If THIS is journalism, I agree with Governor Huckabee that it is clearly DEAD. Biased, non-factual and totally out of touch with reality, THIS is the very reason Americans ARE turning to FOX news. We are finding that is the only place we can get the facts. The fact that VanJones was ever given a position in the Obama administration with all these anti-
American, anti-white comments is frightening. Just another example of the company our president chooses to keep!

I'm no fan of Patel, who understands nothing of interfaith dialogue, less of pluralism. I keep reading about Jones's anti-white racism, antisemitism, however, but have yet to see evidence of it.

Declaring oneself a communist or marxist is not a crime, and he didn't do it recently. A petition signed years ago is, well, a petition signed years ago.

As for his calling Republicans A holes, we can agree that they are and share this identity with the Dems and numerous others.

And the big deal is?

Is this supposed to be tongue in cheek? Van Jones was done in by his own words and radical ideology. How does that constitute a vicious smear campaign? This author's words are so far divorced from reality, I think he must be joking.

I stopped reading after "vicious smear campaign." Let's see, Dan Rather and his show producer use fraudulent memos fifty-five days before an election, but accrurate reporting on what a person said and did who advises the POTUS is a vicious smear campaign?
To quote another lunatic, Barne Franks, what planet do you come from?

Yeah comrade Eboo, Van Jones the racist, America hating, self-proclaimed Communist and wait for it... TRUTHER is being "smeared"? What by his own words and actions? My how the Washington Post has fallen to new depths of inanity!

Mr. Patel, If you truly do believe what you wrote, you need to get out more! Perhaps do a bit more reading at sites other than The Post, NY & LA Times, NBC/MSNBC, etc. There's a big world out there which you seem to know nothing about. From which planet have you recently arrived? Your delusional column has provided some much humor to this subject. Keep up your fine work.

Mr. Patel,

I would not trade one Van Jones for a hundred Glenn Becks. Jones appears to be a man of principles, doing good for this country; many don't know this, but Beck lead the torch-wielding mob in the Frankenstein movie.

However, Jones' resignation has nothing to do with Beck and everything to do with Jones. While I might agree that Republicans are a-holes - Democrats hold that distinction, as well - and his communist views seem more sad than threatening, his support of a 9/11 government conspiracy theory shows a radicalism and lack of judgement simply not welcome in federal leadership.

Van Jones is a self-promoting, opportunist who will jump at any social cause to promote himself.
Van sees he need to be in with the Communists? Well then Van says he is a commie.
The 911 Truther movement is drawing a crowd, then Van is a 911 Truther, too.
The black community only respects the black radical? Well Van is now wearing a Black Panther t-shirt and sticker on his back pack and photo of him giving the Black Power salute.
Save the Whales? Against Nuclear Power? Whatever the cause, if Van sees it moves his career forward he will be for that cause. A phoney.
Van saw the money and crowds the Green movement was bringing in (and that Mr. Global Warming, Al Gore, was getting mega rich plus an Oscar & Nobel Prize), so Van saw the light and went Green. As he pitched it to Obama and Team: "The Green Movement is totally filled with WHITE people - it is time to affirmative action a black person into the Green movement and Van Jones is just the person.

The guy is a big mouthed, mega-ego fraud and the only thing he believes in is promoting Van Jones.
Thank goodness the fraud is gone.

Uh, how did my browser take me to The Onion instead of the WP?

When I first read this column, I thought it must be some kind of satire. And people wonder why no one reads newspapers anymore?

Mr. Patel, Are you serious? Van Jones a patriot? I suppose it depends upon what you believe he's supporting. Certainly not the USA.

Smear campaign? What smear campaign? Van Jones, consistently over his entire career, has had one goal: to tear down the American establishment. The "America" that he serves is not the America that most of perceive and cherish. He sees the USA as a treacherous enemy. Most Americans would regard Mr. Jones in exactly the same way. His own words betrayed him. No one has called him any names that he hasn't already applied to himself -- and with some apparent pride in his positions.

Mr. Jones, like others in similar movements, and even in the White House, lately, fan the flames of discord and hatred, trying to stir up racial and ethnic conflicts, apparently just for the hell of it -- or so that they can declare a "crisis" and rush in with some kind of totalitarian "solution."

It's an old tactic. Remember the Reichstag Fire, anyone? Now the planet is supposed to be burning. Saul Alinsky supplied some new tools, but the goal is always the same: grabbing as much power as you can over as many people as possible.

This man is not a patriot. This is a kook from the leftist fringe, with all the same paranoid fantasies and delusions as those on the far right.

So, good riddance, Mr. Jones. Don't worry -- he won't go broke. If nothing else, he'll hire a bunch of noisemakers from the SEIU's "Purple Ocean" to demonstrate in front of a large corporation, then shake down the executives for some ready cash. Isn't that how it usually works?

With all due respect, I believe your faith in Van Jones is as reasonable in your faith in an invisible god. It requires hope, yet claims to provide evidence:

Faith is the "substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1). But now that we have YouTube and other ways to archive facts, the "substance" and "evidence" are plainly seen at 30 frames per second.

True, Van Jones is a patriot.

For the other side. (2 Cor. 11:14)

I'm a Liberal minority guy, but I draw
the line at Marxism. Progressives, Socialists and Communists are Marxists. Google it. Van Jones boasted of being a
Communist. His big mouth, extremist
politics and racist remarks about
"white people are the polluters" and
"republicans are a**h*les" were way
beyond decency. White People, Republicans,
Conservatives and Christians are not my
enemies. They are my Fellow Americans.
The USA isn't perfect, but I like my country and all of its people. Van Jones,
like Jeremiah Wright, raps like a hater. His own words, actions and affiliations define him. He has no one else to blame, but himself. If he is a cool guy, he'll
land on his feet, learn from his mistakes
and find other constructive things to to
for the common good. If I had a dollar
for every time I made a fool out of myself
when I was a young man, I'd be so rich,
that Bill Gates would be washing my car
and mowing my lawn. Good luck, Van.

Eboo,
You usually write poorly, but you write the same thing every time trying to defend islam.

Now, you have written about something different. As the new commentators on your blog show, you write poorly no matter what the topic.

As I have said about your numerous attempts to lie about islam:
You fool no one but yourself.

Obviously, the Washington Post does not care about good journalism or good writing.

Will the Post give a blog to just anyone? You gained insight and pragmatism from a Communist? My lord...

Hi Eboo, It was such a pleasure to meet you last year at your book reading and to have followed your work as a social entrepreneur. I don't have the knowledge or faith foundation to answer this from a religious perspective, but I was wondering if Van's resignation sends the unfortunate message that those who work to reform from outside government are not sufficiently centrist to later be accepted within government.

I don't know if you read through all of the vitriol to get to the 168th comment, but I'd be interested in hearing your response.

Best,
Alexis

Going Green is for the benefit of all, not to "get the greenest solutions to the poorest people". Only Entrepreneurship will lead the way. What if the computer czar said something similar to Steve Jobs in 1976!

HOLYBIBLETRIVIA says Glenn Beck happens to be the only one concerned about the character of the people surrounding the president. Glenn should maybe be concerned about his own character:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-august-13-2009/glenn-beck-s-operation

If there was a "smear campaign" then it was Van Jones smearing HIMSELF! The only thing required of this "smear campaign" was playing back Van Jones in his OWN WORDS!

Smear campaign. Really? Grow up!

The smear campaign of Van Jones was bankrolled by the oil & coal industries. The real reason he was targeted was the fear of green technology cutting into carbon industry profits. That Obama caved to these corporate interests is shameful - but typical. All this talk about fearing "Marxism" comes from the profoundly brain-dead right. The US has moved so far to the right - light years from even western european style social democracy, that talk of fear of "Marxism" is clinically insane.

Really? And these technologically, socially, and financially PRACTICAL, implementable and real SOLUTIONS are listed where, exactly?

If that's so, he could write his own ticket anywhere on the planet!

Or...is Mr. Patel mistaking rhetoric for real-world solutions?

Patel said,
"...he was one of the nation's most pragmatic environmental visionaries, someone who was always thinking up practical, pattern-changing solutions to massive climate problems."

Smear campaign? Oh, please, Mr. Patel, get in contact with reality.
You sound like someone who just dropped in from another universe and then after having fallen off a turnip truck immediately bought a bridge in Brooklyn.
Once it became public knowledge that Jones had signed a 9/11 truther petition--and such a thing was bound to be discovered sooner or later--he HAD to resign, and for Jones not to have realized this in advance and for Obama not to have been more careful in vetting him does not speak well for either of them.
Anyone who would sign a petition asserting that the possibility of George Bush's knowing in advance of 9/11 should be investigated would not be given a position in ANY administration, because the majority of the public would never believe something so monstrous could happen--too horrible for most people to even think about.

Still as sad as you are and as sad as the White House is no one utters one word of explanation for hiring Van Jones. Not one word to explain why it is ok to have a Communist on staff. Not one word on why it is ok that he worked to free a cop killer. Not one word on how it is ok that he thinks the Bush administration orchestrated 9/11 (except Obama's old standby, "I didn't know"). Not one word on how the White Man is "poisoning immigrants" or on how we should redistribute wealth through green job creation to the poor based on race.

Calling this man a "Patriot" is an insult to the term. A Patriot stands up for his country and tries to protect her and make her better, not tear her down and destroy her. You sir are an idiot. You have not addressed any of the above issues and I know you will not because that is not the Snake Oil you are the business of peddling. Journalism is still dead at the Washington Post.

We Surround You! The silent majority is not going to be silent any more. True Patriots who love our Country are getting loud and there will be change in Washington, but it will not be by any doing of this administration.

NoSnakeOil - "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Thomas Jefferson

Typical of the main stream media saying poor Jones instead of listing the real reasons he was dismissed. Read all his past statements as recent as March 2009. Glenn Beck happens to be the only one concerned about the character of the people surrounding the president. A fair report would of included Becks findings. What about the fact he was dismissed on labor day weekend Midnight Saturday? We need to be concerned about our liberties, which sadly most would say already do not exist! Lets research this and keep the people free. Along with a Free Press!

steggy321 wrote: To say a communist has no place in America only shows your ignorance to what Communism really is.

To which I reply: Apparently you read my post so quickly you failed to absorb my definition of Marxism. Simply put, under Marxist doctrine there is no private enterprise, no private property. The government owns and controls everything. If you think that is a good thing it is your right to express your opinion. However, I am confident that the overwhelming vast majority of Americans would agree with me and disagree with you. As for your application of the word "ignorance" and it's definition, I suggest you take a good long look in the mirror!

Friends,

I heard Van Jones at a national religious conference of the Unitarian Universalist Association a year ago and was electrified by his comments. Our young people gave him a standing ovation. Here was a great speaker trying to address two urgent issues, urban poverty and the environment who had answers that sounded like they might really work. There was nothing radical or hate filled in his message. Just the opposite.

I do not know the reasons why Van Jones signed that petition. Sadly, many citizens, both liberal and conservative are deeply suspicious of our government, sometimes, unfortunately with reason. But his actions, even if misguided, seem to me to be a small and inconsequential mistake -- not one worth losing such a gifted individual.

I find it sad that Mr. Patel's column has caused so much anger and hostility. Can't we disagree with respect for one another? Without calling one another names and swearing? Maybe we need someone to invite all of us to take a breath before we respond.

He's a communist! He's a Marxist!

Everyone is shouting it, but how many understand it? They're branded as bad, sure... but why? For that matter, why are they bad, but is Capitalism good?

Heres the thing, none of them are bad, and none of them are good. They're just ideals. Its their application that makes them good or bad.

To say a communist has no place in America only shows your ignorance to what Communism really is.

The same goes for capitalism! To defend capitalism as the best economic system in the midst of a global recession, caused entirely by greedy capitalist, is so ironic that its laughable.

Van Jones was doing more to save this country, and this world than Glenn Beck and his supporters ever will. Smear campaign? You're damned right it was. Beck, like everyone at Foxnews, used the willful ignorance of his viewers, mixed it with their misconceptions of economic ideologies, added a bit of fear mongering and called it a week long special. It makes me sick

It makes me sad and a little sick that Van Jones, the White House Green Jobs Czar, is being held up as a Patriot.

Mr. Patel, either you are woefully unaware of the radical, racist comments of Van Jones, or, you are in sympathy with his beliefs.

Based on this article my guess is the latter.

Its no smear campaign that this clown checked out of the White House. A minimal effort with Google will reveal Jones' true nature via quotations...his own words. If Patel's writings were anything but mediocre and insignificant, most people would be calling him a partisan hack.

Van Jones, Patriot? ABSURD!!! The man is a MARXIST! Could anyone have imagined a MARXIST in The White House advising John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter or even Bill Clinton? I repeat, ABSURD!!!

What is still more frightening is the fact that Van Jones isn't the only one. Take Mark Lloyd as just one example. His hero is Hugo Chavez who has shut down 34 radio stations in Venezuela for the crime of daring to speak in opposition of their own Marxist dictator. Mark Lloyd believes that claims to freedom of speech are often "exaggerated"! What position does Mark Lloyd hold in The Obama Administration? He is the new "Chief Diversity Officer" at our Federal Communciations Commission. Listen to Mark Lloyd in his own words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6vMzqgHvqo

America truly needs to WAKE UP!!! This isn't about Republican or Democrat. This is about a threat to our American way of life from within. Under Marxist doctrine, there is no such thing as private enterprise. There is no such thing as private property. The government owns and controls EVERYTHING! At this moment, the United States government already owns General Motors, Chrysler, AIG and the banks. Add healthcare to that mix, which by itself represents 17% of the economy, and how much of our economy would the government own and control? The Obama administration would certainly be well on their way to acheiving their Marxist ends of TOTAL government control and will have done it with breathtaking speed.

In my book "Czar" = "Member of Politbureau". How the old Soviet apparatchiks must be laughing their heads off as they watch us rush headlong toward what we defeated in the Cold War!!!

???Patriot??? What about the kookie ideas he has??? Non critical thinking and reporting along these lines by the media is exactly why such a large number of the American public is so worried about Barak Obama. It has become painfully clear to them that Obama has consorted with many such folks in the past, is taking advice and appointing them to positions of power in the present, and is in fact one of them. Mr. Jones was "quitted" for just cause. Those with this same Anti-America ideology should also beware because a sleeping giant has been awakened and we want out contry back, from both puppet parties.. ...

hey eboo... looks like your in the minority on this issue. the guy has no place in any position of responsibility.
he is one of the greatest racist you'll ever come across. obama really hangs with a nice group of people. bo thought he could just pick all these assclowns for these positions and no one would question them. people are feed up with this czar stuff. the party is over...

The only 9/11 "Truth" that was left on the congressional record floor, was that of Able Danger, Rep Curt Weldon & Tony Shaffer.

While we are at it, Jayna Davis, John Doe #2 & islamic terrorism got short shrift in re the OKC terrorist attack.

The "Truther" bilge was a false controversy meant to muddy the waters around "Able Danger."

Patriot,

Patriots (also known as Americans, Whigs, Revolutionaries, Congress-Men or Rebels) was the name the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution called themselves. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation. Their rebellion was based on the political philosophy of republicanism, as expressed by pamphleteers such as Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Paine.

The term “Patriot” was in use by American colonists prior to the war during the 1760s, referring to the American Patriot Party. Members of the American Patriot Party also called themselves Whigs after 1768, identifying with members of the British Whig Party, i.e., Radical Whigs and Patriot Whigs, who favored similar colonial policies.

As a group, Patriots comprised men and women representing the full array of social, economic, ethnic and racial backgrounds. They included college students like Alexander Hamilton, planters like Thomas Jefferson, merchants like Alexander McDougall, and plain farmers like Daniel Shays and Joseph Plumb Martin.

Those colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown called themselves Loyalists or "Tories". In addition, many people remained neutral or said nothing.

Many Patriots were active before 1775 in groups such as the Sons of Liberty. The most prominent leaders of the Patriots are referred to today by Americans as the Founding Fathers of the United States.

So here you see what it means to be a "Patriot".

Not someone the openly professes to be a Communist.

This president has shown his true colors by the people he has surrounded himself with; and the Race Card is not the issue...we could care less. What we do care about is Liberty!

I have to confess that I could never run for public office (or accept an appointment) because I've said things--things that I really mean--out loud enough times and at enough places to prevent me from ever passing ant sort of basic scrutiny. I know this because I have a brain in my head.

Video footage of the man convict himself is a smear tactic? What lame excuse will you come up with next?
His own words reveal the sad and convoluted corruptness of his own heart.
You would not know a patriot if you saw one.

It seems apparent to me that there is a huge difference between Mr. Jones and others I think of when I hear the word patriot. For instance, patriots love the country and the people who call it home. When you look at the facts about Van Jones, it is rather obvious this guy is not a patriot in the classic sense - unless you are referring to the former Soviet Union or one of the other Communist Bloc states. I suspect, however, that if he had not been reared in the USA his opinion of totalitarian rule might be somewhat different. It is easy to rebel when it costs you nothing to do so, but go to one of the communist countries he would like to model the USA after and I would bet he would not be so enamored of the whole "Red" experience.

"went to a provincial college, and wound up graduating from Yale Law School..."

Typical Washington Post elitism: if it's not Ivy League, it's "provincial"
Let me give you a quick math lesson -- there are more college grads from provincial schools than the elite institutions, and they all vote too!

I like Mr. Patel's revealing the side of Mr. Jones being a hard working, smart citizen who worked his way up from a normal beginning to credentials worthy of the positions he has held.

But I am beginning to believe that these bad comments on the actions of our Administration and our Congress is more than a carefully crafted plot by a cable network with a chip on their shoulder. The shouters at the town halls were obviously not organized and their anger went beyond having their 40 years of Medicare premiums stolen -- they, like the commenters here, did not like the direction our country is being led.

It is a shame that an offhand remark at a meeting might sink any of our aspirations to help our country, but if all we had to go on were carefully rehearsed statements, we would have no way to judge how an important official might act on a vital decision made behind closed doors. And the way our country is being torn apart and patched back together, every decision is vital.

You call this journalism? This is a JOKE! Van Jones doesn't belong in the country let alone the White House.

The clown who wrote this blog entry is hired to write about "what brings us together?!" Really?!

Hardly a centrist or a moderate. If you are a person of faith, ask forgiveness for twisting the truth.

It makes me sick that he actually made it far enough to have to re-sign. What other clowns are in this administration?

Why are the "on faith" columnists universally Democratic political shills? To look at the Van Jones controversy, to actually look at the facts of the case including Mr. Jones' own words, and declare he was the victim of a smear campaign, requires ideological blinkers the size of Van Jones' ego.

Van Jones, a victim, please, a curious 15 year old writing a term paper could have outed this Free Mumia supporter, 9/11 Truther, and foul mouthed racist caught on tape. It was always out there for anyone to find. Just like Reverand Wright and Bill Ayers.

The MSM and Obama sychophants simply choose to ignore the emerging pattern.

Ask yourself how the WH could have missed Jones' sordid history or did they see it and approve? I suspect there was much more at play than ineptness on their part.

The Obama administration will go down as one of the most racially divisive, dishonest and totally at odds with American values than any administration in our history. It will be decades undoing the social and economic damage.

Here is a guy, Van Jones, a self-descrobed communist, racist, police hater, and one who could not even define what a green job was, in a position in this administration. Sad.

Here is a so-called writer that calls a person like him a patriot. Maybe that is where the term Patriot Act came from in the previous administration. Someone who hates the country, wants to subvert it, and destroy anything useful about it.

This is beyond pathetic.

It is pieces like this that are the reason newspapers and most of the MSM are losing major revenue and subscribers.

Has Van Jones ever created a job? For that matter, has anyone in Obama's circle ever created a job (other than in the government)?

Why does this guy have an opportunity to write this poison? If it was up to him I wouldn't have a voice. We are america and we have freedom of speech. Americans are afraid look at all the people around Obama.Obama is a radical, a communist and intends to change our country. He is poisoning us and will be voted out in 2012.

A patriot? For which nation? Not for America! The man believed that George Bush deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, that whites are deliberately poisoning minorities, and that Marxism is the right path for America. The man deserved the bum's rush. Good riddance!

They should have a "Report Offensive Comment" link attached to this article. If I wanted to read this kind of BS, I would go to the Huffington Post.

Obama "appointments," and agenda seem to have a theme:

1. Hate white people
2. Take their money
3. Investigate them
4. Cap their salaries
5. Call them "stupid"
6. Blame them for all of your problems

Is this the "inclusiveness" he campaigned on? No. That was just to get elected- Suckers!

A smear campaign using quotes from Mr. Jones himself is hard to understand. He, like many in his circle are wanting to enable a few Americans at the cost of many while his detractors who are many and the majority are wanting to limit the entitlements to a few who have in most cases been raised in a generational welfare environment, these smears are backed up by video quotes by Mr. Jones and only needed to be viewed, you need to attack you tube for allowing Americans to see the real Van Jones.

Some days, you look at what is staring out at you from the screen and don't quite believe it.

Today is one of those days. In a column titled "Faith," we have praise for a Marxist.

I keep hearing how brilliant this guy is. Can one of his many supporters help me out here --- I'm willing to look at a few actual accomplishments (in the "green jobs" area) and develop a conclusion, but I'm unwilling to read his "best seller." Can someone just give us a few examples --- not just thoughts, like let's train all the gang bangers to stuff insulation --- but actual accomplishments that would illustrate whey his resignation is such a loss for the country.

I don't know what makes him a patriot. He may be the greatest tree hugger. Have you not seen what he has said, in public, recorded? Some might view that as anti-Constitutional, inciting ideas to demean and overthrow our Federal system.

One only needs to read the first sentence of this article to realize that this is a dishonest fluff piece. How is it a "smear campaign" to point out his support for 9/11 conspiracy theories? Moreoever, who cares what Time magazine or the New Yorker magazine says? Mr. Patel, your work should go in the same place as those two magazines--straight into the garbage.

Van Jones, Patriot?

Why not just write an article entitled Bob McDonnell, Feminist?

Mr. Patel, Any person either elected or appointed should be of American values first. I have read and heard this fanatic Van Jones make statements that should have the Government WATCHING him not HIRING him. I enlisted in the service during the Viet Nam War and came home to voices of hate for our doing our duty to America. Today my elected President hires people with un-American values. I should have died back then so as to not have to watch my country change. Double standards have replaced moral leadership. I listened and applauded as our great nation showed the world that in America all are equal. The truth is Americans should be seen, taxed and remain silent. I must have fallen asleep for many years and missed the battle for America. Please be kind enough to let me know the where an when of the battle fought in SILENCE that America lost. Also if there are any survivors please send help to get me back to the America I was born in, I would hate to die on this now foreign soil.

A follow up to my first post, which was unnecessary due to the fact that the overwhelming number of comments were identical to mine. Anyway, now I get why you're so clueless to American heritage and church. You have an agenda driven by that peaceful religion of yours...

Patriot!

Mr. Patel, please look up the meaning of this word. You using it to describe Van Jones is akin to Sean Hannity using it to describe Sarah Palin. Putting lipstick on a couple of pigs!

Come on folks words matter. Trying to paint any radical, right or left, as a patriot is an insult to those in our history who have been true patriots and whose sacrifices we should hold in highest regard. Don't demean the word by attaching it to craven radicals regardless of their political affiliations.

I never heard of Van Jones before. I am willing to believe Mr. Patel that he is a patriotic, pragmatic person. But there is a political culture on the minority left that absolutely must be changed. Members of the group are permitted to say things that they may not really believe but that express feelings and anger.

The natural allies of poor and middle class blacks are poor and middle class whites--the red voters. The minority left radical must learn to talk with these allies, to reassure them, to appeal to them--not just treat them as racist dirt. Or is it that people like Gates and Jones really are driven by their own high income and want to drive the red voters away so their own taxes don't get raised?

Once again a leader in the forefront of Hopey-Changey is brought down by a sladerous campaign of THEIR OWN PAST STATEMENTS.

I guess the WaPol has finally discovered this story - if only to cheerlead for O they way they did (admitting it afterward) during the election.

Great piece Eboo - completely on point.

Mr. Patel. Glad to hear that Van Jones is resourceful enough to move on to more meanignful endeavors. Maybe he can start an advocacy group that will stop white people from poisoning black communities, or get the agricultural barons to stop spraying toxins on immigrants.

By thw way, what does it mean to "grow up in the church"? You appear to attempt to give Van Jones spirtual credibility because he mentions King David and Noah in a reference that hardly requires in depth biblical knowledge.

Saw Howlin' Howard Dean on Fox News Sunday, actually defending this lunatic. Howie said of Jones, "I don't think he really thinks the government had anything to do with causing 9/11."

Hilarious, coming from a guy (Dean) who once suggested that George W. Bush might have been given advance notice of the 9/11 attacks by the Saudis.

Is there anyone associated with Barack Obama's administration who's even a little bit sane or normal? Anyone who's not some kind of whacked-out radical? Anyone?

"Mr. Patel - Do you know about the founding and history of the United States of America? Do you know the history of communism/Marxism? And, do you know the difference? Obviously, you don't. We have way too many community organizers/Marxists in the WH. Americans be afraid, be very afraid."

This comment fairly sums up all those opinions expressed here by the most ignorant and ill-educated people we have in the United States. They do not know of what they speak quite simply. They hate community organizers? What, is that now a euphemism for black Americans? Of course, the very word "community" is anathemic to them, close to the word "communist." It is frightening to see so many in the US still supporting the mid-set of the likes of McCarthy form the 1950's.

Van Jones will be a great loss. And real Americans, true patriots with enough understanding of our history and the intents of our founding fathers, respect that this man had the guts to speak truth to power. The mindless simpletons who are for whatever reasons so threatened in their lives, who live in fear and see commies everywhere around them, who speak in the name of Jesus in their superstitious beliefs will probably never see the truth in anything that does not fit into their small minds. They also will be surprised as more truths about the 9/11 event become exposed.

"Mr. Patel - Do you know about the founding and history of the United States of America? Do you know the history of communism/Marxism? And, do you know the difference? Obviously, you don't. We have way too many community organizers/Marxists in the WH. Americans be afraid, be very afraid."

This comment fairly sums up all those opinions expressed here by the most ignorant and ill-educated people we have in the United States. They do not know of what they speak quite simply. They hate community organizers? What, is that now a euphemism for black Americans? Of course, the very word "community" is anathemic to them, close to the word "communist." It is frightening to see so many in the US still supporting the mid-set of the likes of McCarthy form the 1950's.

Van Jones will be a great loss. And real Americans, true patriots with enough understanding of our history and the intents of our founding fathers, respect that this man had the guts to speak truth to power. The mindless simpletons who are for whatever reasons so threatened in their lives, who live in fear and see commies everywhere around them, who speak in the name of Jesus in their superstitious beliefs will probably never see the truth in anything that does not fit into their small minds. They also will be surprised as more truths about the 9/11 event become exposed.

Van Jones... pinhead.

Patriots respect their countries and address the problems. Van Jones hates his country and makes up problems to serve his self-interests. Yale should be weeping that their good name is associated with Van Jones, the hater.

The good news is that in America (like no where else) Van Jones can buckle down, get his head on straight, work hard and make a come back... if he so chooses. Now that my friends, is a great country. In other countries he'd be pillaried.

I agree with Patel. There was simply nothing to Van Jones for normal Americans to be upset about.

The closest thing to substance in the rightwing's complaints about Jones is that he signed a 9/11 truther petition. That puts him squarely in the same conspiracy theorist mindset of the majority of the GOP voters (57% of whom "have doubts" about Obama being an American). There are lots of people who found it suspicious that Bush was warned about 9/11 and didn't stop it. But frankly even as a Bush hater I don't think he had specific enough info to stop it. Anyway, the guy just signed a petition, it's not like he was Glenn Beck or something, leading a movement of tin foil hat nutcases.

The rest of it is just his "guilt" in either bringing up a subject the far right would rather not discuss (environmental racism), or his ideological views (very left) - the latter of which the last I checked are perfectly legal. We tried McCarthyism in the 50's, remember? That is looked back upon as a shameful period in our history. At least by Americans who respect our freedom of speech and association. I realize that excludes the right.

The funniest objection the mouth-foaming right wing is bringing up however, is that Jones "supported al Qaida by dismissing Clinton's bombing missions as distractions from Monicagate". This is funny for two reasons. The first is that "Monicagate" was itself a GOP invention and distraction, which most people realize now. The bigger reason it is funny is that if calling Clinton out for "wagging the dog" back then is now evidence for conspiring with AQ, then HALF OF THE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS AND MOST OF THEIR VOTERS COMMITTED TREASON IN THE 90s AS WELL. Jones and most of the GOP should both step down. Okay, fine. Sometimes the right is too stupid to avoid its own shoelaces, isn't it?

Obama should not have placated them. The people who objected to Van Jones are not the type he'd be winning over on health care anyway. They are categorically against anything constructive that might help Americans.

Have any of you who claim to have "done your research" (giant quotes) into Van actually read his book? Or heard him speak?

He's trying to bring opportunity to the nation's poorest people, and to do so in a way that protects the environment and promotes energy independence.

I've met him on several occasions and never been less than totally impressed. I wish some of you would do research into the work he is doing, not some off hand comment he made at some point in the past.

Smear campaign??? You mean sort of like the "smear campaign" that was launched against Sarah Palin? That kind of smear campaign?

This is such rubbish, liberals are such unbelievable hypocrites. They invited the term "smear campaign" and perfected it's use against anyone that has an opposing opinion from theirs.

Van Jones is his own worst enemy. What I want to know is, how did the Obama administration ever thing that this guys background wasn't going to come out? Or, is this another case of how Obama is clueless when it comes to the people he chooses to hang out with?

It makes me sad and a little sick that Van Jones, the White House Green Jobs Czar, was forced to resign after being targeted by a vicious smear campaign.
*******************************************
Please explain how it is a "smear campaign" when one's own words, caught on video, are used to show their thoughts on position on various subjects.

I'll be standing on my head and holding by breath waiting for your response.

Yep, Van Jones was a victim. He was a victim of his own anti-white comments.

Mr Eboo, write this down. Minorities who make anti-white comments are no longer given a free pass.

What's scary is that Obama saw this lunatic as a deep thinker, not unlike his spiritual adviser Jeremiah Wright and the man for whom he helped organize a major recruiting drive for the nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan.

"Also, since when did it become rightwing to believe in the constitution, people, and the freedom of the individual from big and over-reaching government?" Posted by: bendex7

Which has exactly what to do with Van Jones? You spout beautiful pseudo-patriotic gibberish, but it is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Mr Patel: History is rife with brilliant people with grossly misguided philosophical foundations. That doesn;t mean that we give them seats at the table, particularly when they seem to have been sneaked in through the back door without giving anyone a chance to notice very much.

I think the tragedy here is that somewhere in Johnson's development, he lost sight of what makes Amwerica great -- and what will continue to do so.

In essense, he finally got caught. Marxism scored another victim, inadvertantly or not.

"In October 2005 he (Van Jones) reported that by August of that year (1992) he was a communist. [11]"

"He got involved with Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement (STORM), a group explicitly committed to revolutionary Marxist politics[15] whose points of unity were revolutionary democracy, revolutionary feminism, revolutionary internationalism, the central role of the working class, urban Marxism, and Third World Communism.[16] "

"innocent people do no [sic] resign!" Posted by: carolyndragottaters

That includes Alberto Gonzales, right?

I had no problem with Van Jones. He was a professional provocateur. I don't listen to Glenn Beck or any of the shouting heads. It was curious that the WP ignored the story until it did. Also, it's funny that the people shouting McCarthyism and smear somehow don't see the irony of Beck only turning his sights on Jones after a campaign started by an organization Jones founded to run him off the air for being criticall of BO.

Pot meet kettle.

Since when is using Van Jones own words against him a smear? The truth hurts sometimes huh?

Van Jones probably didn't deserve to lose his job, but this Op-Ed is something else. OK, either this is a satire piece or the author has the writing ability of a high-schooler.

COMMIES AND MUSLIMS AND THUGS! OH MY!

COMMIES AND MUSLIMS AND THUGS! OH MY!

COMMIES AND MUSLIMS AND THUGS! OH MY!

...paraphrasing most of the comments here. Yep. We're not in Kansas anymore...

Considering this newspaper missed this entire story up until the very day Czar Jones resigned, this salvage column isn't surprising. It wasn't our mistake,we didn't miss this story, he really is a patriot and fabulous guy.

"The biggest problems that we're facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch and not go through Congress at all. And that's what I intend to reverse when I'm president of the United States."

- Senator Barack Obama, March 31, 2008

Fearmongering continues to be the modus operandi of the "conservatives"... Tom Ridge admitted that the threat-level was used to manipulate the public... With all the costly lies we've been subjected to from the 2000 POTUS campaign to this day, signing a petition calling for an INVESTIGATION of those who tortured (and killed thousands) in order to secure immoral and false justification for an unnecessary war (that was incredibly profitable for Halliburton) does not seem unreasonable... It's no more extreme than that to which it is opposition...

Kenneth Starr spent years and millions going after Clinton over a failed, unprofitable land deal (which conveniently morphed into the Lewinsky debacle) so just admit it, that IS the game... Attack and destroy, so if you're gonna bring it, you're gonna receive it too... It's what you're trying to do with Obama now... It's so painfully obvious...

Scream "Communism", Mr. McCarthy, but labels are simplistic... You want labels...? From where I sit, I see one party that claims the color "red" and they act like they want a totalitarian state with the "reds" in complete control, elections be damned...

"Communism"... BOO...!!!!!!!! Even scarier than "Socialism"...!!!!

While I'd love to ramble about the American Taliban, the oligarchs (sp?), etc., for now, I'll just call out the ones enamored with threatening others (see above: "I will not rest in defending my country against destructively ignorant imbeciles like you. Sleep well.") as the brownshirts...

When Van Jones speaks with clear empathy (gasp) regarding the pain that so many young white men (e.g. Harris and Klebold) experience, and when he bemoans the angry, brittle, emotionally-stunted father figures who raise them, he probably touches a nerve for many...

Evolve past rage or die already, hopefully before you procreate...

Definition of Patriot - A patriot is someone who thinks, feels or voices expressions of patriotism, support for their country.

Jones signed a petition that suggested the U.S. government was involved in the Sept 11. terrorist attacks.

Jones supports cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamala a death row inmate and Black Panther convicted for the 1981 shooting death of a Philadelphia police officer.

Jones injected race into Columbine massacre, saying that black students don't commit mass school shootings.

The best judge of a man is the company that he keeps.

When I first read this article, I thought it a brilliant piece of sarcasm. Then I realized the author meant what he/she wrote. Yikes. WaPo management may want to rethink his/her contract.

www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/07/laura.bush/index.html?eref=rss_politics

The wife of the United States' chief neocon has some words of wisdom. I'm so tired of watching the left attack the right, and the right attack the left. It's like listening to my retarded sister fighting with my moron brother. No one is right, but you both love to fight.

innocent people do no resign!

Mr. Van Jones knew what he was saying so let us not attack his intelligence nor should we attack the intelligence of those Arabs who rather simply got control of four aircraft by using 99 cent box cutters. Before the Arab invention of aircraft security you could walk onto an airplane at Logan airport carrying whatever you wanted to carry and pay for your shuttle flight on board. Now try writing a 9/11 conspiracy theory article without mentioning Israel or the Jews-go ahead give it a try.

To YOUNGCOLLEGEGUY: First, let me congratulate you on being in college. Stick with it, no matter what. Your country needs you to become as educated as you can, to ignore the apathetic and the support of the status quo.

As you are a journalism student, however, I'd like to direct you to the history of your chosen subject, to the writings of Thomas Jefferson, where he supported the idea of many newspapers, each one *partisan*, which would allow the reader to become exposed to the various points of view as presented _by their supporters_. The insistence that differing opinions should be presented equally by all reporting parties is a modern conceit, and results in tepid writing that provides incomplete and lackluster information, ill-suited to proper decision-making. Sadly, what you are learning today in class will perpetuate this situation. In years to come, perhaps you can endeavor to correct this. We'll be waiting.

Somebody posted that they wanted to flag all the comments to this post because they are so rightwing, etc. How unAmerican and unPatriotic is that?

Also, since when did it become rightwing to believe in the constitution, people, and the freedom of the individual from big and over-reaching government? If wealth and corporate greed can corrupt Republican people, so can political power corrupt these well-meaning Van Jones types. We are all still people, right? Van Jones doesn't have faith in we the people. He believes in empowering "the people"...meaning a big powerful well-intentioned government. wakeup b/c that's not what government is supposed to be. Booksmart elite liberals need to reread the constitution. America is supposed to be about belief in the people and the rule of law, not how the government will provide and protect you from every problem. America is a little different than Europe...or at least it is supposed to be. PEOPLE are starting to remember this.

You don't see the entire person. All you see is what has been force fed to you. He hated America. He thinks 9/11 was a conspiracy. He was a communist. etc.
I don't have to read these comments; I just have to turn on Fox.

Start thinking for yourself, if that's possible...
=====================================
No, my friend. You need to start learning to do a bit of research and seek the truth on these individuals. Van Jones has a clear record of determined left wing radicalism and this individual DOES NOT belong in the government of our republic. And this has not ended because there are several more of these CZARS that need to be exposed for what they are and I am confident that this will finally happen and we will unmask this administration for what they truly are: the cover up is ending!!!!

Among so many RED flags, the most telling thing about Van Jones' character, or lack thereof, is his whining about a vicious smear campaign. When your own words, attitudes and beliefs are made manifest, that's not a smear. That's the truth coming out. No hero, but a coward and a hater.

Radicals have no place in government. We're doing just FINE with the same-old, same-old.

Mr. Patel,

You are totally wrong in your article and in the assessment of Van Jones. Evidently Obama knew about him as well as his administration and they were overly confident in their efforts to escape scrutiny with the creation of these positions that they could bring in all their buddy radical elements to help them transform America.

Any quick research would have clearly shown that Van Jones is a marxist ideologist and an enemy to anything that speaks freedom and capitalism, but how ironic that he used the same freedoms that he denounces to let us know how he thinks and this was his undoing. No, this individual is quite on the fringe and DOES NOT belong in this cabinet position.

What a SHAME that the WAPO and all liberal media are so bent in protecting this administration and Obama that will go to any extent to COVER UP these radicals. The american public is learning fast that Obama is trying to use his skills in law to bend the rules to achieve his left radical agenda.

I strongly recommend that Congress enacts a provision requiring the vetting of these appointments. 34+ Czars have passed under our nose without the needed scrutiny. I can count 3 more that are in this group that should not have been appointed.

And this is how leftists governments took power so we need to WAKE UP to this subversive take over.

WAKE UP!!!

i thought i was going to cry after reading that . wow what a sorry article. if you ever want to work in the government, don't do anything that van did, and you will retire with a full pension . and this guy was Yale. i guess they take any one now a days. sort of like al gore getting the Nobel prize they had to lower the bar to the floor for that.

"How is it patriotic to accuse a president of 9/11?"

How is it patriotic to accuse a president of wanting to destroy America? Ask all your extreme right-wing birthers and armed anti-government ideologues praying for Obama's death.

Mr. Patel is right on!

Who was warned on 9-11?

From the Israeli Newspaper Hareetz.

Odigo says workers were warned of attack

By Yuval Dror

Odigo, the instant messaging service, says that two of its workers received messages two hours before the Twin Towers attack on September 11 predicting the attack would happen, and the company has been cooperating with Israeli and American law enforcement, including the FBI, in trying to find the original sender of the message predicting the attack.

Micha Macover, CEO of the company, said the two workers received the messages and immediately after the terror attack informed the company's management, which immediately contacted the Israeli security services, which brought in the FBI.

"I have no idea why the message was sent to these two workers, who don't know the sender. It may just have been someone who was joking and turned out they accidentally got it right. And I don't know if our information was useful in any of the arrests the FBI has made," said Macover. Odigo is a U.S.-based company whose headquarters are in New York, with offices in Herzliya.

As an instant messaging service, Odigo users are not limited to sending messages only to people on their "buddy" list, as is the case with ICQ, the other well-known Israeli instant messaging application.

Odigo usually zealously protects the privacy of its registered users, said Macover, but in this case the company took the initiative to provide the law enforcement services with the originating Internet Presence address of the message, so the FBI could track down the Internet Service Provider, and the actual sender of the original message

After reading this laughably inept attempt at defending Van Jones I find myself wondering why even the Washington Post finds Mr. Patel's substance-free drivel worth printing. With friends like Mr. Patel Van Jones really needs to do himself a favor and give serious thought to returning to that "provincial" world from whence Mr. Patel believes he came (note to Mr. Patel: while I'm sure most of your "friends" in D. C. regard almost everything outside the beltway as provincial, it's not normally the sort of thing one says in public. Save the "provincial" remarks for the Washington cocktail circuit, Eboo.)

I'm aware that old media is dying (thankfully), but still I find it a little surprising the official state propaganda organ (Washington branch) has sunk to a level that allows for this sort of tripe.

"At a minimum, the blame can be put on ill-trained, incompetent personnel performing the screening of passengers. At the worst, security experts fear collusion with terrorists"
Unfortunately, we were done in by the PC police. The fellow in Maine wanted to call them out but was frightened of losing his job for not being PC enough. Gorelick's dismantling of the bridges between agencies was the other cause. Also, the American people are trusting and good.

It makes me very sad and extremely sick that you would use your position, Mr. Patel, to dare describe this radical extremist as a patriot. How is it patriotic to accuse a president of 9/11? How is it patriotic to state that horrific day was deserved by America? That day, sir, is the epitome of sadness and sickness and should not be belittled by the ravings of a twisted mind.

For Shame Mr Patel, you did not disclose you work for Obama. Are all Obama workers liars and snakes? This is how Obama has bought off the media, but p'shaw, Van Jones was brought down in spite of the bought off main wee wee stream, media.

Mr. Patel is far too ignorant to write on this subject. Perhaps the Post should consider the knowledge and experience of their writers, so as not to have them look quite so foolish.

I fail to understand how he is a victim of a smear campaign. It is my understanding that his own words and deeds were aired out.

Did he recant all of those things? It seems the reports are that he is bitter and resentful, not apologetic.

He does not belong in public service.

New York Post, Sept. 13, 2001 page 59
“Beyond Pearl Harbor”
by Robert D. Novak

Novak’s first sentence:

Security experts and airline officials agree privately that the simultaneous hijacking of four jetliners was an “inside job,” probably indicating complicity beyond malfeasance.

He continues further down:

In the rage and mourning following Tuesday’s disaster, few officials wanted to dwell on how a 10-year hiatus of airline hijackings in this country could be followed by four in one hour. At a minimum, the blame can be put on ill-trained, incompetent personnel performing the screening of passengers. At the worst, security experts fear collusion with terrorists, possibly even extending to the cockpit. This is a subject that the airlines are loathe to discuss.

In the last paragraph, Novak reports:

Stratfor.com, the private intelligence company, reported Tuesday, “The big winner today, intentionally or not, is the state of Israel.”

The bigger question is why didn't the Washington Post cover any of the statements of Van Jones or the controversy leading up to his resignation? The Washington Post seems to have plenty of reporters all too willing to dig into the background of Sarah Palin but not one word did the Washington Post find worth reporting on a Obama appointment. Shame on you Washington Post. Where is your objective journalism?

I think Van Jones is a Muslim-to-be or is already one - like Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN). Otherwise why would Eboo tax his brains over such an issue ?

Sadly, Mr. Jones even admited that the 'green revolution' was only a ruse to bring down all corporations and begin a full out revolution. How are so many mesmerized by black men bearing gifts that they stole from someone else? None of these people ever created anything, they have all lived by the generosity of others.
How will the taxpayers be thanked, they will come like thieves in the night and steal the rest of what your have. Mr. Patel maybe Van Jones should go and be the CEO of a company, perhaps he would then learn how hard that is and know what it is like to have to produce something and make a payroll by the fruits of his labor and not off the backs of the taxpayers. I often think, that Obama, Van Jones, and others have never had to really make money, they have just been the ones to spend it, I think they found it easier to spend other people's money than to generate their own.

If I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing something useless, I would report about 95% of the posts in answer to Patel as "offensive comment". I'm ashamed to be living in the same country or even in the same species as these "wingnuts", the term that best describes these dodo-right-wing screamers.

Move somewhere else, you idiots, if you don't like it here where sensible people live.

Jones was done in by HIS own STATEMENTS and ACTIONS, not "a vicious smear campaign". This is not simply conservatives calling liberals Marxists or communists, JONES SAID HE WAS A COMMUNIST. Jones made the statements after 9/11. Jones signed the truther petition. If that is what he believes he (and the administration) should own it and defend it, not try to sneak it in the backdoor. For those of you defending Jones, please tell me how he was "smeared".

We have more czar's than communist Russia. Enough already. This "administration" wants to get everyone with it's views in under the wire with no Congressional oversight.
Mr. Patel, you lose sight of the fact that this man is a self-proclaimed communist, and as such, has no place in the White House. Perhaps Mr. Obama would better serve our country if he filled his Cabinet positions, which are still mostly vacant, with people who will have to pass Congressional oversight. Not that a Democrat majority Congress is much help as we have a tax cheat as Head of the Treasury. Good job, Obama!

I support the President. I voted for him as in my view he was the best man of the choice we had. As for the departure of Mr. Van Jones he made several mistakes that were not politically correct and he paid the price. Please do not rewrite history. Did he deny any of the things hes said? No he did not. He erred and he has paid the price. The President who in some distant ways (besides age and race)is like Mr Van Jones has been very careful in his years in public life to not misstep very often. He has been rewarded by the election.

We all share views of different origins but those of us who are careful to stay on course and not go off strategy in our crusades win.

It is that simple. It takes more then a pretty face to win in USA politics it takes more and more self control.Mr Van Jones generation is short on this attribute and the results are now seen with his resignation.

I would not loose any sleep on his departure- he will likely end up making $300,000 in speaking fees and run for Mayor in Atlanta.

"Eboo Patel is the founder and Executive Director of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based institution building the global interfaith youth movement. He was recently appointed by President Obama to the Advisory Council of the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Initiatives, where he is working to realize the President’s priority of interfaith cooperation. He is the author of Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation. Eboo holds a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University, Eboo is an Ashoka Fellow, part of a select group of social entrepreneurs whose ideas are changing the world; was named by Islamica Magazine as one of ten young Muslim visionaries shaping Islam in America."

Sometimes, what a person writes is a reflection of who he is and what his beliefs are. Here we have "one of the 10 young Muslim visionaries shaping Islam in America," and"the founder and Executive Director of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based institution." No wonder the writer and Van Jones were friends... they are painted with the same brush. Muslim visionary and radical enviornmentalist/reactionary. What a pair. Match made in Chicago. Honeymoon in Islam in America.
So glad that Van Jones' past caught up with him. Maybe Patel's will also.

So what does the Van Jones issue have to do with the stated purpose of this Blog, "religious events and issues that bring us together or drive us apart"? Where is the religious component?

Look at all the little troll-bots sent by Fox spin channel with their self righteous self serving indignation.

The only thing that disturbs me more than the rightwing nutjob's vicious lies is when the President gives them credence by captulating.

Rightwingers have no brain or heart.

Apparently the Left has no spine.

He hated America. He thinks 9/11 was a conspiracy. He was a communist. etc.
Posted by: young44
_____
EXACTLY, now you're getting it, young44!!

Mr. Patel;

You are misusing the term 'smear campaign'; you cannot'smear' somenone with their own words. If you had done some research, you would have uncovered Mr.Johnson's views on the 'White' race. Racism is racism, whether or not it is directed toward a minority or a majority. No one espousing racist views, regardless of the perceived provocation, has no place in the Government of this Nation
I give you that he was a hard worker, and had some great ideas, and that he may even think he is a 'Patriot'; the same could be said of Mr. Hitler.

You head it here first people: Reporting someone's OWN WORDS and publicizing petitions that THEY SIGNED is a "vicious smear campaign".

Gee, who knew? 8-)

Mr. Patel, after reviewing Van Jones' record, what disturbs me most of all is the fact that First Friend and WH insider Valerie Jarrett declared this hate-monger a great guy whom the Obama administration had their eye on and recruited. One can only conclude that they had no problems whatsover with this radical.

The mainstream media refused to vet candidate Obama and inform the electorate about his sketchy past as a street radical. Why should we be surprised that they refused to vet Mr. Jones and ask, why has the WH put a man with open hostility to the free enterprise system in a position of responsibility, doling out millions of taxpayer dollars?

Obama is the most radical president in our nation's history. Even my liberal nieghbors are shaking their heads, feeling suckered.

Well Eboo I'll give you credit for giving me a great laugh this morning. You think Van Jones was a victim of a smear campaign? Seriously? I submit to you that instead this self admitted marxist and racist instead was a victim of his own words.

A smear campaign was used against Sarah Palin in case you need some reference.

Obama again either did not properly vet this racist or it's gotten to the point where he did not care.

But thanks again Eboo

If the right-wing crazies ever got their news from a different source besides Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, we may be capable of a legitimate argument.

Instead, all I've read is constant babbling of words and phrases constantly being reiterated on Fox News. Communists, Marxists, radical, racist, etc. The problem with the right is they have little to no education.

They let popular cable news stations do the thinking for them - if Glenn Beck says Van Jones is a radical, country-hating Czar, then yee-haw Van Jones is a radical, country-hating Czar! If Limbaugh says Obama is a nazi, then let me get my shotgun, Obama is a nazi!

The commentary following this article is being critical of exactly what they are doing in their commentary.

You don't see the entire person. All you see is what has been force fed to you. He hated America. He thinks 9/11 was a conspiracy. He was a communist. etc.
I don't have to read these comments; I just have to turn on Fox.

Start thinking for yourself, if that's possible...

I think the overwhelming sentiment of responses should give long pause to the left-leaning press on how their coverage of this administration has been irresponsible at best and dangerous at worst. This man left the administration in disgrace due to the facts, not a smear campaign. Thanks to the surviving elements of free press and speech, America was able to see Van Jones in his own words and he was sent packing.

Media outlets need to get the message - you cannot control the message! There are too many channels of communication available now.

I guess to some people it is patriotic to look to government to satisfy all the concerns and needs of society, while to others it is patriotic to protect constitutional rights of the individual, most importantly, liberty. Pessimistic Patriots like Van Jones and the President look at liberty as an opportunity for the majority and big corporations to take advantage of minorities and the poor. So they want to rewrite the Constitution to make government society's care-giver. Optimistic Patriots like me, want a free society where I and my neighbors, my church and my family, and God, the justice system and rule of law, are there to protect those who may be exploited or harmed in society by those who are successful, rich, majority, corporate, Republican, whathaveyou.

Republicans are A**h***s. As is anyone who bands together to bring this country down to justify their foolish brand of 'leadership'. As is anyone who says nothing while his/her party devolves into hate speech, blatant lies,and veiled threats to 'water the Tree of Freedom'. As is anyone who blindly repeats threadbare dogma and asserts their right to 'free speech' while denying everyone else's right to the same. As is anyone who consistently fights against the well being of the American people and in favor of the well being of corporate moneybags of all stripes, be they oil, coal, insurance, pharma, real estate, mortgage firms, credit issuers, etc, etc. As is anyone who's idea of freedom does not include freedom for anyone with a different lifestyle or financial standing or religious belief. As is anyone who spews invective and hate without the slightest provocation, repeatedly and predictably, and then tries to claim the moral high ground for their pathetic complaining and baseless resistance. As is anyone who attempts to take the victim stance when their shady methods and predatory business practices are threatened. As is anyone who thinks it's OK to make their children dumber in the name of ideological purity.
The problem is, these A**h***s are already about to go all secession and apocalypse, and we're not even a year in. Wait until the G-No-P gets spanked in 2010, there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth. And when Newt Gingrich or whoever the'Great White Hope' of the G-statusquO-P is gets embarrassed in 2012, it will be the End of Days for some of these people.
Tim McVeigh will be a hero to many of these A**h***s, and we will see the true face of the True Believer that Eric Hoffer warned us about decades ago.
I recommend that any real conservatives start figuring out who they really are right now, because the Party of Palin will be irrelevant for as long as they continue to allow A**h***s to speak for them with no one to be the voice of reason. And sooner or later, the screaming and outrage will lead to violence, and that violence will stain anyone that fomented it, AND anyone who never did a danged thing to stop it when it came from their own staffs and constituents.
If you associate with A**h***s, you're bound to get s**t on you.
Conservatives of reason and compassion, you have been warned. I'm just saying what you're already thinking.

Hey Eboo, if you had watched the video's of his (Van Jones) diatribe, you too would want him to leave his post. My question to you is, why did you not pay closer attention before you wrote this piece? It really make you look incompetent.

Hey Eboo...YOU ARE A FRICKIN MORON!!! ROTFLMAO!!

This is an example of why this newspaper is in the tank along with the NY Times. It's supports communists, racists, and believes that 9-11 was a conspiracy. Mr. Patel speaks like he lost his little puppy and doesn't talk about Jones' associations, arrests and communist ties.
One of my favorite Van Jones quotes: "I met all these young radical people of color – I mean really radical: communists and anarchists. And it was, like, 'This is what I need to be a part of.' I spent the next ten years of my life working with a lot of those people I met in jail, trying to be a revolutionary,".
Mr. Eboo Patel...Are you a communist?
www.cliffyworld.com

It is so obvious that you have a disconnect with the American public. I, too, will forward this to all of my associates, in the hope that if enough contact the Washington Post, your work will no longer be used here or anywhere. As seen in the recent town hall meetings, we are taking a stand.

Thanks Mr.Patel for your defense of a patriot. It should be apparent by now that most of the comments from the far right have a white nationalist aspect to them, that the main stream media and the right itself denies. Fear that minorities of color may come to dominate this country is driving the haters to more hate. They fear what they did to us, will be done to them.
Ultimately they fear a diverse country. Sad

Wow! I can't even count the number of right-wing freaks who have posted incendiary postings about Patel's comment. Do all of you really live in MY country? If so, please get out and move to Myanmar, where you'll be understood.

Dear Mr Patel-It's articles like yours that I do NOT subscribe to the biased Washington Post paper. As a consumer of the truth, I have to do all of my own research to form opinions and conclusions, one of which Van Jones did the right thing, and the White House should have commented and agreed. DS

"He was generous enough to fit me in even though he was going 100 MPH"

Mr. Patel fails to mention that not only was Jones going at 100 MPH, but he was doing that at 60-70 MPG.

Eboo, you are an absolute idiot if you think that Van Jones is a patriot or that the playing of videotapes of his speeches constitutes a “vicious smear campaign.”

Van Jones is a racist communist and the incontrovertible proof of his un-American activities came from his own mouth and is well-documented on video.

Remember, Van Jones has never created a single green-collar job. That claim is a fraud, believable only by people who have never created any jobs! List the energy companies in which Jones has invested his own money and successfully managed. None; he is all hat, no cattle.

The real patriots today are the voices of liberty, such as Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter, and Fox News.

Eboo, it is easy to tell the difference. Real patriots speak up for WE THE PEOPLE against the encroaching totalitarian government efforts of the racist communists, such as Van Jones and the Obama.

Real patriots do no seek to enslave their fellow citizens or mindlessly chant, “Obama, Obama...” in worship of Our Dear Leader.

Real patriots stand-up for the Constitution. And real patriots know that you are a nut!

I think Obozzo put it best when, during the campaign, he so eloquently reminded us; "You can put lipstick on a pig................"

Eboo saw a "vicious smear campaign" against Jones. I saw accurate text and video reports of what Jones wrote, said, and did. I saw no mud slung, only self-applied (and unnoticed by both the Obama administration and the mainstream media including the WaPo - what an unlikely coincidence.)

Rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble! I speak for all Americans because I AM every American! Only pay attention to the squeaky wheel, the well oiled ones don't exist.

What's really sad and a little sick is that you wrote this article in the first place. Don't you look into a person and the facts before writing about them??? This has to be totally embarrassing for you, particularly when you find that the 'vicious smear campaign' was his own words.

Funny.

Mr. Patel:

Thanks for the editorial and your support of Van Jones. I agree, he is a true patriot and likely doing far more to improve our country than any of posters who seem to be stuck in their dislike for the President, their religious zealotry and their knee-jerk fear of ideological concepts they don't fully understand.

Mr. Patel must have lost his mind. Van Jones was only interested in destroying the country. How is it smearing by replaying his own video? Are we supposed to be stupid enough to forget a self proclaimed communist's history? He was not even interested in creating green jobs. President Obama needs to tell us how he put Van Jones in that position. Is he really that clueless or do we have more to worry about?

Mr. Patel, it'd be easy to think these screaming oily wheels are the voice of the majority. They are not. That's a simple fact. Just as it's a simple fact that moderates and progressives watching it all, dumbstruck by exactly how low the discourse has gotten, will, yes, have to at some point speak to it. And sooner rather than later.

Huffpo did an interesting article on Jones's resignation--he's free now to speak more forcefully to the important issue of creating a green economy. I trust he will seize on that opportunity.

What planet is this writer from. 911 was a government conspiracy?? White kids are mass murders??? Jones is a patriot?? Jones forgets about the black sniper in the trunk of the car in D.C. In videos I've seen and articles he writes he (Jones)seems forget about a lot of what makes this country so great. But yet again, one of Obama's people is held accountable and he is called a patriot?? Obama wants citizen security forces; so did Hilter. Now kids are pledging allegiance to Obama in Utah. So did Hitler youths. I used to pledge allegiance to my flag and country (still do). I did not deify a president fomenting a cult of leadership. I served with patriots (black and white) who suffered and died for this country. Obama and his people shame us. Wake up people. It's our country, as of today anyway

And the funniest part is this:
Category: Morality , Religion & Leadership , Religion & Politics

LOL. One piece of scum worships another

Van jones a what? I think the editor needs to be FIRED!!! this is outrageous. O i forgot all the stuff he said on tape and video that is all up on youtube must be behind him in the past like in 2008 right? This guy and everyone around Obama are like this. Van jones is a Felon u know a criminal! member of the black panthers. he clams to be a Commie and says whites poison people of color. Maybe You mr editor guy need to go to school or do some i don't know maybe RESEARCH before u write somehting stupid. O here since u are lazy and need tobe fired here is a site u can go and click on each and every one of the czars and everyone around obama saying unpatriotic things copy and past this : http://www.honestquestions.com/articles/people-surrounding-president-obama.asp

If the man sees 3 6 9 months ahead as you say...he most likely wouldn't have said any of those things. Even a first year junior high civics student could have seen the crippling political repercussions of any one of those statements.

Eboo you forgot to mention that Van Jones was a self declared communist who said he wanted to change the entire system. He also said that the whites were poisoning the immigrants and the colored communities. He also said that only white people shoot up buildings and not the african americans. He also said that he was a radical and he was part of radical groups and the 911 truth. This man should have never even been able to talk to the president let a lone be a czar.

Is this a joke? I respect your opinion if it isn't but would you mind telling me if you have even done any research on Van Jones? I think you're a nutjob, but thats my opinion. and he's hardly a brilliant man if he thought calling republicans @$$hole$ is going to help his cause. Sounds pretty immature to me. And that comment was the least of his problems.

I am writing to support Mr. Patel's point of view. I am so tired of reading the rabid and ignorant rantings of the "wrong" right wing. Van Jones is a community member who dedicates his life to the more vulnerable segments of our population (and to protect our planet - how corrupt, huh?). It seems that if government is trying to improve this country in ways other than cutting taxes (which does not work), the selfish cry of protest of the Republicans is: "Communist! Socialist! Marxist!" (choose one of the above).
I'd like to know what most of the authors of the comments above have done to help our country.

Hopefully Van Jones' resignation will send a message to others in both parties considering public service: if you want to serve our country and make a difference, keep your nose clean. Don't needlessly insult people on the other side of the aisle, don't participate in conspiracy theories, and don't wait to tell the president about something controversial in your past until after it is picked up by bloggers on the other side.

It makes me sad and sick that Van Jones was ever asked to be a part of the current administration.Would Van Jones say that his public support for the idea that our government conspired to create the events of 9/11 was credible? Did those hundreds of people who died in the twin towers deserve what they got, as he publically stated? Was his use of obscenity to describe political opponents good social sense? Are we to forget his actions during and after the race riots in CA where he said he just got caught up in the spirit of the moment? Really, now. Think again.
"Any company would want Van as its chief executive officer, any church would want him as a bishop." Gotta be kidding here, right?
This is a rude,crude man whose true colors surfaced and his hatred of America became obvious. No matter what good he might have accomplished, his public attitude and hidden hatred define him. We are well rid of your personal friend in American politics. His previous actions reflect on him. Leopards do not change their spots. What he was, he still is.

Mr. Patel I'm taking a journalism 1000 ethics course at the University of Missouri (one of the top J-Schools in the world) right now as we speak. In the course we just talked about bringing to light both points of an argument in fair journalism. In no way did you share any "real" information as to why he resigned besides it was a smear tactic. If he was in the right and none of the arguments that were brought to the attention of the public were worth there salt than why would he resign? You pushed only one side of the story and that was that he was all American and a Patriot. I'm sorry but that is in correct I could tear you apart all day on Van Jones and how his progressive/communistic views are in direct opposition of our constitution and founding fathers. Plus your quote "advancing America's energy and employment agenda." Needs to be re-corrected to "advancing HIS America's energy and employment agenda." I in no way shape or form support his agenda and I guarantee I have at least 180,000,000 other people that agree with me if they knew what this mans agenda was.

Thank you for hearing me out here..

I just think its important that you take into account both sides of an argument. And present them without spinning the whole article with your bias. I strive to be honest and balances in my occupation. I would hope that you would do the same.

Patriot my ass. Last night I heard several clips of speeches that he has given and they all contained far out radical statements. If him quitting makes you "sad" then you really have issues. Good riddance to a man who apparently hates America.

I wonder what planet you are on. This person was a radical left leaning individual who was anything but a "patriot" as you see it. Progressives like this man are all about state control over peoples lives, period. He has no clue about the free market and even less of a clue about personal freedom. He typifies what Obama is about. Good riddance.

Is this article a joke? Did he really just quote Ani Difranco?

This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any Questions?

What? A patriot? The country he loves? A vicious smear campaign? Who on earth is Eboo Patel writing about here? Surely not the same Van Jones whose racist tirades, gutter language, and radical extremist activities have been so recently quoted and recorded. Patel has added a whole new dimension to media spin.

Sir - You yourself are perpertrating a smear campaign on the US citizens. How ignorant do you feel we really are?
You are holding up an individual that smeared, with profanity, the whole Republican party.
This is certainly not a person to admire. And your remark of his about not throwing stones, he throws stones at others who are not cookie cutters of himself.
Mr Jones is by no means a patriot. He is a narrow minded, profane lover of evil and all things that will help to bring down this great nation.
You, Mr Patel disgust me in your ignorance of who Mr Jones actually is. Are you honored that he spent time with you? Sir, it was to promote his beliefs and your ability to get those beliefs in print, not to breath words of wisdom that you can soak up in a sponge. You are a tool to an end.
Take off your blinders Mr Patel.

What the heck is wrong with some of you? The guy is a liberal radical. Smear campaign my butt ! Lets see first the govt was behind 911, now only the white kids are doing mass murders, wasn't it Malvoe I believe who was doing all the Interstate killings a few years ago or did he forget that. The guy should NEVER have been hired in the first place but that is the kind of folks Obama seems to surround himself with.

Are you out of your mind?? How can you think that this idiot should serve in an office funded by the taxpayers?? This guy HATES the United States - it is SO obvious to anyone who just looks at the statements he has made throughout his career. "Res Ipsa Loquitir" the thing speaks for itself - you don't need to "analyze" his statements much to understand the sentiment behind them. This is what amazes me about "journalists" today - they are so willing to ignore the obvious, provided their agenda's are being adhered to. You need to go back to Journalism School. Seriously.

If Van Jones was such a great asset to Obama, he should have defended him vigorously. You can't wash away the radical positions the guy has. The fact he thinks whites are sending pollution to kill minorities is bad enough, but to sign a document that Bush and company were in on 9/11 is too much! Obama is screwing up by the numbers; a little over three years to go until we send Obama back to Chicago!

I'm not really sure why so many people are against putting people in power who want to do the most good. Unfortunately we have relied for far too long on capitalism to solve many of our problems. No one is saying the U.S. is perfect, however, it is unfortunate that so many people act as if to criticize this country's flaws is to make one unpatriotriotic.

The reason why this piece has everything to do with faith is because there are too many "christians" waging war against decent people simply because they do not subscribe to their brainwashed view of what is moral and good. There are too many sheep who believe that just because someone questions the motives of what has been proven again and again to be a corrupt administration circa 2000-2008 that makes that person unpatriotic and/or "immoral." What I'm a afraid of is "Christians" who would rather see people die rather than provide national healthcare or people who don't want the president of this country to continue a tradition that every president before him has done--speak directly to their children for no reason at all. I, as a self-proclaimed Christian, see that many of our political issues have been tainted by religion and that concerns me. I am more afraid the "christians" who villainize anyone who dares to think or ask questions and try to improve life, health, liberty and wealth for ALL NOT just those in the moral majority.

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, of course, but it would be interesting to know what you have been smoking.

I don't call it a "smear" campaign when all they did was run his recorded comments.
It would be different if he had not called himself a "communist" and signed that "911Truth" petition.

you have earned the nickname eboo the racist...
why don't you go back home and tell them what you think about them...
let me know if they let you live...

Let's see, how does this go? Oh yes, "It makes me sad and a little sick that (fill in name of any of a dozen conservatives in previous administrations) was forced to resign after being targeted by a vicious smear campaign."

Ah, now I remember how it goes. Thanks, Eboo, for reminding me.

Mr. Patel - I just sent your (sickening) editorial throughout my (extensive) business and personal network. You are one (classically) warped liberal. Know this: I will not rest in defending my country against destructively ignorant imbeciles like you. Sleep well.

Are you really trying to put The Washington Post out of business?

I find this sort of article completely out of touch with reality. Jones is a radical communist that signs the 911 document. Then he claims he did nt read it and it does not represent his views. So I guess we add liar to the list!

But somehow the articles writer misses the significance of this?

Dear Eboo - Patriot? Seriously, are you kidding? This man is a self absorbed pandering Obamanaut. Reverend Wright would call him Reverend left. More that that it appears by his description of others that he has cranial rectal inversion. What in the world have you been drinking? Don't drink his vitriolic political cool-aid and perhaps you won't develop this same vitriolic malady.

Why are the Patels of the world given space after the jury finds him guilty? Get real. The Presidential Suit seems to be a bad fit.

so now it is a "vicious smear campaign" when someone is held accountable for their own words?

Van Jones was not a target of a smear campaign. Van Jones socialist comments that came out of his mouth is his own undoing. Obama hired him because of his socialist views just like other socialist czars that still have the presidents ear. Wake up America!

Mr. Patel; You have got to be kidding! Either that, or you are fishing to see if anyone is reading your "stuff". And I agree, your "editorial" doesn't belong here. This guy is an avowed Communist- and there's more where he came from. And, Yes, I am VERY afraid as all Americans should be!

It's the double standards that have again been applied to this thug making racial comments and being anti-American and getting away with it. If he were a Republican, the liberal media would have ripped him apart. But no, since he's part of Obama's agenda and he gets a pass.

Obviously, neither Mr. Patel nor BRIAN_GTR have a clue as to what a patriot is. Van Jones is an avowed Communist and by his past words and actions is patently anti-American. Van Jones was brought down by his own words and actions, not by any smear campaign.

A self-described "communist" has no place in America's White House.

If we as a society are to ever progress past racism and division, people such as Van Jones must be exposed for who they are, and the division they stand for must be brought to light. This man is indefensible. Shame on you for trying to defend him, Mr. Patel. The president has done the right thing in flushing this radical from his administration. The American people will accept nothing less. If he was really the model of American citizenship you portray him to be, the White House would have had no problem keeping him where he was. The facts are the facts, sir.

Mr. Patel, I would point out that the White House had little faith in Van Jones. As noted by their silence and lack of support. That his background was splotchy (morality wise) just shows that the bad screening process used by the current administration.

I see nothing in your article but admiration for a fanatic. But you dare not directly state his "faith".

Any church would want him as a bishop? Maybe Jeremiah Wright's church. It's easy to be green if you don't believe in a free market economy, just have the government tell everyone what they can and can't do, it'll all be fine.

If this Op-Ed was all we knew about Van Jones, we would have to conclude that there was absolutely no reason that this fine upstanding person should be allowed to work in an American Presidential Administration. The truth, however, is quite different. This man's past has clearly shown that he despises the United States of America and its constitution. He would like nothing more than to radically change the country that is still the shining city on the hill. Millions still yearn to come and live in this country. He does not understand why. This country is not perfect, but it does not need be torn asunder and started over, thank you.

Dear Eboo - what does your blurb have to do with faith? Did Van Jones say that his public support for the idea that our government conspired to creat the events of 9/11 was faith based? Was his use of obscenity to describe political opponents faith based?

If you're going to write an editorial, you really ought to offer it for inclusion on the editorial page. Even the Washington Post has some standards, notably absent in your piece here.

Mr. Patel - Do you know about the founding and history of the United States of America? Do you know the history of communism/Marxism? And, do you know the difference? Obviously, you don't. We have way too many community organizers/Marxists in the WH. Americans be afraid, be very afraid.