Saturday, April 9, 2011

Celebrating our Civil War!!!

Charleston Democrat and South Carolina State Senator Robert Ford is someone who has never been accused of actually thinking before opening his mouth.  He is someone who time and again has been able to find stupidity in something that should be a no brainer to anyone with common sense. If the name sounds familiar to those of you outside of this state, it could be because of what he said a few short months ago.  In a debate over strengthening South Carolina’s illegal immigration law, Sen. Robert Ford "argued" against a new law because he said that “brothers” don’t work as hard as “Mexicans.” This was his "argument" during an official state Senate committee meeting.  He was supporting the position that the state needs immigrants to fill hard labor jobs; such as construction jobs at the new Boeing plant here in North Charleston, because black Americans won’t do the work.

“I know brothers — and I’m talking about black guys — they are not going to do the dirty work at Boeing, to do that hauling and all that building, that dirty work,” Senator Ford said.

He went on to say that “brothers” do not want to perform hard work. “A brother is going to find ways to take a break,”.

He then followed that up with a comment about “blue-eyed brothers” also not wanting to work hard.

Senator Ford opposed the illegal immigration reform bill, which he said would harm the state of South Carolina.

He was immediately scorned by black leaders as well as state Republicans and Democrats, and called on to apologize, but the five-term senator stuck by his comments. He said his remarks taken in full context were not intended to single out blacks for having a poor work ethic.
Well I guess since he hadn't said anything quite so stupid in at least a couple of months; this week Senator Ford took the opportunity to right that particular wrong and set his stellar record straight.
While clutching a Confederate battle flag Senator Ford stepped to the state's Senate podium Thursday with one of the biggest screw faces I've ever seen.  He was then quoted as saying..."it's time South Carolina started thinking differently about the Civil War."
He said South Carolinians are going to see a lot of those (Confederate)  flags over the next four years. He says African-Americans can celebrate that the war brought freedom from slavery.

For those of you that slept during history class, the Civil War started here in the Charleston Harbor on April 12, 1861 when Fort Sumter was fired upon. Activities are planned next week here in Charleston and around the south in regards to that milestone 150th anniversary.
In short, the esteemed gentleman from Charleston decided to live up to being a true oxygen thief, since now he wants us to celebrate the Civil War.
To me he sounds just as ridiculous as those people that claim that our Civil War wasn't about slavery, but instead about states rights. Of course, I always ask....."state's rights to do what exactly?!?" 

Some local politicians are backing off of the criticism around "celebrating" the 150th anniversary of the start of the war.  Instead they claim to be "commemorating" it instead.

So rather than celebratory 150th anniversary balls and reenactments, we'll have commemorative balls and reenactments.

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, I guess you can always baffle them with bullshit.
I'm forever entertained by those people that attempt to sugarcoat what the south used to stand for; and what the war and that godforsaken battle flag still stand for to me and so many other Americans.
Whats the difference in defending the Confederate position in our civil war and say a German defending the Nazi position in World War II?!?
Where do these people come from?!? These people that lack basic common sense and yet they aspire to political office?!? What's the difference in Senator Ford and those two batshit crazy imbeciles, Congressman Michele Bachmann and Governor Sarah Palin?!? It's politicians like this that pull crazy straight outta their asses and try and pass it off as sanity.
How could any sane thinking man of color be in favor of celebrating our Civil War?!?  I could see celebrating the Emancipation........but the war?!?  What was this fool thinking?!?  He's lived in this state throughout his misguided life.  He knows our trees have borne more than their share of strange fruit. He has to know that Charleston was once the nation's capital of the slave trade. By the start of the Civil War there were more than 400,000 slaves living in captivity in this state. 
I can honestly only think of one reason why Senator Ford would even entertain taking this particular position about the American Civil War.

32 comments:

  1. I think the last photo says it all. You have quite an opinion and extensive knowledge on history and politics. Thanks so much for visiting my site!

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  2. Thank you Write Girl, please do come again.

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  3. Reggie are you joking with that pic? if not dude look like a fool holding that darn flag in his hand.

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  4. I cannot believe that he has managed to serve five terms in office! I don't get it!

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  5. Sen.Ford can be reach any time@1-800-Rent-A-Negro.

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  6. They say that black folks are still suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, the pressure and strain of living under an extremely oppressive government that sells itself as a democracy.

    People exhibit that stress in numerous ways, including being hyper ass-kissing, I guess. Like Uncle Ruckus on the Boondocks. He needs psychological help.
    There's another Confederate flag waving "brotha" on youtube. SMH It's sad, really.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8hPo6mYnks

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  7. No I'm not joking Ann. Can you imagine just how ignorant someone would have to be to step up to a state senate podium knowing they're being recorded and still doing this simple minded shit?!?

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  8. MsLadyDeborah that's a testament to the stupidity of the people he serves.

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  9. BigMac is certainly is a stupid son of a bitch.

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  10. Great rendition of a post Reggie thank you for reminding us of where all this divide begun and most importantly why we still struggle on!!!

    Now which politician do you know so far who hasn't literally ballsed it tits up real good with their stupid comments??..

    You know sometimes I think they come out with some of these one liners and hey presto senator, president, priminister WHO is back on the rador.....personal gain strategy a bit whacked in certain cases but dude it works for some.

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  11. There's one thing about politicians that hold true and that's that if you stick a microphone in their faces often enough, they're bound to say something stupid.

    But this guy.......he goes overboard.

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  12. Reggie, I think you know that I teach American History at one of our local colleges and it always baffles me how little people know about American history. Now my jaw is hitting the floor to think that Senator could, in all seriousness, stand up and spout that nonsense. Now, if a white senator had made those comments about brothas and their work ethic... Wow.

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  13. DaenelT I'm always amazed at how little people know about American history as well. It's the one thing that never changes.

    I was amazed that he had so little respect for himself and the rest of us.

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  14. Well said Reggie...great post. I'd write more but, I'm still recovering from the French Quarter Fest...

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  15. That last pic says it all. There's a quote by Harriet Tubman that comes to mind when I read this blog entry: "I freed a thousand slaves and I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves."
    Thanks for writing this blog entry!

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  16. I recall recovering from a French Quarter Fest or two BayouCreole.

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  17. Daij I can still remember being a young naive man on the day that I met a man of color who actually thought that he was a nigger. It was very very disappointing. I remember that day just like it was yesterday. That was probably the day that my innocence died.

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  18. How does he stay in office?
    Because he's Black.
    Say something bad about Obama, c'mon... anything.
    Even if you're correct, many Blacks will support his wrong views over your correct ones.
    From Marion Berry to this guy - as long as someone Black is running things many Blacks will keep him in office.

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  19. John maybe we should give him more credit than that? Probably not though........ Perhaps it has something to do with the people that have been running against him? I couldn't vote for him myself, but perhaps there is more to him that meets the eye? Once again, probably not.

    I just moved to this county last month. During the last statewide election both Lindsey Graham (a complete tool) and Alvin Greene (an imbecile) were running for the US Senate as the candidates of their perspective parties. I wouldn't have voted for either one of them.....and I didn't.

    I have never voted for anyone simply because of their ethnicity and I never will.

    I've honestly never had the opportunity to vote for or against him. If I'm here next time, I will certainly do just that.

    I actually blogged my thoughts on Barack Obama's first two years in office. I wasn't impressed and I said that. I balance that of course, with the last idiot who was president; and all in all, I guess I'd take Barack. I thought President Obama missed a serious opportunity in those first two years to push through boatloads of legislation. He had a Democratic House and Senate and he could have done practically anything he wanted. Now all he'll get is gridlock because of the disposition of the Congress. It is what it is.

    Marion Barry was an idiot. I wasn't impressed with Coleman Young, what little I know about him. But trust and believe, there are just as many poor Caucasian politicians as there are African American.....just as many. I'm sure that the same thing can be said about Asian politicians too.

    Once again, I've never voted for anyone in my life simply because they were African American. Prior to the last election everyone I'd ever voted for in a national election was Caucasian. To me, the color of one's skin just isn't a valid reason for me to utilize my precious vote.

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  20. Reggie,
    This is that Bullshit son..

    But there has been and will continue to be House Negros jigging to the off beat of the majority.

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  21. We've gotta close ranks on those bastards Dirty Red; to John's point, they don't deserve our votes.

    All people need to make fools like this guy and Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann our focus. They all need to go. We need to tell all of them to go sell batshit crazy someplace else because we've got more than enough.

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  22. re: the black man holding tight to the Confederate flag: we actually NEED people like him to remind us how we REALLY are, what we really feel, what we think, & what our TRUE purpose is. As for the issue of his mentality: well, in short: no fools, no fun!
    One.

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  23. Moanerplicity I seriously think that it's high time that we closed ranks on these fools. They give non-thinking fools fuel for their racist fires. This guy seriously needs his ass whipped!!!

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  24. hope you are having a blessed day reggie.

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  25. As a matter of fact Erika, I am. Hopefully you're have a blessed day as well.

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  26. That flag also represents sepretism, the south got beat, now re-join the rest of the country. Not a big fan of it myself.

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  27. Obviously there is no kind of intelligence test to become a politician. Between this Senator and Ohio's governor, the United States is looking like a hot mess lately. Celebrate the Civil War?!? I've now heard it all.

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  28. BamaTrav it's interesting that you say that. Earlier today I was speaking with a friend of mine here in Charleston. We were talking about the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War and how people are remembering it now. As if "state's right" were the main cause of the Civil War.........not slavery.

    It's funny how time, politics and the need for people to justify how they feel to make them want to alter history.

    As far as I'm concerned, the leaders of the Confederacy should have all been hung, including all the senior generals as well.

    I can't imagine anyone openly attacking our government now and getting off with a slap on the wrist and a warning.

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  29. Mlvlatina there are a whole slew of people in this country that could seriously use an enema.

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