So Governor Bob is sorry.
He now understands that slavery was horrific and an abomination and he feels terrible that his words made it seem like he condoned the practice. He is deeply, deeply sorry.
Yeah, it didn't work for me either.
Sorry good sir, but I find it hard to believe that a semi-intelligent human with some knowledge of American history could make an honest mistake like the one you made. Nope, not buying it.
Instead, I'm going with the explanation that you knew EXACTLY what you were doing and who you were TALKING to when you made your comments. You made a calculated decision to either display your inner bigot, or pretend to have an inner bigot to gain some points with other bigots. Now that you've caught some heat you're trying to backtrack, but I'm not buying not.
Nope, not with Oprah's black card.
Nothing you ever say will convince me that you made an honest mistake. You can't convince me that you just misspoke. You said exactly what you wanted to say to appeal to a particular constituency, and you know good and well that you can even spin your apology to those folks.
"Well that damn liberal media forced me to apologize. You know how those people are so sensitive. A God-fearing white man can't even speak his mind these days without getting called a racist or something."
They'll believe that lie because it makes them feel better about themselves. So, while you may have lost some moderates, you gained the support of the die-hard bigots, and I'm pretty sure in your mind that's a fair trade-off.
I see what you're about Gov. Bob, and no matter how many proclamations you change, my vision won't be blurred.
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5 comments:
Reprehensible, regardless of motive or underlying belief. Plus, I always find this will to honor the confederacy to be oh, I dunno, treasonous? Imagine if somebody in Berlin thought it'd be a good idea to honor the ole' East Germany by hoisting its flag, conjuring up the memories of the Stasi n friends. I doubt very much any sane person in Russia honors the Soviet flag too.
Getting the date of the battle of Gettysburg wrong, is a mistake. Declaring April as Confederacy Month is a calculated political maneuver aimed at throwing red meat to the rabid raving masses that make up the conservative base. People shouldn't publicly apologize for things when they don't really mean it.
agree with you. Don't know if you read Ta-Nehisi Coates' blog but he really appreciated McDonnell's apology, though he was upset by the initial news. I grudginly can admit that McDonnell did give an actual apology, for what it is worth,as opposed to the usual "well, I'm sorry you were offended but" type but what he is still wrong for making April Confederate History month, irrespective of leaving slavery out or including it.
Mr. Coates, and some of his readers feel like it is a monumental thing for a Southerner of the pro-confederate leaning side to admit that slavery as a key cause of the war (something many of those folks won't do) I'm not convinced entirely and was doubting myself but feel better now seeing you feel the same way.
My Mom often said to me when I was a teen and I apologized for something, "what does sorry do for me?" I never really got and don't entirely agree with that sentiment in every situation but this is one where I say "what does sorry do for us?" It just bugs me how these folks get away with lauding these people who were traitors, who did terrible things and fought to continue horrible things. The Germans don't laud the Nazis so why should we laud the Confederates? Also, as someone pointed out on Mr. Coates' site, and as I've long thought, for all those "heritage not hate" people, Southerners of all races come from a long long chain of humanity and can point to many things that their ancestors did (especially those who are forutnate enough to KNOW where there most recent ancestors came from before this land was taken from the indigenous Americans) and to things that we all as humans can be proud of humanity for if they want something to be proud of or to celebrate their heritiage. Plus there is plenty that has happened in the south outside of the few short years of the confederacy that they can celebrate.
Lastly, since McDonnell claimed he did it to raise awareness of history and to boost tourism why didn't he name it "Civil War history month" or something like that? Then again, even if he had he'd still have screwed it up and called it the "War against Northern Agrression month."
Our new Government is founded upon exactly the opposite ideas; its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and moral condition. [Applause.] This, our new Government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth. This truth has been slow in the process of its development, like all other truths in the various departments of science. It is so even amongst us.
--Alexander Stephens, Vice President of the Confederacy
They don't believe the b.s. they say. They speak in code intentionally so the racist ones will be able to identify their Klan-like sympathies and vote for them.
It's scary that they have so much confidence in hate and fear as rallying points, but it's worked before.
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