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On the other hand, it was also a serious question motivated by the startling number of Republican and Conservative political leaders and spokespersons that have been filling the airwaves with racially insensitive remarks in a fairly regular basis. Granted, there has always been an undercurrent of racism in much conservative diatribes, thanks to the ever present immigration and border debates. But the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, no doubt combined with the pent-up aggravation felt by some about the first black President, somehow triggered an opening of the flood gates. Since that announcement, both thinly disguised and utterly blatant racist comments, all spoken by right-wing pundits, have beem showing up on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis.
Well, just when I was ready to put this question to rest, yet another Republican leader has
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This past Tuesday, the Nixon Presidential Library released over 150 hours of secretly recorded audiotape from the Oval Office. While most of the recordings that gained attention, as well as the over 3,000 pages of documents, had to do with Watergate, there was a tasty little morsel on abortion buried within.
In 1973, when the courts legalized abortion, then President Richard Nixon didn't come out openly against it. The Oval Office tapes, however, catch him discussing the moral implications of legalized abortions. Like most conservatives, Nixon was afraid that allowing abortions lead to a more sexually permissive culture. However, he did believe that there were specific cases in which abortion was acceptable, if not necessary. Like Rape. Or interracial couplings.
"There are times when an abortion is necessary. When you have a black and a white.Or a rape."
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Nixon did not go on to say "Or a black raping a white," but I have a funny feeling that thought wasn't too far off. Oh, and there are some fun conversations between Nixon and Billy Graham about the self-destructive Jews as well.
So, with dead Republicans spouting racist comments from beyond the grave to add to the public discourse, I really have to raise this question once again. Are all Republicans racist? I know it still sounds like an unfair question, but when I've got dead and living Republicans alike lining up to make headlines with remarks like this, and no major Republicans condemning the statements, it really makes me wonder.
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2 comments:
I find it ironic that the poster you have to represent racist Republicans actually calls the Republican candidate a friend of "the Negro". The Democrat was the white supremacist.
As for your argument, I don't buy the blanket all-Republicans-are-racist statement simply for opposition to the President or his nominee. The depictions of Clarence Thomas as a lawn jockey or racist comments about Alberto Gonzalez and others show that racism seems to be an easy outlet for ideological differences on both sides. Doesn't make it right, but it shouldn't trump substantive policy differences.
I oppose Sotomayor for her belief that Justice should be different for different races, as well as for her muddled writings, among other things.
The choice in pictures isn't really Ironic, at least in the way you describe. I posted the picture to illustrate the point that many Republicans make when accused of being racist, that in the past the Republican party supported the movement towards desegregation.
I made no argument, merely asked a question. I don't think all Republicans are racist. I just keep seeing more an more evidence of it, without any substantial backlash from the right.
I'll give you the Uncle Thomas Lawn Jockey' fiasco, even though that argument was from left-wing black. The last time I checked, blacks were allowed to make comments like that about themselves.
As for Gonzalez, there was a lot of screaming from the right that the left was being racist in their opposition of Gonzalez, but nothing racist was ever really said. I would also gladly encourage a comparison of the number of supposedly racist things said about Gonzalez versus Sotomayor. I believe the last Sotomayor slur was Limbaugh implying that the Professional Women's club she belonged to was nothing more than a collection of cleaning ladies.
But the real point is that most of the racist remarks I'm hearing these days about Sotomayor and the likes aren't coming from frings activist groups, but major GOP players with oodles of cable news airtime to embarrass themselves and their party on. And with no discernible opposition from any responsible members from the same party. It just makes me wonder, is all.
And while I don't want to be dragged into a debate on Sotomoyar, your paraphrasing of her statement on Judges and racial backgrounds in misleading and wrong. I won't get into it, as better people then me have done so in great detail. But your wrong. I did giggle at your "muddled writings" comment, though, as if you spend your leisure hours scanning reams of past court documents for concise meanings and nuanced readings on constitutional law. Really, that was a good one.
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