By now, everyone is familiar with the TNGOP Chair Robin Smith who stood boldly behind the traditional GOP fear-mongering hitpiece entitled Anti-Semites for Obama which sought to appeal to those well-known GOP allies, fear and bigotry, in asserting

The Tennessee Republican Party today joins a growing chorus of Americans concerned about the future of the nation of Israel, the only stable democracy in the Middle East, if Sen. Barack Hussein Obama is elected president of the United States.

The release, according to Knoxnews.com, "cites Obama's support from Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan and other controversial figures," and was so offensive that even John McCain repudiated it. Not one to be easily deterred, however,

Smith said . . .that McCain's comments do not change the state party's stance and the state GOP will continue to use Obama's middle name. That's no different than saying "Hillary Rodham Clinton" or "Richard Milhouse Nixon," she said.

"John McCain has to be elected. Robin Smith doesn't," she said. "We have a duty to inform the Republican base."

She said Farrakhan is known for "hateful, anti-Jewish, anti-Israel statements" and when the Nation of Islam leader "essentially endorsed" Obama, "it called out for our statement."

In fact, Smith had the courage of her convictions - right up until the moment that Lamar! called the little lady's organization and apparently suggested that the TNGOP had crossed that rarely observed line of decency. Well, as a good TNGOP woman, ever submissive, Smith immediately saw - but did not admit - that perhaps she had made a slight tactical error, and the release was, err, um, . . "clarified"

This release originally referenced a photo of Sen. Obama and incorrectly termed it to be “Muslim” garb. It is, in fact, Somali tribal garb, hence, we have deleted the photo. Also, in order to diffuse attempts by Democrats and the Left to divert attention from the main point of this release - that Sen. Obama has surrounded himself with advisers and received endorsements from people who are anti-Semitic and anti-Israel - we have deleted the use of Barack Obama’s middle name.

As of this writing the whole sorry thing has been removed, as well it should be. But that's not the end of the story, because we've learned a little more about Robin Smith, anti-muslim fearmonger.

Incredible as it may be, it seems Smith is also a member of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission whose members are chosen

on a nonpartisan basis and are to be broadly representative of employees, proprietors, trade unions, religious groups, human rights groups and the general public.

According to its website,

The Commission is an independent state agency charged with preventing and eradicating discrimination in employment, public accommodations, and housing. The Commission has its central office in Nashville and has regional offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis.

Fortunately, it appears that Smith's term on the Commission is up in June - not a moment too soon, it would appear, given her obvious non-commitment to respecting the dignity of all Americans, regardless of race creed or ethnicity. (She may, however, still hold out some feeling for the morally handicapped)

Illinois faced a similar embarassment to its Hate Crimes Commission in 2006 when

Sister Claudette Marie Muhammad is a top adviser to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who once again used the annual Saviours' Day event to engage in hateful anti-Semitic, homophobic and racist bigotry

The unfortunate upshot of that event was that the Anti-Defamation League of the B'Nai B'rith felt that it had no choice but to resign from the Commission. We have every confidence, however, that, unlike his counterpart in Illinois, Governor Bredesen will respond appropriately.