Tuesday Night Fights: Hannity & Colmes Tag Team Racist Reverend

December 7th, 2006 11:14 AM

Regular viewers of Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes” know that the two hosts rarely agree on anything, and that when they do, their guests better watch out, because they’re going to be blasted from both sides. Such was the case Tuesday evening when H&C invited the Reverend Paul Scott of the Messianic Afrikan Nation to discuss his bizarre views about race and Christmas (video available here courtesy of our friend at Ms Underestimated). Colmes began, “So, you have a beef with Christmas this year, or every year?” The Reverend replied:

Well, the problem that we have is with traditional Eurocentric Christmas, the lily white Christmas. Christmas is the whitest time of year. And in a situation and a climate when black men are being shot by police officers, black -- elderly black grandmothers are being shot by police officers, black men are being forced to dance their way out of traffic tickets, white comedians feel that they can make jokes about black men.

Colmes accurately inquired: “That has nothing to do with Christmas, though, as you well know. Do you think most people look at Christmas through the lens of race?” The Reverend amazingly answered: “I think that racism is so prevalent in our society you can't separate anything from race.” He said that. He really did. And that’s when the fun started:

COLMES: What does the use of the "N" word by a couple of comedians, unfortunately using that word, have anything to do with Christmas? They didn't say, "Oh, look, Christmas is coming. I think I'll use this word." Why are you connecting the two?

SCOTT: Because there is a system in place right now that disrespects black people. We feel that one way to gain our respect, our self respect, to give our children respect, is to use this time of year to properly put the color of Jesus, or Yeshua, in its proper context and to replace those with black images. We feel that once we respect ourselves, others will be a forced to respect us. That's the whole purpose of being an black Christmas.

Though Alan was holding his own, his time ran out, and Sean entered the ring. This is too delicious to properly characterize without just sharing the transcript:

HANNITY: All right. Well, thank you, Alan. Mr. Scott, let me ask you this question. You used the term lily white, and this is the whitest time of year. What do you mean by that?

SCOTT: Traditionally, I know when I was growing up, the only images we saw were the nativity scene, all the cartoons were white images. And as a child, I always thought, where are the black people? Where are the black people in Santa town? Where are the black people in Jerusalem? So we're saying that we...

HANNITY: Do you not like -- do you not like white people?

SCOTT: I love all people.

HANNITY: You love all people. So I'm trying to understand. Did you literally say that I'm dreaming of a white Christmas never? Did you say that?

SCOTT: Yes, I said that. I mean, why should we always have a white Christmas? I mean...

HANNITY: Yes, but when they say "white Christmas," they're not talking about race. They're talking about snow.

SCOTT: Yes, but Christmas took place in Africa. Why are we talking about a white -- I mean, Jerusalem...

HANNITY: No, no, no. With the phrase...

SCOTT: ... talking about a white Christmas and that happened in Africa and...

HANNITY: ... white Christmas means people hope it snows.

SCOTT: But when you say -- when you say white, what comes to your mind? When you say black, what comes to your mind?

HANNITY: When they say white Christmas, snow comes to my mind.

SCOTT: Psychologically, subliminally, when you say white you -- white is always tied to something good. Traditionally, black has been tied to something bad. We're trying to put some color back in Christmas.

HANNITY: Where do you -- where do you come up with these cockamamie ideas? This is nuts. White Christmas is about snow and about Santa and about Santa Claus. I understand maybe you have some issues with Christmas, but you are obsessed with lily white -- this is the whitest time of the year. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas never.

SCOTT: Sean, let me ask you -- let me ask you this.

HANNITY: They're talking about snow, not white people.

SCOTT: When you were -- when you were growing up, did you ever sit on a black Santa Claus's knee?

HANNITY: You're missing the whole point, sir. Christmas is for everybody that wants to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. That's...

SCOTT: That -- now, Sean, you know...

HANNITY: The surrounding issues of the snowman and Santa Claus and a white Christmas as a song has to do with snow, not white. It seems like you have a problem with race issues.

SCOTT: Now you know he wasn't born on December 25, right? And you know that the only reason that most people celebrate Christmas is the toys and the PlayStation.

HANNITY: I'm having a very hard time with this show tonight.

COLMES: The day he was born has nothing to do with his race, Mr. Scott. Thank you very much for being with us.

Merry Christmas!