Let me see now, I think I will start with Jim DeMint. He is the guy who quit being a politician to take the big bucks and run the right wing Heritage Foundation. It's a "think tank" (stop laughing) for right-wingnuts, and I am still trying to figure out what exactly they contribute to making our government run better.
Anyway, Jim had a curious thing to say about slavery:
"No liberal is going to win a debate that big government freed the slaves," Heritage Foundation president and former senator Jim DeMint told a radio host on Wednesday. And he's right, unless you consider the U.S. government circa 1865 a "big government.
Well the reason that the slaves were eventually freed was the Constitution, it was like the conscience of the American people. ... But a lot of the move to free the slaves came from the people, it did not come from the federal government. It came from a growing movement among the people, particularly people of faith, that this was wrong. People like Wilberforce who persisted for years because of his faith and because of his love for people. So no liberal is going to win a debate that big government freed the slaves.
DeMint then continued. "In fact, it was Abraham Lincoln, the very first Republican," he said, "who took this on as a cause and a lot of it was based on a love in his heart that comes from God."
The Constitution? The same document that stated that black folks are three-fifths of a human being back then? "People of faith" in the South didn't think that slavery was wrong. They owned slaves, and they used their "faith" to justify it.
Then there is my man "Hammerin Hank". He has pissed off republicans (even Braves fans) with his recent comments about the racism behind the hatred of Barack Obama.
The Braves legend, who told the newspaper he still has the bigoted letters and death threats he received during his pursuit of one of baseball's most cherished records, said that little has changed despite the decades that have passed.
"The biggest difference is that back then they had hoods," Aaron said. "Now they have neckties and starched shirts." [Source]
"He is a racist! Typical black race-baiter. How can he dare say that when America has been so good to him?"
Get ready Hank, because it's coming. You are just lucky you are already in the Hall of Fame.
I know who will be all over Hank for "race baiting", the folks over at the GOP News network.
Race is always on their minds, because they know how to exploit it to appeal to their base.
This is why we get Freudian slips such as this:
"Fox News host Heather Childers was very excited to announce on Tuesday that the University of Connecticut Huskies were the new "NAACP National Champs." There was just one small problem: the Huskies are the new NCAA basketball champions, not the NAACP champions. That's...something else." [Source]
Well, you know, all those Negro players and all....
But race is not only on the minds of their news anchors, it's on the minds of their candidates for the United States senate as well.
"Republican Iowa Senate candidate Sam Clovis says President Obama’s race is standing in the GOP's way of their goal to impeach him.
A number of people in the House want to start the process, he said in an interview with The Daily Times Herald in Carroll, Iowa.
The impeachment of former President Bill Clinton didn’t end well, Clovis added.
“Now we have a situation where race is thrown into the cards as well," Clovis said. "Whether we like it or not, race is an issue." [Source]
My man is straight out of central casting for a Boss Hogg role. Let's send Mr. Clovis to Washington. We need more "colorful characters" (pun intended) like Sam.
Finally, I will end on a sad note.
That little girl (Lacy Holsworth) who was befriended by MSU basketball star, Adreian Payne, lost her battle with cancer.
Payne became close to the little girl, and their story is heartwarming and hopeful. This young man is a class act.I have always had love for those Michigan State Spartans, because that's my father's Alma Mater, but now, because of this story, I love them even more.
I only wish that they could have gone all the way in the tournament to bring this little girl a little more joy before she passed away.
To the parents of this little girl I offer my condolences. To Adreian Payne I say thank you for restoring my faith in our young people, and for making me realize that there is hope for us all.
"Words can't express how much I already miss Lacey. She is my sister, and will always be a part of my life. She taught me how to fight through everything with a smile on my face even when things were going wrong. I'm a better man because of her. … She said she first liked me because of my smile, but it's her smile that made America fall in love with her. … I know she's smiling and dancing in heaven right now. My princess is now an angel."
