters on their lunch breaks and a media scrum gathered for the rally called by ColorofChange.org, an online political organizing group for African Americans. "Republicans have done almost nothing to tamp down this dangerous atmosphere and have even egged protesters on."

She listed the racial and homophobic slurs yelled at members of Congress on their way to vote on a health-care bill and the spate of vandalism against Democrats last week. Then, she cited a series of what her group sees as the Republican leadership's tacit approval of the angry protests of health care and big government by members of the "tea party." "After the health-care vote, Michael Steele told Fox News, 'Let's start getting Nancy Pelosi ready for the firing line this November.' Sarah Palin told her supporters, 'Don't retreat, instead, reload."

While the cameras were rolling, Jordan Marks, who was on his lunch break, too, stepped up beside McClain and held up a message of his own. It was on a handwritten sign: "You can't politicize race. Race baiting = racism. Be ashamed!"

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Color of Change supporters stepped in front of Marks and held up signs saying "GOP: Stop Stoking the Hate" and "Steele: Rein in the Hate." They covered Marks's sign and, then, covered his face.