#TBT to 2000, 2004 and 2007 when Al Gore, John Kerry and the DNC used my advocacy work on the anti-miscegenationist Bob Jones University in press releases, blog postings, campaign handouts, etc.
The short of it is that (as an experiment) I applied for admission to BJU in 1998. I had absolutely zero plans to attend, so stop clutching your pearls, Martha. This was all an elaborate trap that these smug racist asshats fell right into at the time. They promptly emailed me that I could attend or my wife could attend, but we could not attend together since were are an interracial couple. They also sent me a letter by snail mail that outlined the specifics of their justification for their policy against interracial dating and marriage.
Now, the fact that they had the policy was not news. It was a dirty little secret of Southern politics, but the specifics of their justifications were not shared previously and remained a secret. I asked the right way, gained some trust, and played along in order to get these jackasses to spell it out in black and white on a signed piece of letterhead.
No shit. That happened. Stooopid.
I then posted the letter and email up on my publication’s (The Multiracial Activist) website and promptly sent out press releases and shared it all over the place. Everything flew out of control fast after that. NPR, Reuters, AP, National Journal and various radio programs interviewed me or linked to the letter. Long story short, Bob Jones III ended up on Larry King Live and rescinded their nasty little ban on live TV. Of course, I got death threats, denial of service attacks on my magazine servers, etc.
Why did the DNC care about this? Well, back then right-wing nutjobs campaigning for office as Republicans would often come by Bob Jones University for speeches and honorary degrees. It gave them street cred with the racist evangelical community that they needed to win over.
Given that several Republican candidates were actively blessing Bob Jones University with their presence in 2000, 2004 and 2007, the DNC decided to educate voters on what really went on at BJU.
Anyway, I fucked their shit up and then slept like a baby at night. Then, my advocacy work became part of the marketing campaigns for 3 consecutive Presidential campaign cycles. I have no regrets. They can all die mad about it.
This is the first DNC use of it in 2000: