So anyway, I read the Salon article that someone sent to me about Haley Barbour, (h/t Greg Fuller) and the author nailed it. He broke down the "Southern Strategy" which has been perfected by the republican party, and by doing so he exposed Barbour for the fraud that he is:
"Almost 50 years ago, the Republican Party made a decision to embrace the backlash generated by civil rights among white Southerners.
Traditionally, they had been staunch Democrats, but they were also culturally conservative, and as Lyndon Johnson and the Democratic Party embraced civil rights once and for all, they were up for grabs. The Republican Party offered them a home, a steady, decades-long realignment ensued, and today conservative Southern whites comprise the heart of the GOP -- just as culturally liberal Northerners, who called the GOP home before civil rights, have migrated to the Democratic Party.
There's nothing new about this story. In fact, it's the story LBJ himself predicted when he signed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and supposedly mused, "There goes the South for a generation."
But it's an inconvenient story for today's Republican Party, which still relies on cultural, racial and ethnic wedge issues to keep its base in line -- but which also needs to win over less conservative suburbanites across the country to compete in national elections. And it's a particularly inconvenient story for Haley Barbour, the 62-year-old Mississippi governor who aspires to run as the Republican nominee against the nation's first black president.
So Barbour has invented his own sanitized, suburb-friendly version of history -- an account that paints the South's shift to the GOP as the product of young, racially inclusive conservatives who had reasons completely separate and apart from racial politics for abandoning their forebears' partisan allegiances. In an interview with Human Events that was posted on Wednesday, Barbour insists that "the people who led the change of parties in the South ... was my generation. My generation who went to integrated schools. I went to integrated college -- never thought twice about it." Segregationists in the South, in his telling, were "old Democrats," but "by my time, people realized that was the past, it was indefensible, it wasn't gonna be that way anymore. So the people who really changed the South from Democrat to Republican was a different generation from those who fought integration.'" [Article]
You have got to be kidding me! By his time people realized it was the past? Yeah, OK, and I have a wonderful antique bell in my hometown to sell anyone who would like to make me an offer. It has a slight crack on the side but it would make a lovely lawn ornament.
And, speaking of lawn ornaments; I really have to wonder how some of you black conservatives can continue to support this party. Do you really believe that they have all become Paul of Tarsus all of a sudden? Do you really believe, that in their hearts, they view you as equals? If you do believe that please keep jigging along. Don't worry, we are so used to it that we hardly notice you anymore.
Haley will keep lying, and folks will continue to expose him. But, A-merry-ca won't notice. He will run for President and he just might get elected. Hey, America elected a black man, why not a good ole boy from Mississippi?
* Pic lifted from Salon.
47 comments:
Field, "I really have to wonder how some of you black conservatives can continue to support this party. Do you really believe that they have all become Paul of Tarsus all of a sudden? Do you really believe, that in their hearts, they view you as equals?"
Do you REALLY believe, that in their hearts, the Democrats view you as equals? They are no better. How can YOU continue to support them?
All politics are local.
There are huge bastions of Republicanism where black people make up little to none of the populace. These white conservatives have absolutely NO understanding of race and the history that goes along with it. One of the "wonderful" things about being white is the ability to ignore black people and any issue related to them.
These Republicans are confounded and confused when it comes to the racial divide in the parties. They have not studied this southern flip in allegience, race plays little to no part in their local issues.
While surely ignorant, and a result of systemic racism, thes Republicans are not racist outright and should not be dealt with as such.
You may be astounded that liars like the one highlighted are embraced, but in understanding or dealing with the Repub party, one should understand the whole elephant.
Only Miss Americas come from Mississippi.
Hathor said...
"Only Miss Americas come from Mississippi."
Hathor, do you take any type of medication?
Barbour, Beck, Limpnutts, all the rest of them, they're out to re-write history. I'm Whitrey and even I can see that.
Whiterey ;~) .......Whitey
"These white conservatives have absolutely NO understanding of race and the history that goes along with it. One of the "wonderful" things about being white is the ability to ignore black people and any issue related to them."
The white Dems have no more understanding of race/racism than the Republicans, except maybe they can lie and 'pretend' better than the Repubs. The Repub have a problem with 'faking it'... the Dems don't. They enjoy and want white privilege just as much as the Repubs and they certainly ignore Blacks as much as Repubs, except when election time comes around. Even then, they take they take the Black vote for granted.
If white Dems really related to the wretched pain of racism, they would have been a fever-pitched 'White' outcry heard round the world. For sure, they would have gone all out at the racist dogs who degraded and demeaned the President and his family because of the color of their skin.
Like Repubs, however, white Dems can't relate, let alone feel the pain of racism. It sounds like you Philly folks are trying to lay ALL of this white privileged crap on the GOP, which of course, is BULLSHIT. They are no more racist than the Dems.
Having lived in Philly-a "racist" city run by Dems-I would think you Philly folks would know that.
anony-ass shut the fuck up.
You sound stupid.
Are you on crack?
And, speaking of lawn ornaments; I really have to wonder how some of you black conservatives can continue to support this party
LMBAO
you nailed it, FN.
He can try, but he can't hide, because we WILL push back. And, you are part of that FN.
I enjoyed Rachel Maddow's breakdown of his lies.
they are who we thought they were - plain and simple.
Shabazz said, "anony-ass shut the fuck up.
You sound stupid.
Are you on crack?"
You poor guy, anything upsets you. Life must be very difficult for you. Over-reacting and raging over someone's opinion won't help your manic-depression. In fact, it will make it worse.
Try prayer, and getting into a state of calmness...that might help. Feel better.
"But, A-merry-ca won't notice. He will run for President and he just might get elected. Hey, America elected a black man, why not a good ole boy from Mississippi?"
Yep. White America won't notice because they are already disappointed in Obama. And yes, don't make light of it...in America, a smart good ole boy has a chance to win. But the way the tea party progressing, who knows will be the next President?
What's that old saw: "If it ain't broke don't fix it!"
People can't be people: Ways have to be found to manipulate them, or exploit them.
I suspect that's been true since the dawn of time, when an enterprising cave dweller emerged from his cave, saw other cave dwellers just being cave dwellers and thought: "What do I have to do to get my fellow cave dwellers to do my bidding?"
And that was the birth of the First Strategy, and history became history, as one strategy after the other was invented to get people to do what someone else wanted them to do--and make them think that it was their own idea.
In not too recent years, the Southern Strategy was created, but, before that, there were many other strategies--all successful, and all widely employed.
In recent years we've seen the Revise History Strategy (a revisionist strategy), the Have You Missed Me, Yet, strategy, accompanied by the smiling face of George W. Bush (kill them with remorse strategy), He's An Alien, and Not One of Us strategy, which invokes the movie, Alien, with Sigourney Weaver, and that Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, Predator (the Birthers strategy), and the Papers Please strategy (the xenophobic strategy).
If I counted up all the sundry strategies currently in play, they would run from A to Z; X is already represented.
And when these strategies didn't work fast enough, they used the Push Their Buttons strategy, and people were off to the races, way out front of the one who pushed the button.
And there's the Sound the Alarm strategy, a Tea Party ploy, "You're losing your government" strategy.
And there's the Pull their Strings strategy, enshrined with these words, "They're gonna pull the plug on Grandma!"
And there's the Dog-Whistle Politics strategy: Candidate Obama described as "elitist."
There's a movie with the seductive title: "Earth Girls Are Easy." Well, not only are earth girls easy, Earthlings are easy--they're easily suckered, easily manipulated, easily led, easily snookered, easily bamboozled, and easily misled.
"Do you REALLY believe, that in their hearts, the Democrats view you as equals? They are no better. How can YOU continue to support them?"
So you believe Dems to be just as bad as the GOP when it comes to disregarding Blacks. Too bad we don't have a third party to turn to (and even then, they might not be as welcoming to Blacks as the other two). So what's your proposal? It can't be encouraging Blacks to take up the politcal reins and carve themselves out a separate political party that is for Black issues and ONLY Black issues. Nah, I don't think that's what you're looking for.
"Like Repubs, however, white Dems can't relate, let alone feel the pain of racism. It sounds like you Philly folks are trying to lay ALL of this white privileged crap on the GOP, which of course, is BULLSHIT. They are no more racist than the Dems. "
Sounds like you're really pulling for the ol' GOP. Which is why you won't like the whole "Black political party" idea. You're pullin' for the Coloreds to "come home" to the Grand Ol' Party, a party of individuals who have changed changed their looks and even a few of their words, but still remain the same bigoted and closed-minded individuals who represent the worse of American society. Now why should Blacks "come home" to such a wretched and abusive abode?
"One of the "wonderful" things about being white is the ability to ignore black people and any issue related to them."
Someone PLEASE put this up in big, BOLD letters.
This is the #1 perk of White Privilege. The ability to ignore and otherwise relegate Blacks and their issues to a secondary realm. Any attempt to push Black issues into the forefront of the White conscious results in a great deal of consternation and pushback.
In short, Whites would very much like Blacks to stay the hell out of their way. At least until they're needed.
Whites don't seem to mind Blacks fulfilling various menial roles within the service industries. Cooking, cleaning, childcare, etc. As long as Blacks do not push their issues onto the White conscious and, as the saying goes, "stay in their place", there's absolute peace. At least until a Black scapegoat is needed for whatever reason.
Which is why I can't take seriously anyone who advocates Blacks putting themselves under the stewardship of a group of individuals who only seek a return to the status quo. A return to the time when Blacks and their issues were kept as far away from the White mind as possible. Back when a Black person presenting themselves in front of a White person (without being asked) would prompt casual dismissal at best and at worse, a severe beating (or even murder).
Men like Barbour long for a time when Blacks and their issues were secondary and subserviant to the whims of the White majority. And the Tea Party and other dog whistle-influenced attack mutts are actively working to restore America to those "storied" times. The country will cut it's own throat if it got to that point.
As Haley was telling those whoppers, his "Grand Wizard" white robe and pointy hat with cut out eye holes, burst into a three-alarm fire in his closet.
anon11:02
Tell me who was the last president from Mississippi.
Jefferson Davis wasn't from Mississippi either.
Mississippi native in the HOUSE!!!! I've spent a bit of time talking it up about our "lovely" gubnor.
he isn't worth the energy it takes to string his words along in that thick disgusting southern drawl of his.
after reading a bit about the history of the republican and democratic party, i've come to a couple of conclusions regarding people of color.
the republican party, as it stands today, doesn't want us - the welfare queens, the unemployed, uninspired, unproductive .. and all the other stereotypical jargon that goes along with being black.
and...
the democratic party thinks they own us. gotta give it to old lyndon b. for speaking out on the negroes behalf and earning our vote in just about every election since we earned the right.
so a big shout out to @ mack lyons! i feel exactly what you're saying.
signed -
still looking for my place in A-merry-ca
A kindler, gentler history without all that embarrassing and annoying racism sounds pretty good to them.
Not too long ago I blogged about slavery, the Confederate flag and our civil war. Well a "redneck" took offense to that and said that our civil war was about states rights and not slavery. I suppose it's easier to embrace the romanticized version of history that has you riding out on a white stallion; as opposed to embracing the evils of the reality of our history.
It is what it is.
Oddly enough the Southern Strategy had a dry run long before in the 1800s.
GOP Rutherford B. Hayes squeaked by in a close and contested election similar to 'W'.
At the time post Civil War reconstruction managed by Grant was winding down and Rutherford got his votes with a nudge and a wink to the south that they could have a roost for Jim Crow.
Until that deal was cut, segregation was still up in the air. The first decade following the civil war was marked by attempts to punish the south and repair the wreckage.
Hayes embraced the utility of making this common cause. The Democratic party spent much of the last 30 years of the 19th century out of the White House. Jim Crow eggs hatched everywhere.
Then Woodrow Wilson put Dems back in some drivers seat but turned a blind eye to Jim Crow so it took another 40 or more years to straighten it out.
I've been felling like a rebel of late myself
Sad Truth: Haley Barbour is the only true viable presidential candidate for 2012. Which if he wins, maybe they'll we'll finally get a chance to forget about slavery once they remove it from history. Might as well; shit, racism ain't even real.
LOL When Barbour is elected President, you negros will be be begging for him to attend your churches and NAACP convention.
"Try prayer, and getting into a state of calmness...that might help. Feel better."
No thanks, you can keep your white flying spaghetti monster
"Do you REALLY believe, that in their hearts, the Democrats view you as equals? They are no better. How can YOU continue to support them?"
No, and I don't necessarily support them. (Although I do believe that, for the most part, their policies are better for poor people) And here is the difference between myself and the people I referred to (black conservatives). I rip democrats as well as republicans when I think they do wrong, black conservatives will never speak ill of his or her conservative masters. Why is that?
"Sad Truth: Haley Barbour is the only true viable presidential candidate for 2012. Which if he wins, maybe they'll we'll finally get a chance to forget about slavery once they remove it from history. Might as well; shit, racism ain't even real."
Yep!
Roschelle, I do believe that Mississippi has changed for the better, no?
"Like Repubs, however, white Dems can't relate, let alone feel the pain of racism. It sounds like you Philly folks are trying to lay ALL of this white privileged crap on the GOP, which of course, is BULLSHIT. They are no more racist than the Dems."
Of course it's bullshit! I hope you are not under the impression that I think that being a democrats gives one an "I am not a racist", pass.
Although, let's be honest;if you stack em all up I think the republicans are leading the dems by a 2-1 margin in the racism count.
The "Southern strategy" is a liberal myth.
The Republican Party ended slavery, ended Jim Crowe, and today offers the only post-racial vision for the country.
The Democratic Party was pro-slavery, enforced Jim Crowe, and today keeps blacks on the plantation through meager handouts and scary lies about Republicans.
Field is a Democrat House Negro through and through.
"The "Southern strategy" is a liberal myth.
The Republican Party ended slavery, ended Jim Crowe, and today offers the only post-racial vision for the country."
And the earth is flat.
anon 1:39,
You should read how the Republican Party changed when they got lynched in the 19th century for supporting the rights of Negroes and Negro Representatives. The radicals were ousted and Black folk were left on their own and the Republicans have never looked back.
FYI This is the 21th century.
You would think that Edward Brooke would have been considered the elder statesman in the Republican Party. He had been ignored until Obama gave him an award. He was too moderate and had introduced a lot of bills designed to help Black people and advance civil rights. They would rather have Star Parker as the poster child for a Black Republican.
"Although, let's be honest;if you stack em all up I think the republicans are leading the dems by a 2-1 margin in the racism count."
If that were true, Dems would be attacking racism in 'good conscience', and it would be dead, or at least on its death-bed. But it's alive and well, and GROWING. It's more rampart today than ever. White dems and the MSM have done little to curb it. By their little to no response, the white Dems in this matter actually has condoned Repub racist behavior toward the President, his family, and the Black race.
Imo, whether Dem or Repub- a 'large' majority(but not all) of white people carry the disease of 'White privilege'. And the awful thing about white privelge is that it 'offends' God AND the human race...which results in painful consequences to both the perpretrator and its victim, especially Blacks in America.
A classic example of it is in Louis CK's video about this, which NOT one Black or White person on this blog had anything to say about it. And the message in it IS the epicenter of racism in America. It sums it ALL UP in two minutes!
I am surprised that a great racism chaser such as yourself or any 'fair-minded' poster for racial equality has not commented on it. BTW, it has been posted on your blog several times over the past year. But maybe the 'raw' truth in it was too much for Blacks or Whites here.
ANON 1: 07, and MACK LYONS are on track, but the sweetest endowment of white privilege isn't the option of ignoring black people" (what a bleak world that would be!) but ignoring white privilege itself. It's so easy that it's our default position.
There's no incentive to actually try to confront it and every incentive to just keep walking. It so pervasively envelopes us that fighting it at all necessarily becomes a central focus of our lives, leading to obsession, and that only irritates everyone, black and white.
If it were as simple as doing something, I believe that many of us would eagerly do so to escape it's claustrophobic grasp and join our neighbors as equals, but it's not. We can no more escape it than you can. It seems that we only either endure the disquiet recognition of it, awkwardly speaking out when occasion permits, or ignore it. People being people, most will eagerly ignore the facts in front of our faces out of convenience.
So, no, white Democrats are no more demonstrably anti WP than are white Republicans, but...still.... if you can't see the difference to black interests between the Democrats and Republicans in power, you should probably check your eye Rx. I'm as eager as the next guy that my Democrats find a cure for whatever spinal ailment afflicts them, but even if they don't, I still prefer them to the barbarian hoards of the Tbagger-Republican coalition.
'If' Barbour is elected President, I bet more Blacks will prosper than in any other time in American history. He will be like Lyndon Johnson... Why? Because Barbour wants to show that a white President from MS operates fairly, and equally. Ask anyone from MS and they will tell you that Barbour is a fair and just man, and that he is the best MS has to offer.
Hathor, surely a smart person like you will agree?
Whitey, "If it were as simple as doing something, I believe that many of us would eagerly do so to escape it's claustrophobic grasp and join our neighbors as equals, but it's not. We can no more escape it than you can. It seems that we only either endure the disquiet recognition of it, awkwardly speaking out when occasion permits, or ignore it. People being people, most will eagerly ignore the facts in front of our faces out of convenience."
I understand that there are growing numbers of Whites who are working to rid themselves of WP. There are a growing number of blogs that focus on it.
Imo, the psychological field needs to open a branch that deals with 'racial therapy', for individuals and groups. Until that happens, I don't think there will be much change for Blacks or Whites. Because clearly, no one has the personal skills to overcome this wretched disease that seems to be getting worse, imo.
We desperately need psychological as well as spiriutal models as working solutions, or at least as a working hypothesis.
We seem to have everything from 12-Step work for addictions and codependency to family of origin work, to Jungian dream analysis and art treatment, but America has nothing for racism, our BIGGEST problem.
Field, you should go see "The Last Exorcism". It takes place in Mrs. Field's state of Louisiana in a small country town. In addition, the movie will set you on the path toward God.
Anon 6:20,
I am from and currently live in MS.
No, he is not.
Peace
The subject of white privilege (WP)was raised. Check out the link to a video of Tim Wise, a white anti-racist activist and writer's comments on WP.
http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/294476-1
Interesting they are trying to rewrite history when so many are still alive that remember. Mr. Barbour should try again in about 20 years. At least he is smart enough to know many of us would reflexively oppose him because if anyone reminds us of a Klan leader it's be him. Pretty Mitt may have a better chance that this yahoo.
Pilotx
Anonymous said: "In addition, the movie will set you on the path toward God."
What makes you think he's not already on a path to God?
Imenesa, "What makes you think he's not already on a path to God?"
LOL...are you kidding? You must be new.
@ pierced,
I've met, and still read Tim regularly, but he's my living example of becoming so obsessed with overcoming WP that you irritate everyone else. Still, I don't have the answer, and Tim's at least working on it.
@Whitey, I hope this comment gets to you. Lately, moderation on this blog has slowed to a snails pace-so much that people forget to check comments on past posts. Americans don't have much of an attention span. Anyway, hope you get this.
I found this blog helpful, constructive, and insightful regarding white privilege and racism.
http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.com/
One other link that summarizes white privilege with questions of awareness:
http://usapetal.net/wpmu/eh226/2009/09/29/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-backpack/
@Whitey,
He is quite enlightened and self aware of his own status as a beneficiary of WP. But yes, one can become obsessed with WP, just as one can become obsessed with racism.
No one has the answer because the problem/issue is so complex and affects all spheres of society: institutions, the individual, the body politic, economical, etc.
And you're right - at least Tim's working on it. Acknowledging racism - being aware of it - is a first step.
Anonymous said...
Imenesa, "What makes you think he's not already on a path to God?"
LOL...are you kidding? You must be new.
::::::
New, you say? Field says he's an agnostic. There are many "paths" to God. Agnosticism is just another one.
That must be one heck of a movie if one can find god in it. The last movie they told me that would happen was "The Passion of the Christ". While some did find it inspiring I found it to be violence porn. Movies are not reality people. They are scripted pieces of art full of people pretending to care about whatever it is they are paid to say. God should just get a Facebook account, it would be much easier.
Pilotx
"New, you say? Field says he's an agnostic. There are many "paths" to God. Agnosticism is just another one."
Thank you Imenesa. :)
Imenesa said, "New, you say? Field says he's an agnostic. There are many "paths" to God. Agnosticism is just another one."
Who told you that, and how do you know? Pray tell, how many are there?
One thing for sure, there are many many paths away from God that leads to one's ruin.
Field said, "Thank you Imenesa. :)"
Yeah, Field is on the path to God. Tell me Field, when did this change of heart occur? Did the prayers of ISEEISEE turn you around?:D
@ anon 1:23,
Yeah, SWPD is an my weekly read too (a hazard/blessing of being over-educated and disabled is the breadth of your read). Some of the things that I read there are sometimes so cringe-inducing that I partly think of reading it as secular penance.
@Pierced,
As a hands-on grandfather; I long ago committed to the future. I both understand that if things are to change, that change must start somewhere and with someone, and intend on being one of those some. Tim is one of my points of reference, and so I don't mean to dismiss him but to illustrate the constant cognitive resistance that white people who publicly recognize white privilege encounter, and that the level of zealotry required to persevere in this circumstance has a personal social cost.
This is all part of their plan to usurp the civil rights movement. Now, as far as Haley being POTUS, oh my f'n God. If we were embarassed by stupid ass 43, then wait til the rest of the world gets a load of a dude who self glossed himself a "fat red neck". We would be the laughing stocks of the world. If that doesn't rally the liberal base to vote then I don't know what will.
AbuAmirah
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