Apology Accepted
Jan 3rd, 2009 by David Anderson
This past year has been historic. The Democrat Party is in the driver seat and the driver is an American with African heritage. I believe that symbolism is good for America. Also interesting was the year saw an apology for slavery. It bears remembering where the Democrat Party came from if we are to understand the change.
The U. S. House of Representatives passed an apology for slavery and Jim Crow. If I and others who are descendents of slaves say apology accepted, will we then be allowed to refocus on better schools and opportunity? Would we be allowed to view America in today’s light instead of yesterday’s? Thanks it seems 140 years late, but its quaint and seems like a nice gesture. Apology accepted, but please don’t send a mule –zoning doesn’t allow me to keep it.
It was fitting that a Democrat offered the resolution because the Democrats are the party that passed Jim Crow. The Republican Party passed Civil Rights legislation and until JFK the Democrat Party was the focus of undermining the civil rights and liberties of African Americans. President Truman broke the mold by desecrating the Armed Forces and he was met by a splitting of his party that almost cost him the election. Brown vs. the Board of Education was stuck in the Supreme Court until President Eisenhower appointed a new chief justice. The Civil Rights Acts were only in the ball park because of overwhelming Republican Support powered them over a Southern Democrat filibuster. The KKK was a Democrat organization. The first movie shown in the White House was to President Wilson. It was the Klan inspired Birth of a Nation.
Segregation was a Democrat Party invention to undermine Republican passed Civil Rights laws. Yet, I read that this historic opportunity gives the Republican Party a chance to turn the page on race relations. I understand that the first time race was taken off the table. Southerners no longer had to contend with life long propaganda telling them that their way of life would be ruined if Republicans won. We need to take advantage of the Obama victory and let minorities take a new look at the GOP. We need to take race off the table again and let minorities see that the life long propaganda telling them that Republicans would ruin their lives is wrong.
In a twist of irony, Democrats are trying to convince minorities that Republicans are racists. That is unsupported by facts. Though some people who would take the leadership of the party seem willing to give quarter to those images. Racism never had a political party there are Republicans, Democrats as well as Independents who fit that description. The question is what is the record of the party. I think it is safe to say that both parties respect civil rights in today’s world. Now that we have a resolution apologizing for the evils of the past and an historic election, can we look to the future as one people? Maybe, but some Democrats act as if there party was the party of justice while trying to keep these divisions alive for perceived political gain. We would be better off if they swallowed hard and remembered that it took two parties to get to this dance.
Would we be allowed to view America in today’s light instead of yesterday’s?
After that statement, why go into the very true history of the Democratic party? The Klan may have been a Democratic organization before, but surely most of them voted for Nixon, Reagan, Bush, Dole, Bush and McCain. I agree that we need help from both sides of the aisle to get some of the best things done, but starting a discussion like this isn’t conducive.
One last suggestion, I would fix the spelling of ‘desegregated’. What you wrote has an unintended meaning.
Because I do not believe the Democrat Party is a racist party any longer, but it does still as you just did, try to use race for political gain. You know that poeple who voted for Nixon, Reagan, Bush, McCain, and Dole who were racists did not vote for them on that basis. The 1964 Civil Rights Act took race off the table for them which allowed them to consider the GOP for the first time. Both parties are committed to civil rights. You also know that Racists voted for Carter, Duke, Bubba Clinton, and Ozone man, but they did not vote for them on that basis.
“The 1964 Civil Rights Act took race off the table for them which allowed them to consider the GOP for the first time. ”
No, hardly so. It didn’t take race off the table. It was the anger and resentment over the Civil Rights Act that prompted them to move to the Republican Party. An organization which compromised its founding principles so it could gain the solid support of the South. This was the basis of Nixon’s Southern Strategy.
Through the first half of the 20th century the two parties swamped on the issues of race. This is why when the Democratic Party’s leader, Lyndon Johnson, pushed for the Civil Rights Act, those Democrats still holding to the party’s 19th century ideals switched to the Republican Party, i.e. Strom Thurmond. I don’t think the Republican Party is racist, but certainly the vast majority of those that would be identified by objective observers as racist tend to overwhelmingly vote Republican.
Let me get that straight. They moved in 1968 to a guy who supported civil rights his entire career and did not support Wallace who opposed them. No the angry resentful people supported Wallace not Nixon. Nixon went on to support Fair Housing, Title 9, and some of the most important civil rights laws since the Votings Rights Act. The Republicans knew back in Teddy Roosevelt’s time that they could crack the South and went after those votes. They never got them because of their Civil Rights Support. Once race was no longer the defining difference between the parties, Southern Conservatives would naturally unite with northern conservatives to fight for Constitutionalism, limited government, destruction of Communism, and traditional Christian values.
That is what the southern strategy was all about. The southerners no longer had generational loyalty to the Democrats and were up for grabs.
Remember to join the GOP people like Thurmond had to give up public support for Racism. The interesting truth is that in the ’80′s the GOP rejected former KKK people while the Democrats made them Senate leaders.
Let’s also get the record straight. 75% of Republicans in the Senate and 85% of the House supported the Civil Rights Act. It passed because of GOP votes. Why would the South think that signaled a GOP compromise?
Racism isn’t about civil rights anymore; it is about economic policy, which is far murkier to argue and provides lots of room for racists to hide.
Interesting argument. It should be explored beyond a sound byte. Please do so at your earliest opportunity. Tell me how race neutral economic policy is used for racial oppression.
They didn’t support Wallace because he didn’t have a shot at winning. Nixon’s campaign was based on law and order which capitalized on white’s fear of blacks after the ’68 riots.
Nixon certainly governed as a moderate, but he didn’t campaign (nor did he win) by championing equal rights….but by pushing the racial wedge in further at a delicate time.
Your argument boils down to the belief that the Civil Rights Act took race off the table. Did Roe v. Wade take abortion off the table, did the Kansas-Nebraska Act take abolition off the table? The other side (in this case southern racists previously aligned with the dem party) resented the fact that the leader of their party, which means that the “party,” opposed them and supported the Act. The frustration felt with the Dem Party by southerners really started when Humphrey successfully lobbied for support for the civil rights act in the party platform. The Civil Rights Act was the last straw. Race was by no means off the table, they didn’t suddenly give up on the issue.
Then, a decade later, it was the Republican Party (almost in whole) opposing the re-adoption of the civil rights act in 1982. Yes, Robert Byrd had been selected as Majority Leader and I’ll concede that is was a travesty, but regardless of the senate leader, the party as a whole was the organization that supported and cultivated african american opportunity and advancement. The young southerners who had made it to congress by this time, like trent lott, had switched parties before entering politics. Two decades after that, the north is completely dominated by democrats and the south is almost completely dominated by republicans, the opposite of the ’60s. Regardless of the roots of the parties, they have effectively switched on the issue of race.
The reason why the Republican Party demanded that they give up their public support for racism was that they saw that overt racism was winding down and so they continued their racist policies through more muted terms: as Noman stated through economic policies. They switched to the previously economic conservative republican party because they could disguise their racism through economic conservatism. They eventually pushed out the northern and western progressives that made up the 75% and 85% that voted for the acts in ’64 and ’65.
Having said that, not all, in fact most economic conservatives are not that way because of race, but rather for the same reasons as Goldwater. Nevertheless, many are in favor of conservative economic policies because of race.
For these “closeted racists,” (yes a minority of economic conservatives) their support for limited government was a guise for their racist feelings. They had no trouble supporting New Deal big government when it helped whites as much as blacks, but now that African Americans were getting the bulk (or at least disproportionate aide in regards to population) from federal programs, they opposed them.
There switch in the ’60s had little to do with communism in reality, as kennedy and johnson were both aggressive when it came to defeating communism; more so that nixon (this is one place where I think nixon’s policies were more mature and beneficial in the long term).
In regards to “traditional christian values,” gay marriage and abortion were hardly the issues that they are today (esp. gay rights). Abortion came in the ’70s. Gay rights in the ’80s and ’90s. The south is a more religious community than the north and the politicians and voters who had racist feelings also shared a deep christian faith in large part because of the religious society of the south.
President Truman broke the mold by desecrating the Armed Forces
I was serious. Desecrating in a sentence:
The police caught the klansman just as he was desecrating a synagogue with swastikas.
If this is the meaning you intend, by all means. Otherwise, the word is desegregated.
I looked at the ‘What your saying’ sidebar and was confused because I didn’t remember making any comments on this essay. After reading I realized I need to do a little something to distinguish my name from the other Tim.
This business of an apology for slavery is HOGWASH! I am sick of hearing about it. You were NEVER a slave. Why does anybody owe you an apology? You can’t even remember a relative who was a slave. They were dead before you were even born. I never owned a slave and no one in my family ever owned a slave. Why do we owe anybody an apology? Apology accepted? Get over it!
This whole apology thing was done to set the country up to pay reparations. Reparations is nothing more than a shakedown.
If modern blacks want to do something useful, they should fight for the freedom of modern slaves. There are plenty of them around the globe. They can be found in India, Thailand, Pakistan and Haiti for starters. Black leadership could make itself useful by working to free people (many are children) around the world regardless of race.
Before you start cheering about a black man in the White House, you should ask Obama to prove his eligibility to be president. He could very well be sworn in as president after covering up his birth in Kenya. Besides, I thought we were supposed to consider only the content of his character and not the color of his skin. In any case stop whining about slavery. I will expect you to now say I am an angry white guy. I am! I am tired of hearing this load of crap from blacks. I am also tired of not being able to respond without being called a racist. OK David, what do you say?
I am actually in favor of reparitions, but not in the way you think.
There was another time in US history when we had a large group of people who had contributed to America, but had become alienated and needed to be re-integrated into society. We dealt with them successfully with the GI Bill, to the nation’s benefit.
I think reparitions should be patterned after the GI Bill. Reparitions should provide a subsidized mortgage, college education or vocational training, subsidized day care and high-quality K-12 education, and a free wedding.
But no cash.
That is crazy! Do you dare compare a veteran’s service to just being born black? We already have programs in place to help black people and other needy people. Subsidized mortgages? HELLO! Did you sleep through the mortgage mess that is a result of FORCING lenders to grant and in many cases subsidize mortgages to people that shouldn’t have had them? We already have educational assistance for minorities. Look at the historically black colleges like Del State. Plus we have many minority grants available.
A black person should not be entitled to anything just on the basis of his skin color. A slave may be a different story. Find some of them still alive and we can talk about benefits for them. Otherwise, your argument is rediculous.
Do you dare compare a veteran’s service
This is not about a reward for service. The GI Bill was more about protecting society from its returning veterans than rewarding them for their service. GIs returning from WWII were damaged individuals who would be at best unproductive, and at worst loose cannons without extra support to be reintegrated into society. In many ways, some of our African American population has similar issues as a result of the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow. And I mean that respectfully.
GIs returning from WWII were damaged individuals
and if you don’t think Iraq/Afghanistan vets will have the same problems you are fooling yourself. In fact the problems will be worse due to the pace and duration of the deployments.
Mustering out is a serious problem for any society; it is often bungled. With the GI Bill we got it right. I think the same principles apply to slavery/Jim Crow reparitions.
“I think reparitions should be patterned after the GI Bill. Reparitions should provide a subsidized mortgage, college education or vocational training, subsidized day care and high-quality K-12 education, and a free wedding. ”
My late father who immigrated here in 1970 should have paid for that why? Because he’s white? I want reparations from the invaders of the Italian Homeland who enslaved and tortured my ancestors, and Persians should get reparations from the various empires that invaded their land, and all nations of South America should get reparations from Spain…..etc.
Gimme a break.
I want reparations from the invaders of the Italian Homeland …
Go get ‘em, tiger.
My late father who immigrated here in 1970 should have paid for that why?
Because he wants what’s best for his adopted homeland?
Thanks though for some perspective from the party of “I got mine.”
The GI bill should be a reward for service and help for returning service people to assimilate themselves into our society. They defended it and they deserve it. As for black Americans, slavery and Jim Crow…….. Those problems have been corrected. There now exists more than equal opportunity for blacks first and then other minorities and women. Blacks ALWAYS step to the front of the line in every entitlement program and government give away. They have stepped to the front of the line in hiring and housing too. I don’t buy for a minute that they are held back because of skin color.
They are exempt from any criticism under the umbrella of racism. White America owes nothing now. No apology, no reparations, nothing but and equal opportunity. That is only right. However, this country has gone overboard trying to avoid being called racists. We now are supposed to be upset that there are more blacks in prison than whites. Why? If there are more blacks committing crimes then what’s the problem? But, over and over we are reminded of the disparity in the prison population as though we are jailing blacks and not whites. Horse hockey! I will be branded a racist for writing this stuff but I DO NOT CARE. It is what it is. We have to honor Dr. King as though he was Jesus’ brother or we are racist. Sorry I was alive and awake when he was here and history has been redacted to favor him. That is an example of going overboard. We have to put up with the “you owe me” mentality or we are racist or its a fight. Blacks can stop in the middle of the street to talk and hold up traffic but if you toot the horn it’s a fight. They routinely park in fire lanes in shopping centers and no one has the guts to ticket them or make them move or risk a fight. Same thing in the check out lanes when the lines are long and they get in line and then send kids running all over the store to grab items to put on the belt. If you protest it’s a fight. Everything they do including voting is “black first.” Everyone else is supposed to be colorblind.
I was called a racist for complaining about my son’s second grade teacher using dis and dat and ax-ing questions. They were learning to identify coins and count and he came home saying “25 cent” instead of “cents.” The school let me know that that was an unfair and even racist criticism given that that was just the way black people speak. I needed to be more understanding and tolerant.
Can you say “OVERBOARD.” So how much more do we have to do?
When will enough be enough? I guess to people like noman that day will never come.
The apology started this discussion and I still think it is hogwash.
Wow… Ron.
Now do you guys understand why you keep losing elections?
Losing elections? Yes I do. Nice try at brushing off my comments as thogh they are out of touch. The truth hurts you doesn’t. If I am wrong, refute my comments don’tt try to change the subject to elections. The fact is, you know I am right but you are afraid to admit it. If you think I am wrong, try this: the next time a black person is in front of you at the gas station with Rap pounding away and with M F’r and F— in every other line, go up and ask him to turn it down. I hope you have dental coverage. Maybe he’ll pass on slapping you down because you think you owe him reparations. Fat chance pal.
“we are jailing blacks and not whites” Actually in Delaware we are executing blacks and not whites (Tom Capano)
Ron, although I could write all night refuting your comments, I have a life
I can’t let this one go though:
“Blacks ALWAYS step to the front of the line in every entitlement program and government give away”
You, sir, are AN IDIOT AND A RACIST! If you had ever read a real book, you may have found out that there are proportionately more whites on welfare that blacks
In any case, Ron IS ALWAYS A RACIST
Holy shit, is this what this blog and being part of the party has become (referring to the comments)? How about I get reparations for my party being hijacked and the fundamentalists who did it leaving me politically homeless?
Funny thing is, where I grew up, in Edgemoor, DE, if you asked the poor white folk (yeah, we got ‘em, too, Ronny…I was one, too) to turn down their music, you’d need more than a dental plan!
My patience is diminishing to naught…
I understand that an apology for slavery is somehow controversial. I am neither calling for one or condemning one, just responding to one. I don’t really understand the emotion on either side, quite frankly. My point is that if we accept the apology, can we move on and deal with today’s issues? Apology accepted. Now let’s go forward and stop fighting the Reconstruction battles of the 19th and fight the creeping global socialism of the 21st century threatening to enslave us all.
I think foolish, fraudelent, and mostly unanswered notion that the Republican Party under Nixion and Reagan was racist has to be confronted. Another blog has something two or three times a week claiming the R in republican means racism. If you let a lie no matter how big go unchallenged long enough, people will believe it.
The truth is more interesting. It was the Democrat Party not the Republican one which struggled with racism and that makes the Obama victory even more remarkable.
I have a really great retort to that, but first I have to go make sure my dental plan is paid up.