Eddie Griffin is just one of the Black bloggers wondering why radio personality Michael Baisden has chosen to attack the integrity of Color of Change when the facts (a) are a matter of public record and (b) clearly contradict Baisden’s claims.

Why would the Bad Boy of Talk Radio place an entire movement in jeopardy for five minutes of cheap sensationalism?

Baisden says he has a letter from the parents of the Jena 6 supporting his allegations.  I just got back from Jena.  I spoke to most of the parents.  They have no idea what Baisden is talking about. 

I talked to attorneys for all six defendants.  They all affirm that, with the full approval of the parents and defendants, they received generous disbursements from Color of Change. 

Color of Change follows transparent accounting principle; Michael Baisden ain’t sayin’ what he is doing with the Jena 6 money he has raised.  Yet Baisden questions the integrity of Color of Change. 

Mr. Baisden, when you say “2 + 2 = 5″, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got the world’s sexiest baritone, your audience is going to say, “What?”

Some statements are wrong by definition because they are immediately and obviously falsifiable: “The world is flat; 2 + 2 = 5; the Colts beat the Patriots on Sunday evening . . . Color of Change mishandled donations.”  The last statement is as untenable as the others, and for the same reason.

Cast your eyes over the latest post from Black blogger Eddie Griffin.  Mr. Griffin is just getting started.  Today, he fired off a letter to Al Sharpton, one of the featured speakers at the gala fundraiser Michael Baisden is sponsoring this coming weekend. 

_________________

Thursday, November 08, 2007

 

RE: Cloud over Michael Baisden Foundation Charity Fundraiser

 

Dear Al,

 

It is with utmost regret that I should raise this issue about radio personality Michael Baisden and your invitation to his fundraiser.

 

Mr. Baisden has cast a cloud of suspicion upon the head of a highly respected online activist organization with outrageous allegations which we have investigated and found baseless and slanderous.

 

Mr. Baisden singled out Color of Change for his allegation of Jena 6 funds misappropriation. This organization of 400,000 online activists has a long and credible history in Civil Rights. When called into question, the organization published all its fundraising record for full disclosure.

 

First, the question of authorization to raise funds for the Jena 6 families, here are the authorizations.

 

Second, the question of disbursements, here are the facsimile of cancelled checks.

 

Third, the question of David Bowie’s $10,000 donation to the Jena 6 Defense Fund, here the NAACP acknowledges receipt of funds.

 

We ask of you, seeing that you are Mr. Baisden’s invited guest, to raise this issue of this accusation against Color of Change, and other bloggers. Or, would you be complicit in falsely accusing the innocent?

 

As the conscious of our nation and a voice in the black community, it should be a moral imperative to ask the question. Did the parents make and receive all their financial requests addressed to Color of Change? Can anyone refute the documents above?

 

Sincerely,

Eddie Griffin (BASG)