I didn't experience much racism growing up. I was taught to believe that we are all the same, all equal, all alike, except for things that really don't matter, like skin color, orientation, gender, religion. I thought all people were the same, and I still do.
So, naturally I was surprised upon moving to South Carolina and seeing such open racism, hearing such hostility. People, some people, say racist things here like they're at the PigglyWiggly asking where to find coffee.
One man actually said to me, that he didn't want Obama elected because, and here's the quote, "them people'll be dancin' in the streets. You know how they like to dance." My response: "Cool! Me, too!" This same, for lack of a better word, gentleman, also said to me, upon Obama's election, "You just know someone's gonna try and kill him."
This time I was too dumbfounded to speak. I realized he was a dyed-in-the-white-sheet racist and would never, ever, know better, know right. And I wasn't surprised. Nor was I surprised about the delightful Rusty DePass of South Carolina comparing Michelle Obama to a gorilla. Racism is alive and well, and lifting it's head, and opening it's mouth, more and more.
Case in point:
In Tennessee (sorry Joy) a legislative staffer forwarded a picture--yes, that one up there--to well-known West Tennessee blogger Newscoma--that had been sent from another staffer. It was called an "historical keepsake photo" of the Presidents. But look closely. There is no picture of President Obama--instead, just a "spook." And not spook like ghost, or spook like 'I scared you!' Spook like in a racial slur against African-Americans.
That staffer who first sent the picture is one Sherri Goforth, an executive assistant for Repugnant State Senator Diane Black. Bad enough, right? The woman works for a politician and sends around such filth when she should be working for the people of Tennessee? But wait, it gets worse.
Sherri Goforth has refused to apologize, saying all she did wrong was to send the photo from the wrong e-mail address. She wasn't sorry for sending it; she was sorry she used to her work e-mail account; sorry she got caught.
Just plain sorry, you are, Sherri Goforth.
But let's take into account who Sherri works for, just for a second, and maybe we can see why she doesn't apologize or feel she did a bad thing. Her boss, Senator Diane Black, is a Repugnant who was the main Senate sponsor of an amendment passed this year that, if passed in one more legislative vote and by a ballot initiative, will allow abortion to quickly be banned in Tennessee should Roe v. Wade ever be overturned. Diane Black also rudely cancelled a meeting with LGBT activists from her own district--people she was elected to represent--because they "wouldn't change her mind" and therefore she didn't even need to hear from them.
Two of a kind in Tennessee.
Believe me, we see it here in Indiana, too. I suppose I should be more used to it, but it still shocks me when I hear something like that come out of someone's mouth. I think that's a good thing. I don't WANT to get used to such nastiness!
ReplyDeleteThe Engineer and I were discussing the origins of phrases and 'The poor you will always have with you' which, turns out doesn't mean what we think it does* so The Engineer proposed to replace it with 'the stupid you will always have with you'. You found some today. Hopefully they will be in diminishing numbers.
ReplyDelete*turns out Jesus said it whilst some woman was pouring expensive perfume all over him. The disciplines were all bent out of shape over the waste. Why not sell it and distribute the money to the poor? So Jesus said 'The poor you will always have with you - you won't always have me.'
LOL, kind of a Diva there.
AK!
ReplyDeletemake that 'disciples'
Even here in the allegedly free northeast we still have a base racism that is subtle and hard to see if you're not black, or not with someone who is black.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the blatant racism. It is abhorrent. Makes me want to strangle people on a regular basis.
it is, I grew up there and I've seen both sides
ReplyDeleteI didn't experience or witness racism growing up either, and am continually surprised when I witness it these days.
ReplyDeleteI know. It drives me crazy. Fortunately, there are many of us who aren't like that, but our votes are outnumbered and our voices overshadowed.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Jackie and I have had many conversations about this. She's black and from here and has lived in Chicago and then Pittsburgh for the last 25+ years. Her husband is white and Jewish, and Jackie said the main difference is that racism is overt in the South and that you know immediately where you stand. It's more subtle in the other northern places she's lived and spent time. She said you don't see it coming and don't know who'll stab you in the back. Unfortunately, it's all over the country but obviously horrible in TN. That assistant should be fired, but from what you said about that state senator, it probably won't happen.
I'm pretty tired of this whole country in many ways and beyond fed up with the ignorant bigots in TN. I don't know where to move, though. Besides, my family is here in Hell, too.