I cannot say that I am surprised by the outburst by the South Carolina Representative, Joe Wilson. I have always called South Carolina a beautiful state with a very ugly history. It appears that that history is still alive. The interesting thing about his comment is that it serves as a constant reminder that things have not changed as much as we think. We must still remember the past, and realize as my Mississippi friend said, "Things won't change until some of the old racists die off." I don't know if he fits the category of "old," but nevertheless, he did us a favor by reminding us that the past still lives and thrives in the hearts of some.
I would not have tolerated that kind of outburst in a classroom, not to mention in the halls of Congress. How disgraceful! How disrespectful! How idiotic! How moronic! How real! How "slave-like!" How SOUTH CAROLINA!
I was so impressed at the South Carolina ball during the inauguration week. It made me think that there was really a change as I saw South Carolina folks, old and young, dancing, talking, and having a good time together. I still hold to the idea that change in that bastion of hatred state is still possible. I will not give up hope.
My mother always said, a fool will usually let you know who he is and then you can move on. He has let us know--shame on him--now we will move on!
I still love my South Carolina son-in -law though. He knows the state through and through. I also know my Hilton Head friend who enjoyed her house on the beach for over 30 years before, as she calls it, she was "land lynched" by South Carolina--even though her $1000 investment paid off handsomely monetarily, but not so handsomely in terms of peace of mind.
Oh South Carolina, Oh, horrible past, Oh, hope for the future.
Shame, Shame on you Joe Wilson. Keep of the good work of reminding us that we can't be complacent and think that everything is alright. There is still much work to be done.
I am posting as a comment, an email from a friend in Israel who also had some insight on this issue.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.JPG)
9 comments:
First there was "Bully" Brooks, then your current [former?] "heart's mate" governor, and now the first congressman in the history of the United States who has called the speaking President a "liar" during a message to a join session of Congress!
I don't know why California used to be considered the Land of the Loonies. Surely South Carolina takes the prize. Must be the inbreeding (and we thought that was Erskine Caldwell's Georgia -- please forgive!)
As my wife has pointed out, what is especially scarry about the health care debate is that the current political atmosphere in the United States is the same (or even worse) than the atmosphere here in Israel just prior to the Rabin assassination. It is very, very distressing for us.
As for the warnings of approaching "socialism", I say "about time!" Here in the Holy Land we have compulsory national health insurance, collected by our National Insurance Institute (our equivalent of Social Security). One then joins the HMO of ones choice and the HMO receives the appropriated feel. (One can also pay for additional health programmes either through one's HMO or through private insurance programmes -- but these are additional). We also have a Ministry of Health appointed Committee which decides which medications the HMOs must includein the "basic basked of medicines". (By the way: no HMO can refuse an applicant.)
Also, in matters of health, all political parties here are in agreement.
As another dual-national friend of mine here remarked, we couldn't medically afford to live in the United States.
Ciao ao todos,
Yishai
Response from South Carolina:
1. I am trying to arrange a joint press conference so that Wilson and our Governor can resign together but neither of them is burdened down with an excess of
humility or insight, and so I am not hopeful.
2. Insulting the President. This is next to nothing compared to an earlier episode by a South Carolinian:
3. It has been said that South Carolina is too small to be a republic and too large to be an insane asylum
Thanks for sharing.... We have been so incensed, disgusted, shocked, saddened, I can't think of enough adjectives to describe the last two incidents involving our President. First the imbecilic notion the right wing promulgated that the President was going to indoctrinate our school children with who knows what political ism. What holes and cracks do these people come out of to display their ignorant, uninformed protests?? My friend in Healdsburg, called to rant about the insanity of it all and to observe how frightening and dangerous it is for people to undermine the integrity of the President in that way. It's that same censorship-minded crowd who believes in freedom of speech only when it is their mouths that are moving!!!! And that disgusting Terry Grier! Houston is the right place for him!!!!
The second one was last night. We could not believe what we were seeing/hearing. That dolt from South Carolina!!! So much for the "southern gentleman" myth. I think it displayed yet another extension of what those ugly, ugly people have been doing at the town hall meetings, the push to censor the President speaking to school children, and those immoral people like Grassley and so many other of the republicans who do not stand up and speak the truth, but instead encourage the lunatics of their party. They are enabling this disregard for truth and encouraging barbarians to act out. They don't give a damn for the country. They mouth this stuff about the cost of healthcare, etc. being put on the backs of children and grandchildren, fooey. What is being passed forward to our children and grandchildren is an atmosphere of ignorance, uncivilness, fear of government, distrust of anyone and everyone whether they are working for ones benefit or not.
And you don't need us to tell you that it is not just sore losers of the Presidential election, or traditional republican anti-healthcare legislation or anything to improve the lot of the poor. It is their inability to acknowledge, live with, recognize, respect, the fact that a Black man is the leader of the country. He is sophisticated, educated, intelligent, and they can't laugh at him as they have at some Black politicians. They are a pathetic bunch who are clinging to the past. It is sickening to see and hear.
I hope that the Democrats have sense enough to draw together and pass this legislation whether any of the republicans are with them or not. It is impossible to debate with fools or the ignorant so forget bipartisan.
The anti-Obamas need to get over it and get on with accepting that Blacks have finally been given a real voice and that they go back as far in the history of our nation as whites do so they are entitled to share in all parts of being American.
(I may not be PC, but I do not care for the label whatever the ancestry- American and especially African-American. It is maybe okay for Anthony, but not for those whose roots have been here for four hundred years. )
Okay, that's my diatribe. Yours was more thoughtful. Mine just mad!!
I'm filled with indignation and disgust over the hypocrisy of Joe Wilson, his fellow Republicans, and all those who are using the guise of this healthcare bill to hide their jealousy and racism. Joe Wilson feels threatened by this articulate, intelligent man who, as President, has surpassed any political aspirations his own little mind could ever hope for. These disrespectful dissenters are cowards in that they are unwilling to admit that their real problem is this President's race. Apology or no, Joe Wilson is an ignorant wimp who has exposed himself and there is nothing he can do or say that will remove this perception.
Anonymous
"The interesting thing about his comment is that it serves as a constant reminder that things have not changed as much as we think." This we must be mindful of--not everything has changed; for if we lapse into complacency we will begin to believe that the work of democracy is done and that all the hopes of the martyred ancestors have been fulfilled. If nothing else, Joe Wilson has helped unbind the spell which persuaded not a few to believe that because of Obama's ascent to the presidency, America had cast off completely her remnants of discriminatory fervor.
One of the things that I find most interesting is that many people feel that it is only in the South that these attitudes prevail. They have just been more vocal and unrestrained in the South, but prevail throughout the United States. Joe Wilson's apology was tongue in cheek. As a result of that outburst, he has raised more than $700,000 for his campaign. Shame on Joe Wilson, but we must never forget that they exist in every state.
hanks.
I have to agree with your second anonymous commenter who was just plain mad….I’ve been enraged ever since these townhall loonies and the TEA party crazies (does it stand for “traitorous, evil assholes”?) got going a few months ago …..some of my “facebook friends” admitted they hated Obama and didn’t want their kids to hear him speak and try to turn their kids into socialists.
I wrote that I expected him to encourage students to stay in school and to work hard to achieve their goals and that furthermore, he would probably speak in full sentences and hold the book right side up.
Hi, Pat-- Your South Carolina blog is terrific-- really tells it like it is. I'm still reeling from the Wilson episode. I couldn't believe my ears. The good news is that it surely did the Obama cause a favor. You've got it right. Note the existence of the uglies-- who, as you say will take their racism to the grave with them, know there is much work still to be done, move on, and keep hope alive. Funnily enough, the last scene in my novel that I wrote today is about hope.
The crazies are out in force now...paid for by the BIG lobbyists: pharmaceutical companies, AMA, health insurance plans, trial lawyers, etc., etc.---all those who have made HUGE profits off of the health care for the middle and upper classes and don't want to extend their largesse to the most needy--Joe Wilson represents that "old school" mentality that believes that new health care plans will include "death panels" (Sarah Palin's term) which will put "granny to sleep". The true silliness of all this came out when schools and districts would not broadcast Obama's speech to school kids--I don't remember any flap when Ronald Reagan or Geo. H.W. Bush spoke to school kids on the first day of school--smells like racism to me....
My 2 cents worth,
Post a Comment