The GOP would have more credibility …
posted at 3:50 pm on June 16, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
… if its staffers would quit sending out e-mails like this:
Newscoma posted details of a racist email sent from Sherri Goforth, legislative aid for Sen. Diane Black (R-Gallatin). The email depicts the Presidents of the United States with President Barack Obama as a pair of eyes in a black background.
I spoke with Sherri Goforth minutes ago to confirm she sent this email. She confirmed she had sent it and also said she had received a letter of reprimand from her superiors but said she will stay on the job.
When I asked her if she understood the controversial nature of the photo, Goforth would only say she felt very bad about accidentally sending it to the wrong list. When I gave her a second chance to address the controversial nature of the email, she again repeated that she only felt bad about sending it to the wrong list of people.
… and if the staffers in question would quit offering excuses like this:
“I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button,” Goforth told NIT. “I’m very sick about it, and it’s one of those things I can’t change or take back.”
You can see the image at the link; I’ll skip reproducing it here. It’s well described by Nashville Is Talking, and it’s undeniably racist in nature. Given that, I’m at a loss as to why the Tennessee GOP kept Goforth in her position. Part of her job, whether explicitly stated or not, isnot to embarrass the Republican Party. Goforth just got an epic fail on that key mission. Keeping her, especially after the apology not for sending the picture at all but just for sending it to the wrong people, gives the distinct impression that the GOP considers this a minor issue and not a major blow to our credibility with black voters.
Tommy Christopher calls this the worst apology of the week. So far, it might be the worst apology of the year.
Conservatives just spent the last week roasting David Letterman for his crude and misogynistic remarks about Sarah Palin’s daughters. We need to demand the same level of responsibility from our own side, especially from within the Republican Party.
Update: AC Kleinheider says Ms. Goforth isn’t really a player in the game. I understand what he’s saying, but I think he underestimates how this can damage the party. If secretaries at the Tennessee Democratic Party were passing along racist or misogynistic e-mails, Republicans would rightly rip the Dems for it.
Blowback
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You can go back to stocking tampons.
Letterman’s job is safe because nobody wants it.
jdkchem on June 16, 2009 at 7:57 PM
why do you think i dropped the f bomber on him?
blatantblue on June 16, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Politics aside, if I got caught sending such an email from my work account, I’m be employed, like, quickly.
sanguine4 on June 16, 2009 at 8:06 PM
Typo, that’s unemployed.
It’s an easygoing place, but not that easygoing…
sanguine4 on June 16, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Yes,we have Obama. The traitor. Defender of Infanticide.
Defender of Marxism. Defender of typical DEM corruption. I bet you ARE so proud of him.
Jeff from WI on June 16, 2009 at 8:09 PM
Ouch?
YYZ on June 16, 2009 at 8:11 PM
You know what? That’s a great point. I think you should go door to door and announce that you think people with guns are idiots.
Ronnie on June 16, 2009 at 8:16 PM
Or its because Blacks are a separate racial group and women never will be.
Speedwagon82 on June 16, 2009 at 8:18 PM
I don’t find it offensive. Is poking fun at the fact that a black person is harder to see in the dark really that bad? Isn’t it kind of obvious?
I would equate it with “White men can’t jump” …
The fact that this comes from a state senator’s assistant makes this rather unimportant. Why is hotair trumping this up?
brogers on June 16, 2009 at 8:18 PM
Maybe naked black people.
YYZ on June 16, 2009 at 8:25 PM
White isn’t an ethnicity.
And you really want to make something of the fact that I assumed you’re white even though statistically speaking it was the most likely option and your posts are dripping with the bigotry towards Republicans one generally finds in white liberals?
On the other hand, if I’d assumed without any other evidence than your politics that you were a minority wouldn’t that instead have been racist?
For that matter, surely you have a concept in your head of what race I am.
So sad and true, all of it.
Actually, he did say “sorry”.
Had he left that last part out, I’d be right there with you, but he did say those words. And, not that I want to defend him, but most people were harping on the fact that the joke was about a 14-year-old, so it is a little understandable that he thinks that’s the only thing that was wrong with it.
I disagree with him there, but I do understand why he believes that. After all, most of the comments had something to do with the joke being about a rape. Since Bristol is 18, it wasn’t about rape (just about calling her a slut, which I still find reprehensible).
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 8:32 PM
Sherri Goforth should be fired today. There is no excuse for that.
Its not funny and defiantly crosses the line.
DSchoen on June 16, 2009 at 8:32 PM
Yeah, it seemed out of character for you, but I completely understand.
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 8:33 PM
16-17 yrs ago I used to work with a man whose wife, several yrs prior, was co-chair of the TN Dem. party (he told me that he and his wife were on a first name basis with the Gore family and would travel with them on occasion). He regularly used the N-word and argued on behalf of government funded abortion-on-demand on the grounds that, if we didn’t, society would be overrun with n****r babies.
But it’s the GOP that’s racist, right?
sawbuck on June 16, 2009 at 8:41 PM
So…was she sending the pictures to Sen Byrd?
18-1 on June 16, 2009 at 8:43 PM
I think it’s funny and doesn’t even come close to the line let alone cross it.
HEY!…I kinda like this subjective relativist thing. It makes things so easy and clear and stuff.
Itchee Dryback on June 16, 2009 at 8:50 PM
Hey, Obama said it himself, he doesn’t look like the rest of the Presidents….
Meaning I suppose all white people look alike?
Still a dumb move who’s politically connected.
Hog Wild on June 16, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Seriously, dood, they could only be conservative… they were white and owned guns.
I have heard this used as the defining attributes of conservatives so many times in the past week I can’t believe it. Is this really all you have? Violent white guys who own guns?
How is that not bigoted and racist?
TMK on June 16, 2009 at 9:18 PM
Duh! Cause he’s a liberal.
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 9:29 PM
This is poison. Is there a shortage of people seeking work as staffers? This person should be/have been terminated immediately, no if ands or buts.
We justifiably rail about the liberals pulling this kind of stuff, then it happens in our own house and we wobble over what to do with it. Sorry but the most ridiculous thing about this whole affair is that there is any tolerance for it at all in a political office.
DaMav on June 16, 2009 at 9:32 PM
It’s hard for me to imagine that someone would keep such a fool on her staff. Like we don’t have enough problems as it is. Her butt should get the boot. This was no off-hand remark made in the heat of a tense moment. Someone took time to create this garbage and then thought it would be well received by this staffer or even the Senator herself. This is a great way to undo any progress we might have made with minorities and other groups, not to mention the plain idiotic nature of the thing. Who is this fool that she doesn’t even recognise how racist she is? I would not in a million years have found that funny, nor dream of passing it on to some “list” of bigots and then only apologise for sending it to the “wrong” list of people. Way to go for the cause Republican a-holes. I think I’m going to have to go independent.
Pilgrimsarbour on June 16, 2009 at 9:36 PM
This pic would still be marginally funny no matter what skin color #44 had. That is the test for bigotry. This passes. Racists see racism where there is none.
infidel on June 16, 2009 at 9:41 PM
I laughed, at this artist delving into the forbidden and controversial, guaranteed to be distributed by the racially ignorant and promoted by the racially sensitive. Genius!
So who is the artist anyway? Free speech at its finest.
Anyway, the best that society can hope for is that institutional racism would not be tolerated, otherwise there will be a need to fund thought police. We do this to an extent already. In addition to the repremand, this woman would receive diversity training (re-education) from my employer and probationary status for a while, in the effort to mold behavior (by affecting the not to be tolerated thinking behind it).
exdeadhead on June 16, 2009 at 9:44 PM
This pic wouldn’t have been produced if #44 (it’s actually 43) wasn’t black. That’s how it fails the bigotry test.
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 9:56 PM
When I clicked on the link, my anti virus program said it found a virus.
darwin-t on June 16, 2009 at 9:59 PM
The last time I brought up Paine on HotAir, I was told that he didn’t count as one of the Founders because of the very uncharitable things he said about Christianity. Arguing with you guys is like wrestling Proteus.
hicsuget on June 16, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Whether you personally find this amusing or not is not the issue here. Some will find it offensive, and others will pretend to find it offensive, thereby damaging the credibility of the party. Tolerating in an office establishes a precedent that makes it difficult to discipline a staffer the next ten times this comes up.
This is all over the news and the blogosphere. It is ‘minor’ in the sense that it was a lower level staffer who did it, but higher level staffers are supposed to be in charge and making supervisory decisions.
All of us have “hit the wrong key” and regretted it at one time or another. But having such material in your workspace when you are in a sensitive position indicates a lack of judgement as the underlying cause. People lacking judgement and prone to errors ought not be in a position of damaging the Republican Party which, after all, depends on volunteers and donations. Failing to take action sends a message to everyone that you don’t place a high priority on judgement or competency. That is not a message that Republicans should be broadcasting; in fact it should not even be true.
Unless there are some remarkable extenuating circumstances, it’s a mistake to try and paper over this.
DaMav on June 16, 2009 at 10:01 PM
So this wasn’t a joke about conserving electricity?
Ronnie on June 16, 2009 at 10:06 PM
I hate to nitpick this but the sentence immediately prior to that quote makes it clear that he thinks the joke was misunderstood. This use of “misunderstood” is key because it makes it communicates that the fault does not truly lie with him. That’s the basis for his so-called apology.
I can appreciate your point but I think he knows damn well what he was saying and I think it’s exactly the same bush-league BS as the GOP staffer’s qualified apology.
landshark on June 16, 2009 at 10:07 PM
He meant to joke about Bristol instead of Willow, and for that he apologized to Bristol and Willow. Think about how stupid that is.
Ronnie on June 16, 2009 at 10:10 PM
Looks like we’re having reading comprehension issues here. Allow me to cite the relevant post that led to that comment:
Whose post am I quoting?
Interesting.
Who is picking on the Founders?
Interesting.
And who is “pointing racist fingers at Republicans?”
Interesting.
hicsuget on June 16, 2009 at 10:13 PM
GOP credibility problems, you say?
This <<<<<<<<<<<<< Colin Powell’s Obama endorsement
Cylor on June 16, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Thanks for sticking up for me. Oh wait, you weren’t. Because demands for civility, just like demands for ending racism, are a one-way street, it would seem.
hicsuget on June 16, 2009 at 10:17 PM
That’s nothing. Just type “Hussein” and watch Ed and Allah go ballistic about the use of The Precedent’s actual middle name.
But this is why I said earlier that it is the idiotic apologies that come spilling out that cause all the problems. If people would stop apologizing so profusely, people would stop trying to make a big deal out of such non-issues as this email.
progressoverpeace on June 16, 2009 at 10:19 PM
+1
+1
Where were you guys all afternoon, when all the comments were either:
1) Only Democrats can be racists, or
2) The collage was funny, and we need more humor like this.
hicsuget on June 16, 2009 at 10:26 PM
OH SWEET WEEPING JESUS – MORE APOLOGIZING (AS IF BUSH SET UP IN FRONT OF A FIELD OF SNOW WOULD BE SO EMBARRASSING?)
And all this in light of the fact that liberals ensure that 2 out of every 5 black persons are KILLED BY ABORTION.
SWEET WEEPING JESUS INDEED.
GROW A DAMN PAIR.
thareb on June 16, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Ha! It couldn’t have been Obama without his mouth open.
IlikedAUH2O on June 16, 2009 at 10:33 PM
thareb at 10:29 — The stupid joke? It is judged awful because of political correctness, you see. The culture centers and umpires of decency have even gotten to the guys here.
IlikedAUH2O on June 16, 2009 at 10:41 PM
Guys, I have agreed that, that was stupid. Still, the main argument against him was that he was advocating statutory rape because the joke was about a 14-year-old.
So, naturally, he thought that was the only problem with it.
Again, I’m not saying he’s right just that since the vast majority of the criticism was about her age, it makes sense that he thought that was the only problem with his joke.
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 10:43 PM
I will take a quote from a movie that I like called Wonderland. It is a great movie, even though it has Jeanine Garbarfalo, and in the end, it was a great ending with Garbarfalo getting a bat to the head….but I digress….
The quote, you ask:
Who the f*ck cares? Who the f*ck cares?
obama is raping this country, pouring it down the drain, and we are going to worry about a effin email. I’ve had enough, I don’t care anymore!
Who the f*ck cares?
HornetSting on June 16, 2009 at 10:55 PM
So what, because I take offense at what someone said about me and an entire group of people and call him an @ss I’m suddenly supposed to read every post insulting everyone and stick up for everyone?
And the big insult is that you stock tampons? Sorry, I don’t even get that one.
Considering you’re the one who said this:
I fail to see how defending you is defending civility. You’ve done nothing but rail on idiots who think racism is limited to one party (ironically, I’ve been doing the same), but you haven’t once defended me or Republicans against these charges. So, what, I’m supposed to do for you what you won’t do for me?
I often call people out when they cross the line, even when the favor isn’t returned. Tampon stocker wasn’t even on the radar.
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 10:55 PM
So what i;m getting here.
Sexist Jokes about Woman = Ok
Jokes about the Handicapped = Ok
Comments about “THE JOOOOOOS” = Ok
If she really wanted to sell the joke there shoulda been a set of teeth too.
Rbastid on June 16, 2009 at 10:55 PM
Maybe I’m just naive, but the picture doesn’t make much sense to me. Sure, I guess someone could infer this had his melanin content in mind. Or someone could see a faceless man, hence a man without a moral conscience or sound mind (e.g. a shallow man). Or someone could see cartoonish eyes, implying that people should take him just as seriously as any other cartoon character. I don’t know. Is there a historical context of racism in this particular depiction that I’m missing here?
Send_Me on June 16, 2009 at 10:58 PM
Democrats say: only Republicans are racists.
Republicans say: only Democrats are racists.
The truth is: some members of each party are racists.
The population of Democrats at HotAir is quite minimal, or I’d be arguing differently. As it is, I am attempting to convince the denizens here that it is at least theoretically possible for a conservative to be a racist, and meeting stiff resistance. Once the crowd here can disabuse itself of that particular No True Scotsman my tone will change.
hicsuget on June 16, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Yes, but it’s mostly just the “dark” reference. It’s not a coincidence that he’s the only one depicted that way.
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 11:04 PM
OK, I went and looked at the image, and it is offensive. It’s kinda funny too, but the fact that it’s a STAFF member really does make it unacceptable. C’mon people. I mean I have a hard time getting upset about it seein as how the guy is destroying my country and all that, but in the setting of the picture, it is offensive…
ahwhite0402 on June 16, 2009 at 11:06 PM
And you’re far from the only one making that claim. It’s such a common claim (that conservatives, all conservatives, are racists) that it’s really no wonder people are defensive even when they shouldn’t be.
Democrats get the presumption of innocence in racism charges all the time. If anyone needs to be convinced that one side might possibly have someone who is a racist, it’s the Democrats.
People on this site are likely 90% of the 1% of the population even trying to claim that racism is solely a Democrat problem.
That said, I agreed with your point and made it myself early on.
You still haven’t disputed my point. Why am I supposed to be defending you when you won’t defend me? Is this just further proof of your one-way street analogy?
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 11:11 PM
I’m afraid that it is true that this is the reason that the GOP has lost credibility.
Those of you who are ignorant hillbilly racists need to cut it out,re-examine your beliefs and renounce your demonic racism immediately.
You have no idea what it is like to be be discriminated against and hated because of the color of your skin..(and no I don’t mean reverse racism against whites as that is clearly NOT the same thing).
How would you feel if someone who you loved experienced racism against them? If they were shunned and hated simply because of the color of their skin?
I’ll tell you..you would be ashamed and embarassed of the ignorant hillbillies of your own race who persecuted them.
You need to grow up and conquer your self obssessed fears and paranoias and listen to the teaching of Christ God who clearly taught that there is only one race,the human race, and all are one in Christ Jesus.
It is a shame that all republicans should be embarassed about, that people of other ethnicities are treated more fairly in big cites and that people of other races are persecuted and shunned more often in less urbanized areas.
You ignorant racist hillbillies ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
St Maximus the Confessor
MaximusConfessor on June 16, 2009 at 11:20 PM
send me
It’s kinda nice to see someone more naive than I am! But, yeah, there is a racial conotation to it. It’s referring to him as a “spook” which is an old racial slur in the south. Actually, my cousin had to explain it to me. I never heard it growing up. Anyway, that’s why the staffer should be fired. Please don’t throw me off of hot air for explaining. I just started commenting. I’m very nice, really…
ahwhite0402 on June 16, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Wow 546 posts.
The whole GOP loses credibility because of one insignificant numbnuts. Right.
Guess what? There are idiots eveywhere.
reaganaut on June 16, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Soo deep. Sooo Deep.
Republicans have been impugned as racist, bigot, homophobes since the 1920′s The lie has been repeated ad nauseum for decades. It has never been an accurate representation of the party as a whole or the conservative constituency.
Tribalism is the engine that runs liberal thought and democrat policy. First step, find a victim class or make one up. Second Step, punish the successful and self-reliant.
That formula works for every damn policy the idiotic, collectivist, democrat party puts forth.
Always soak the rich. Always take money from one class and distribute it to the other classes.
Pathetic and contemptible.
daesleeper on June 16, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Pot meet kettle.
infidel on June 16, 2009 at 11:28 PM
excellent satire, upstate New York?
daesleeper on June 16, 2009 at 11:28 PM
That you rail on only hillbillies as though racism doesn’t exist North of the Mason Dixie line severely detracts from your statements about bigotry which seemed great and genuine up until that point.
Esthier on June 16, 2009 at 11:38 PM
It’s not satire it’s fact.
Look, this is why the leftists won the election. They played into this and it was brilliant.
But seriously instead of bemoaning the fact and continuing in ignorance and hatred..just drop it completely. No more mention of obamas race whatsoever. Why can’t you just treat him like any other human being and never bring up his race again? there are plenty of legitimate reasons to criticize him and race is never a legitimate reason.
It is a fact that there are many ignorant racist yokels in the republican party and there is nothing being done to curb or combat these inbred yokels paranoid beliefs.
Racism is not something that should be joked about or accepted.
Like I said how would you feel if someone you love experiences this kind of racism and is shunned and persecuted because of the color of their skin?
You would be embarassed of the ignorant, hateful yokels of your own race and ashamed of their ignorance, hatred and paranoia.
The only reason you are racist anyway,is because you are self obsessed,self centered,fearful,paranoid and generally an all around lost and confused fearful person.
It’s shameful and not funny.
St Maximus the Confessor
MaximusConfessor on June 16, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Gold, Jerry. Gold.
reaganaut on June 16, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Get a grip, Ed (and other posters). It’s funny. I might be offended but I was laughing too hard.
B26354 on June 16, 2009 at 11:49 PM
Frankly, you are a new ‘acquaintance’ and you are embarrassing.
Who is bring up Obama’s damn race but you leftists? Barak the magic negro? Is he authentically black enough? Was he down for the struggle? That block of questions and statements all came from you insufferable leftists. I’m too tired to grab all the links…
That is worth of a hearty laugh. You are a sad and lisdirected ignoramous. Typing words does not make it so.
Project your vile worldview at dailykos or DU. Seriously! LOL!
daesleeper on June 16, 2009 at 11:51 PM
That is disingenuous and just poor analysis.
Conservativism is based on individualism. There is no racism in conservative policy.
Liberalism is based on collectivism. Liberal policy is almost entirely based on racism/ethnicism etc.
To try and draw an equivalence between the two is lame. The most obvious example of such silliness is when liberals call conservatives racists because we are against affirmative action and claim that they aren’t racists because they support affirmative action. LOL. That is the shape of the situation these days, and it doesn’t get much more Orwellian than that.
progressoverpeace on June 16, 2009 at 11:51 PM
To St Maximus: Esthier is not an ignorant, racist hillbilly. Please take more care when addressing your screeds next time; your post came across as though it were addressing the HotAir community at large, rather than just the Republican Party of Tennessee.
To any ignorant racist hillbillies in the HotAir community and elsewhere: you should be ashamed of yourselves.
To everyone else: being a hillbilly does not automatically make one a racist, nor does being a flatlander automatically preclude one from being a racist.
hicsuget on June 16, 2009 at 11:52 PM
Exactly…What is the smallest minority? The individual. The collectivist despises the individual. The collectivist wants to enact two permanent classes of people, the controlling and the controlled. Sounds like slavery to me.
daesleeper on June 16, 2009 at 11:55 PM
If black Americans aren’t offended with the fact that Southern Democrats fought tooth and nail to keep them out of schools,poor and in the direct line of a high pressured water hose and dogs,then surely this is nothing.My grandma Brun said (like others) your future is doomed if you don’t know your past.Not just culturally but if you slept thru the “bullshit”(sarc) American History class in 6-12 grade you wouldn’t know you put your biggest OPPRESSORS in majority control of your “bullshit” lives.By the way, this wasn’t historic for all BA’s.12 % of us were WIDE AWAKE during the “bullshit” American History class every year.Thanks grandma.
Vega on June 16, 2009 at 11:57 PM
I agree with you on that last paragraph. When I was an undergrad I once stood in front of the entryway to a meeting in favor of affirmative action passing out pamphlets on why affirmative action is racism. One of the erstwhile-meeting-goers stopped to tell me that “racism is racism plus power,” and thus only white Christians (and asians and Jews too, I suppose) can be racists. I just cocked my head and stared at her, completely bewildered that 1) she failed to notice the obvious contradiction in the first phrase of her statement, and 2) that she was openly conceding that affirmative action was racism, and that she was OK with that.
With that having been said, I still think you are suffering a serious case of cognitive dissonance to think that no conservative can possibly be a racist. Your logic in this process is just as flawed as the girl in my story. To her, racism = racism + power; to you, conservatism = conservatism – racism. (It’s a logical fallacy called a No True Scotsman.) Step 1: admit you have a problem.
hicsuget on June 17, 2009 at 12:02 AM
I really despise crap like this.
There are so many legit criticisms of Obama to be made, but when garbage like this surfaces from individuals within the Republican party, it just undercuts everyone’s ability to do so. It validates the verbal excrement that dolts like Jeanine Garafalo spew.
I agree. This person needs to lose their job. The party needs to do much, much better than this.
Hawkins1701 on June 17, 2009 at 12:04 AM
Yes, the collectivist does despise the individual and they always arrive at authoritarian structures. Usually, this is because leftist theory is staticist in nature (they never take growth or dynamics into account, which is why they always feel the need to take from others rather than create on their own) and their need to establish central controlling authorities leads to positions that, unlimited in their powers and responsibilities, become overwhelmed and eventually evolve, grotesquely, into nothing more than centers of abuse and theft.
progressoverpeace on June 17, 2009 at 12:07 AM
What concerns me is the fact that people of “dark” ethnicity are treated more fairly in urban areas(generally democratic areas) and that they are shunned and persecuted more heavily in less urbanized area(generally republican areas).
This is a fact that all republicans should be aware of and ashamed of.
The reason why, is because this sort of racism is sort of de facto accepted in the republican party.
Look..this racist hillbilly in the tennesse GOP did not even lose their job!
St Maximus the Confessor
MaximusConfessor on June 17, 2009 at 12:10 AM
I looked at it earlier and decided it was not funny. To get a second opinion, because maybe my racist sensitivity circuit was miscalibrated, I called someone who’s way past me over on the right, detests Obama even more than I do, thinks black people have been culturally damaged by the Democrats, and who happens to be black; he looked at it and told me he didn’t think it was funny either. He told me why he thought it wasn’t funny, and I decided all that sensitivity training has finally paid off.
I think the Ed and “the other posters” have the better of you. You might want to stop laughing and consider carefully why you are laughing.
unclesmrgol on June 17, 2009 at 12:11 AM
I love how idiots like you can presume to lecture anyone else about not being racist, but you’ve no trouble at all with the term “hillbilly.”
Tool.
Hawkins1701 on June 17, 2009 at 12:13 AM
I don’t say that “no conservative can possibly be a racist”. What I do say is that conservativism has no racism in its policies, or its theory, which is the important point. Are there individual racist conservatives? Sure. But it is not part of conservative policy. With liberals, the racism is part of their actual policies. On top of that, there are more individual racists among liberals, since all of their ideology revolves around race/class/gender to begin with. They have difficulty analyzing anything, even theoretically, without looking at race.
The differences are quite stark.
progressoverpeace on June 17, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Vega on June 16, 2009 at 11:57 PM
Vega, your grandma was right; your future is doomed if you don’t know your past (history). This is your history:
http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/african/2000/lynching.htm
The racists in these pictures were southern democrats that later broke away from the democratic party because the democratic party wanted civil rights for everyone. They broke away and became DIXIECRATS (look it up). The dixiecrats eventually latched onto the Republican party who embraced them with open arms. See Goldwater, Nixon and Reagan for context. So it IS important to know your past and now you can’t say you don’t. And next time stay awake in history class.
robertnyc212 on June 17, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Really? You’ve studied this? You have sources?
You’ve never been to Boston?
I guess race will always be an issue in this country. Too many people make it their mission in life to exploit it.
reaganaut on June 17, 2009 at 12:15 AM
I got this one recently from an ex gf I still talk to sometimes…who always bitches about how racist the people in East Tx (her area now) are…just roll my eyes…
bikermailman on June 17, 2009 at 12:24 AM
That is a true statement and very well put.
no matter how hard the white racists try to justify their racism by saying “all other races are racist too”..they just make themselves sounds foolish by trying to even remotely compare the racism of the oppressed to the racism of the oppressor.
They are not comparable.
One is reactionary and one is oppressive,(though both are heterodox and unhealthy world views)
BTW for those of you who are slow…hillbilly is a derogatory term referring to the ignorant racist folk in this country who deserve to be shamed and not a designation describing the hillfolk of appalachia in general(of which I am sure there are many fine people).
St Maximus the Confessor
MaximusConfessor on June 17, 2009 at 12:29 AM
Now you’re employing the fallacy of the undistributed middle–you’re (disingenuously) switching definitions in your argument. To you, all positions to the left of conservatism are collectivist by definition, and there exists no non-individualistic conservatism.
What of monarchy? Or of the Luddites? Or the theocracies of modern-day Iran, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Iberia under the Inquisition? Surely these non-individualistic movements and regimes count as conservative.
What of Thomas Jefferson, or Thomas Paine, or (my apologies to the memories of the previous two men for using them in the same sentence as) Ron Paul? Surely these left-wing personages count as non-collectivistic.
I’m not sure if your failure to recognize the weakness of your position stems from a hyper-partisanship or a failure to grasp the principles of elementary logic, but whatever the problem is, you need to fix it. The modern political landscape is such that racism will remain a fixture in the Democratic Party until Republicans can excise every last trace of tolerance for racism out of their own party. Your intransigent obstinacy is standing in the way of that highly-desirable outcome.
hicsuget on June 17, 2009 at 12:30 AM
The term “hillbilly” isn’t racist–it’s altitudinist.
hicsuget on June 17, 2009 at 12:31 AM
No argument from me here. I take back what I said at hicsuget on June 17, 2009 at 12:30 AM. You may wish to rephrase the way you choose to make this point, though–this is not what you appeared to be arguing for.
hicsuget on June 17, 2009 at 12:32 AM
I’m going to assume you a troll posting ironically, because to make any other assumption that this statement of yours warrants would be highly uncharitable.
hicsuget on June 17, 2009 at 12:36 AM
So, this is the new standard, whatever a staffer for a state legislator does?
So, if we find a democrat party staffer, for any state legislator, doing something not quite appropriate, we can have a 570+ comment thread on that too?
Rebar on June 17, 2009 at 12:36 AM
Are you saying that the oppressive racism of the one who denies a job to someone purely because of his skin color, and the reactionary racism of the one who suffers and is denied the job is the same in quality?
MaximusConfessor on June 17, 2009 at 12:44 AM
AHAHAHAH…someone lives in academia. For the love of god. You make me want to go watch Blazing Saddles.
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 12:51 AM
Whats this Robertnyc some elistist? He made some crude remarks about guns and bibles. Does the guy hate Jesus? I am a Christian and part Native-American who is also very conservative. We use guns out here to hunt and I also use my bible alot. It amuses me when these leftists cry about guns and bibles. I’ve seen many racists in my life who alot of them vote democratic everytime. I imagine some of the GOP folks are occasionally racist too but I’ve seen my own people guilty of the same crime as well.
garydt on June 17, 2009 at 12:52 AM
Let’s see how long you can go without mentioning race.
I’ll start…
mjbrooks3 on June 17, 2009 at 12:53 AM
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 12:51 AM
White people are the beneficiaries of hundreds of years of racism. Much of the USA’s wealth was built on it. It will take some time to right this injustice.
robertnyc212 on June 17, 2009 at 1:12 AM
Time or extortion? Sorry, but you know as well as I do you will ride this dark spot in our history for all it is worth. My guess is you have experienced little to no actual racism and are simply taking advantage of those who truly suffered to “right this injustice”.
Quit whining, get over it, and move on.
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 1:22 AM
I’ll move on when the playing field is level. We are not there yet. Sorry, but you do not get a pass for your place of privilege. Call it a white man’s guilt tax.
robertnyc212 on June 17, 2009 at 1:25 AM
Any wealth derived from slave labor would have been destroyed during the civil war, which was staggeringly expensive in materials, lost production, and especially in lives.
I’d also expect that the average descendant of American slaves would have more wealth today, than if they remained in Africa.
Rebar on June 17, 2009 at 1:29 AM
Sorry, you don’t get to decide shyt, race pimp. You are still oppressed…memba? Please try and personally come collect your white man’s guilt tax.
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 1:31 AM
Rebar on June 17, 2009 at 1:29 AM
This is an idiot statement:
“Any wealth derived from slave labor would have been destroyed during the civil war, which was staggeringly expensive in materials, lost production, and especially in lives.”
This statement that slavery was good for blacks is beyond idiotic, borderline contemptible:
“I’d also expect that the average descendant of American slaves would have more wealth today, than if they remained in Africa.”
robertnyc212 on June 17, 2009 at 1:32 AM
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 1:31 AM
You’re already paying it nimrod.
robertnyc212 on June 17, 2009 at 1:34 AM
Your charges of racism and privilege are only a tools to achieve your totalitarian goals. Once the government is in charge of every aspect of everyone’s lives, only then “the playing field is level” and we will all be slaves to the government. That’s what you really want, slavery for everyone, with you and your political allies as the masters.
Loxodonta on June 17, 2009 at 1:36 AM
Really? I am sure the fellow descendents of your ancestors are living in 10,000 square foot mansions somewhere in Zimbabwe right now. Just like Obama’s half brother:
http://www.usmagazine.com/news/barack-obamas-half-brother-discovered-in-hut-in-kenya
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 1:37 AM
Loxodonta on June 17, 2009 at 1:36 AM
foot, meet shoe…
robertnyc212 on June 17, 2009 at 1:37 AM
And you are wearing the boot and brown shirt.
Loxodonta on June 17, 2009 at 1:38 AM
Got your government handout check today huh? I wonder what public sector job you butcher on a daily basis? DMV or something better?
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 1:40 AM
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 1:37 AM
Slavery nearly destroyed the black race here and in Africa. Africa was raped of its resources and human treasure and continues to be exploited today. But since you are of the beneficiary of privileged class I don’t expect you to understand.
robertnyc212 on June 17, 2009 at 1:40 AM
None of your outdated small mindedness matters anyway. The world has already passed you by as the folks that wield power are getting darker and browner by the hour. It will not happen tomorrow or next year but it will happen. It’s inevitable. This country has already turned a corner and there is no turning back.
robertnyc212 on June 17, 2009 at 1:46 AM
So now an entire continent is being oppressed? Whatever helps you feel better about yourself. I am feeling too privileged at the moment to really give a f uck.
ClassicCon on June 17, 2009 at 1:46 AM
Totalitarianism enslaved over a billion and killed tens of millions of people in Europe and Asia over the past century. And you want to enslave Americans to “level the playing field” here, and if that means the deaths of millions of Americans, you’d be more than happy to be in charge of those digging their mass graves.
Loxodonta on June 17, 2009 at 1:47 AM
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