We are a group of friends and acquaintances -- a merry band of pranksters indeed -- who have been arguing about politics on-and-off, then really on, then a little off... since 1998. On email. But that meant literally thousands of emails a year. That was too many. So here's the blog dedicated to carrying on that spirit of political and pop culture argument and dialogue. You might think of us as "schmoliticians", because while we take politics seriously, we try not to take ourselves quite so.
I gotta start going to Session! Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria! So, according to previous posts, a Republican congressman's statements re: a new Muslim congressman do not represent the GOP.
posted by Pete @ 1/18/2007 05:23:00 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
He's a stupid politician, anti-semitic, probably racist, and arguably a huge bigot, to be sure, but, in my estimation... he's right. Blacks should get over slavery and "being oppressed". Because it's 2007, we have a permanent sub-class, and a lingering race problem that's as much due to attitudes in the black community as it is to do with anything that mainstream "white America" is doing to mainstream "black America".
I would have to disagree. I do not think blacks should just "get over" slavery at this stage. I do not think Virginia, or the U.S. generally, need undertake a drastic or unworkable project like reparations, but I do not think an official apology is either out of order or unworkable.
Admittedly, none of the current members of the Virginia (or federal) legislature was a slaveholder. I think the same can be safely said for every Virginia citizen (and U.S. citizen). However, both the Virginia legislature and the U.S. Congress (and more generally the Commonwealth and country) supported and advanced slavery for a long, long time.
What is wrong with saying "The Commonwealth and Legislature of Virginia apologizes to its African American citizens [or maybe all its citizens] and their families for having alloweed, and even supported, the institution of slavery within the Commonwealth for hundreds of years. It was wrong, and we apologize. It will never happen again."
Is this so bad? Is there disagreement among the citizenry that their ancestors got it wrong? Joe Citizen, the individual isn't saying he's to blame for slavery, Virginia (or the nation as a whole) is.
I'm not saying there are other cultural issues to be dealt with, or that this is going to solve all problems. I'm just saying that I think it is the right thing to do, and I cannot see a logical argument against it.
What are the reasons for not apologizing (as a political unit - not individually)? Virginia supported slavery, why shouln't it apologize?
Just to be clear, the first sentence in the second to last paragraph should read "I'm not saying there aren't other...." I also know there is only 1 "e" in "allowed".
My apologies.
The focus is a little sharper 90 miles closer here in Richmond. I've spoken with him, been in his office, and we have friends in common. Last night I had a beer with one of the offended parties.
Perhaps he failed to hold his tongue, or bow prostrate at the alter of political correctness, but Frank Hargrove is certainly not an anti-Semitic, racist, bigot. He's an old-timer who intended to convey exactly this undeniable point: no one is guilty for the sins of his father.
Certainly this is an example of one side exploiting an opportunity.
Strike one against free speech and speaking one's mind.
But do you disagree that its not a bad idea for Virginia (among others) to apologize for slavery? Not individuals, but the Commonwealth? Are Hargrove and Howell correct in their POSITION, regardless of whether you want to characterize them as bigots or The Washington Post as muckrakers just trying to say "maccaca" again?
"Strike one against free speech and speaking one's mind."
As far as I know, he's not being arrested for his comments and/or censored. So, I don't know how this would be a strike against free speech. Just as he has a right to express his (misguided) opinion, we have a right to point out he's an insensitive asshole. [paraphrased from the comments of a former blogger]
Oh come on, Randolph... your blanket generalization(s) about political correctness and the death of free speech are, simply put, baseless (and needlessly provocative). If we want to debate rigorously and honestly the erosion of civil liberties in this country -- unlawful search and seizure, suspension and/or disregard for habeas corpus, racial profiling, detention and surveillance based on religious affiliation, etc. -- let's not ignore the white elephant in the living room. We need look no farther than the current Republican administration (not Hargrove's critics, Air America, or your liberal blogger friends) to find all that has gone wrong in our national discourse.
Why is it that conservatives are so intent on pointing the finger at others, and so afraid to admit that their party's leader, our President -- and his cronies in the Administration -- are an ongoing national disgrace, an ideological and political train wreck?
And, while I'm ranting, how about the fact that yesterday, twenty additional American servicemen died in a country that is in complete and total civil collapse dur largely to our unilateral invasion and occupation? Or that the W.H. continues to spend recklessly and to rack up debt beyond our wildest national imagination, funding two wars for which we can neither define victory nor seemingly extricate ourselves?
Shame on them. Shame on us all.
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