This is to follow up on some points not made in the AP article and on the two diaries I have seen on the issue, the one on the recommended list on the story itself bu BB10
http://www.dailykos.com/... and also some excellent research by tomVA,
http://www.dailykos.com/...
In the AP story about claims made by Ken Shelton, which references the Salon story that triggered this news burst, two things are omitted (not surprisingly, AP is very good at not presenting all relevant facts). The first is this quote from the Salon story:
Shelton also told Salon that the future senator gave him the nickname "Wizard," because he shared a last name with Robert Shelton, who served in the 1960s as the imperial wizard of the United Klans of America, a group affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan.
This is a rather salient fact and one that would need to be followed up by any reporter with a brain. Certainly, if true, this would add credibility to the notion that Allen is a racist. If he earned the nickname because of his magical receiving abilities (he was a tight end), then it is not relevant.
The other thing omitted from the AP piece that the Salon piece notes is that two more of Shelton and Allen's teammates confirm Allen's use of the term "nigger', but not surpisingly choose to remain anonymous out of fear of the Allen campaign's wrath. This would also help to bolster Shelton's claims.
To end, I would just like to give kudos to Ken Shelton. He is a very brave man, and if you read the Salon piece, is obviously not in this for partisan purposes. He did not contact a reporter, but waited until finally contacted by one (so also kudos to Michael Scherer, author of the Salon article). I just hope the fallout is not too bad for him. But we all know how ugly things can get for Americans who try to tell the truth these days.