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Trent Lott - This Black Man's Perspective
By J.J. Johnson, Sierra Times Editor in Chief
Published 12. 11. 02 at 10:24 Sierra Time
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By week's end, incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) will be politically beaten up so badly that it'll be hard to show his face in Washington, let alone hold on to his majority chair. On the left, the big bats are swinging over remarks made at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday celebration - the story that just won't go away. Even well known Republicans are finding his comments "indefensible".
But from this black man's ranch, his comments don't need defending. They should be addressed - honestly.
Here's what started the whole mess.
"I want to say this about my state," Lott said last Thursday. "When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it," he said to applause. "And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years either." - Trent Lott.
Since Thurmond ran for President in 1948 on the 'segregationist' ticket, the statement makes Lott look like a racist, according to pundits.
For the record, I do not believe Trent Lott to be a racist, but here's the shocker: Even if he was, I wouldn't care. Since I don't live in Mississippi, I don't have a say in who should represent that state in the U.S. Senate. But it's the last part of his statement that should be examined thoroughly: "And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years either."
You see, the black loud mouths now clogging the airwaves are calling for his head, which is easier than addressing the fact that 'forced integration' was a seed that did cause many other problems over the years. It's not polite these days to talk about riots, civil-rights demonstrations which in turn gave an excuse for the "women's liberation" movement (assisted in the breakdown of families and turn abortion into an industry), "gay rights" movement, frivolous lawsuits from both sides, legislation that discriminates against while males, turning Supreme Court nominations into circuses, the destruction of large segments of the black community, labor regulations that have crippled the manufacturing base in this country, and an all-knowing, all powerful federal government having no respect for the rights of states.
That's right - state's rights: The key platform of the defunct 'segregationist party'. Democrats today call this 'racist', yet we still do not see the Republican Party giving an endorsement to a "white congressional caucus", exploiting blacks merely for votes, tolerating avowed black racists to hold seats of power in their party, or having a scumbag of a white house resident and proudly calling him, "The First Black President". Nor do we see most republicans legislating programs that have set the movement for black equality on its ear.
I won't list many of the ills plaguing the black community at this time, but virtually all of it can be directly related to the Democratic Party - the one now pointing the finger at Trent Lott.
You will hear the elite among us say how forced integration was a good thing. I remember forced integration. I remember being pulled from my home, away from my friends and family to a strange neighborhood. I remember it being more difficult for my parents to be active at my school - being so far away and all. I remember the race riots. I remember going from one year yearning to get a good education, to a year later wanting only to escape that schoolhouse every day.
Democrats will rail against the segregationist party, and the media will repeat their platform that "No federal bayonet will force a Negro into our homes." In the late 40's and 50's, it was part of the Southern battle cry. Then again, the south held the greatest percentage of blacks in white homes. The key word in the above statement was the word "force". Sure, maybe they were maids, butlers, gardeners, etc. But they got paid, and they weren't over 50 percent of the prison population while being only 13% of the overall population.
No, we dare not talk about such things. Let's just beat up on Trent Lott.
Perhaps the "problem of these years" as Trent Lott said, was the ongoing 'balkanization" of this country due to the new tyranny of 'political correctness'. All of it having to do with the states not having the right to dictate their own affairs. If you didn't like it, you had the right to freely move to another state. Not any more.
I suspect there are many other blacks who took Lott's comments with a grain of salt. He clearly has the support of many black in his state - a state that voted to keep the confederate banner on their state flag - with the help of black voters last year. But you won't be hearing too many of those voices in the media.
However, in my opinion Lott's statement has caused problems for the Republican Party, and it is they who should step in to correct the matter. As his apology has been accepted by this black man, but he didn't need to give one. Much more troubling than his statement is the fact that he has now given a cadre of black liberals (and their pandering white counterparts) a platform on which to pontificate. I was just getting comfortable turning on a television and not having to listen them. It is for this reason, and this reason only, that this author feels the Republicans should not give the Democrats what they want - Lott's resignation. They should, however elect a new Senate Majority Leader (from the South or the West), and then reach out to the black community that has been used and abused by the real 'segregationist party' for the last 40 years.
If I lived in Mississippi, this black man would cast a vote for Trent Lott proudly, but if it's worth getting Jesse Jackson & company off the airwaves, the Republican Senate should choose another leader. After all, aren't there more important issues to be discussed?