SC Republicans And Race
Unlike the comment itself, the furor that ensued when a prominent S.C. Republican activist referred to U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama as being descended from apes is completely understandable – which is why the people who have called us questioning our decision to break the story have all gotten the same answer.
“You’re crazy.”
Seriously, the fact that Palmetto Republicans don’t get that this is a serious problem for them baffles us.
But they don’t get it.
In fact, another prominent S.C. Republican activist added this update to his Facebook page yesterday …
Nice …
Mike Green, the activist who made the comment, reportedly works for one of the GOP’s gubernatorial front-runners, while Adam Piper, who is on record as “liking” the comment, works for the GOP consulting firm of another 2010 gubernatorial hopeful.
Obviously, Green didn’t call anybody a monkey, but you get the joke …
In fact, Green’s “punch line” is similar to the one included in this racist flier, which was discovered last year by a FITS photographer on the desk of S.C. Rep. Bill Sandifer. The image on the flier portrayed a group of African-American men running away from President Barack Obama, who was offering them jobs, the obvious implication being that black people are lazy and don’t want to work.
In spite of the furor over the flier, Sandifer coasted to reelection last year and was promptly promoted by S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell.
Long story short, “humor” like this is nothing new for S.C. Republicans – even as the party claims to be focusing on “outreach” efforts to minorities.
So where does all the racist banter come from?
It could be the company Republicans keep.
For example, current gubernatorial front-runner Henry McMaster is a member of a white’s only country club – and in fact has been for decades. It’s the same club that former SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson was a member of prior to announcing his candidacy for RNC Chairman.
State Sen. John Courson and current First Congressional District candidate Carroll A. “Tump Tump” Campbell are members of the club as well, while McMaster and Dawson are also both members of a white’s only debutante society.
How Scarlett O’Hara of them, right?
Obviously, it’s not just Republicans in South Carolina who are dealing with this issue, though.
Who can forget the infamous “Barack the Magic Negro” Christmas message sent out by former RNC candidate Chip Saltsman? Or more recently the effort by a group of white Republicans to strip GOP Chairman Michael Steele (who is black) of his control over the party’s finances?
The point is this – at a time when Republicans need to be playing the game of addition, these stupid sophomoric comments are making it harder for their “outreach” efforts to succeed.
But again, therein lies our point …
As we’ve said in the past, “outreach” can’t be some pathetically transparent attempt to insert a few token blacks into leadership positions, it has to be a fundamental recasting of the party’s mindset – which, incidentally, has to be accompanied by a restoration of individual liberty and economic prosperity as the party’s two defining (and decidedly colorblind) values.
After all, we remain firmly convinced that black South Carolinians are being sold out by most of their Democratic leaders – and are waiting for a party to articulate what they believe in for a change.
Blacks are largely pro-life, right? Significant numbers of black people support school choice, right? And last time we checked, blacks liked to hold onto their money every bit as much as whites, right?
Check, check and check.
Seriously Republicans, there’s your “big tent.”
Comments
By CNSYD on June 13th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Sandifer won based on constituent service and the fact his opponent was financed by out of state money. The opponent may have also been an import which is not appreciated in Oconee Co. Power corrupts and we know what absolute power does. SC Republicans think they have absolute power so anything goes. Obviously they did not grasp the message of the November national elections
By Makes Sense on June 13th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Blacks are Democrats because throughout modern history, when blacks needed someone to stand up for them, the Democrats were there to do it. Just as Rev. Al said at the 2004 Democratic Convention:
“…Mr. President, you said would we have more leverage if both parties got our votes, but we didn’t come this far playing political games. It was those that earned our vote that got our vote. We got the Civil Rights Act under a Democrat. We got the Voting Rights Act under a Democrat. We got the right to organize under Democrats. Mr. President, the reason we are fighting so hard, the reason we took Florida so seriously, is our right to vote wasn’t gained because of our age. Our vote was soaked in the blood of martyrs, soaked in the blood of good men, soaked in the blood of four little girls in Birmingham. This vote is sacred to us. This vote can’t be bargained away. This vote can’t be given away. Mr. President, in all due respect, Mr. President, read my lips: Our vote is not for sale…
Mr. President, as I close, Mr. President, I heard you say Friday that you had questions for voters, particularly African- American voters. And you asked the question: Did the Democratic Party take us for granted? Well, I have raised questions. But let me answer your question. You said the Republican Party was the party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It is true that Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, after which there was a commitment to give 40 acres and a mule. That’s where the argument, to this day, of reparations starts. We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover, and we never got the 40 acres. We didn’t get the mule. So we decided we’d ride this donkey as far as it would take us.”
African-Americans felt this way before Barack Obama was nominated and elected by the Democratic Party, how do you think they feel now? So, I think it is fair to say that the Republicans have been beaten to the punch on block vote, even if Michael Steele (cough, laugh) is the RNC Chairman.
By GTA on June 13th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Way to go Mike Green. I bet you’re a fine representative of Starboard Commuinications and Gresham Barrett for Governor
By Greenwood Dale on June 13th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I guess we get to see how seriously the GOP takes this situation.
Let’s see if Starboard reprimands its employee Mike Green. His joke was out of line and should not go unpunished
Let’s also see if Gresham Barrett, who employs Starboard, responds to this racists joke from one of his consultants
By Dj on June 13th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Racism in SC? Nooooo…not in SC! Who would have ever thought?!? Racism is alive and well my friends, its more institutionalized, hidden, but it always manages to slip out every once in awhile. It’s not a Republican or Democratic issue, its a SC issue. If you get angry by that last statement then you are naive to think otherwise.It only helps stupid organizations like the NAACP (modern version) who live for these moments.I mean come on, who didn’t think that Steele’s appointment to the RNC Chair was a token gesture by white Republicans for image? To reach out to the brotha? Please. Although I don’t necessarily think it was racism in trying to oust him. Just makes you wonder when the RNC implosion started happening because its a goatf**k right now.
There is seriously an old boy’s network that is alive and well here in SC politics and it isn’t doing the people of this state any good. Racism no longer has that outward in your face appearance of the KKK these days, its hidden, you have to look for it, wait for it to slip out. The feelings are still there they just cant outwardly come out with it….BTW you could use some more color in your worship of hot women …pretty vanilla, with a token of toffee every once and a while…..just sayin….something I noticed.I mean, I dont know about you but i’m an equal opportunity purveyor of beautiful women and I would like to see some ethnicity and diversity, but its your website.
By Lord Help Us on June 13th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
So this is the guy that is handling Barrett? Does Mike Green advise him on how to vote on bills and request funding for projects outside his district? I wonder if Barrett shares Mike Green’s views on race (he is from Westminister, SC for goodness sakes).
It’s only a matter of time before we see Gresham Barrett’s true colors. With people like Mike Green running Barrett’s campaign for Governor, only time will tell…
By CNSYD on June 13th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Dj, racism (I am using a broad definition here that goes beyond just skin hue)is a worldwide issue. How are the Kurds doing in Iraq? What do nyou call it when you ask Iraelis about Arabs or vice versa. I was in New England on business years ago and the locals were bad talking the Portuguese. Don’t know about you but I have never given a thought to Portuguese. Roll into NYC and see what the opinion is of Puerto Ricans. So don’t lay it all on SC. And in SC it is also a two way street.
By Eric on June 13th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
What do Rusty DePass and Mike Green have in common?? The answer: Starboard Communications. Mike Green works for them now and in 2000 they ran Rusty Depass’s campaign for state senate. Conveniently, this is the same team that Barrett For Governor and Fred Thompson for President trusted to run thier campaigns. So as you can see bad political instincts is par for the course with these guys.
By Charles on June 13th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Who cares what Mike Green has to say – or that someone else “liked it”? It seems to me this post only used Mike’s Twitter comment to spill a diatribe that Will has long been awaiting to write about – race issues in the GOP. Nothing here, move on.
By Scene SC on June 13th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
It’s funny because it’s true.
By Katherine Jenerette on June 13th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Yes, they don’t get it.
I’ve been active in the SC Republican Party since I returned from the first Persian Gulf War in 1991. In that time I have worked as a Field Representative in the First District and have taught in the mostly minority enrollment ‘Upward Bound Program’ and college ‘African American History’ classes in addition to my American History classes and I have raised four children in this state in our Public Schools.
Bottom line: Most SC Republican Leadership understand very little about the ‘kitchen table’ issue that impact SC African-American’s which are the same ones that impact most South Carolinian’s: #1- Education of Our Children, then Jobs, taxes, small businesses and Health Care, Veteran’s assistance and Social Security, among others.
Trite and clever quips with racial ‘over or under’ tones do nothing to help bring some true ‘Southern Conservatives’ into the ‘tent’ of the SC Republican Party.
It’s called shooting yourself in the foot. But, with some honest work on conservative ideals and principles, without the race baiting, we can change that in time.
I’m sorry, but in South Carolina you can’t talk about our political or social history in terms of ‘black-or-white’ and in the same vein you can’t talk about our history, or our culture in terms of black-or-white. Consequently, our future is intertwined whether we like it or not.
If the SC Republican party wants to open the big tent, try to start with fixing education for real – it’s the one issue that crosses all racial and economic lines. Real moms and dads vote with who can give their children the best chance for a future in these pretty brutal times.
It’s called hope.
that’s all for now,
Katherine
By CNSYD on June 13th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Katherine Jenerette, the reasons most of the SC Republicans don’t get is, IMO, they act like a bunch of rich spoiled college frat boys. BTW I looked at your web site and was impressed but now harbor some doubt when I see you worked for Sanfraud and baby Campbell.
By BIN News Editorial Staff on June 13th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Yet sic(k) willie and many of our elected officials ignore the fact that this latent racism is one of the real problems facing public education.
Fix the racism, the poverty, the funding issues and for the sake of all children fix the shameful minimally adequate standard.
Then, maybe, we will talk about Howie’s voucher scam.
And, everyone wonders if Katherine can ever write anything without reminding us she was military journalist in the first Persian Gulf War. She acts like she is the only S.C. citizen who served.
But, did she ever load her gun? Probably not.
That’s all for now, folks. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaGMMW1kfiA
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
By Pat Hendrix on June 13th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Republican makes racist comment. And in other news, dog bites man.
The Southern Strategy was your path to power, now it’s your path to a generational minority. And think of this: If you opened your “big tent” *snicker* to blacks and hispanics, how many morons like SC Scene would sit by and let their party be populated by anybody other than like-minded white people? Hell, you’re talking about bringing in blacks while your party is running out the moderates with abandon? Give me a break.
Face it, live by racial division, die by racial division.
By Rich D. on June 13th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Katherine, Wait a minute… “real mom’s and dad’s”. Are you suggesting that your personal experience qualifies you to set the standard for what it means to be a real mom or dad?
Seriously Katherine. You live in an awfully glass house to start throwing stones.
By TIM PEARSON on June 13th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
People can interpret things differently. Mr. DePass looked at the escaped gorilla as an ancestor of the FIRST LADY, I looked at it as a picture of Mr. DePass’s mother on a shopping spree.
By Matt on June 14th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Is Barrett using both Starboard and Tompkins? I seem to remember FITS doing a story a while back that this might happen. I think the Internet consulting firm that took Nikki Haley’s site offline b/c they were already working for Barrett is connected to Tompkins too, and didn’t his old First Tuesday firm do Barrett’s congressional campaigns?
By dan smith on June 14th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
well there is a rumor going around rhat evolutionists beleve were related to monkey / apes, so cant say i see the big deal here,cant have it both ways.but of course this is just a rumor-so ive heard
http://www.nydailynews.com/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=1017668#1017668#ixzz0ISqXtgSd&D
By Katherine Jenerette on June 15th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Hi Bin et al!
I know this sounds crazy but I really liked the video clip! It’s a perfect fit for FITS. (Get it?) I feel you are one of my biggest fans!
Anyway Bin, we have to stop meeting like this. I actually have missed your responses to my comments, I wish I had some more ‘toe-nail’ pictures to post but recently things have been more than busy: I just got back from Ft. Jackson and duty with my unit so that equals painted-toes-inside-old-combat boots and one to many Anthrax shots for a day.
Then yesterday my oldest daughter, Benji brought home three Gold medals in the USATF South Carolina State Junior Olympics Championship meet, and my son’s pre-calculus grades are not what I wanted and on and on…What’s a ‘real’ mom to do?
All things considered, I’d rather be posting comments about ‘Republicans and Race’ and setting myself up for some ‘return fire’ instead of contributing to a debate of ideas. But then, this is Politics and we are in South Carolina.
Anyway, it is good to hear from you. One of these days we’ll have to have coffee and talk about the issues.
That’s all for now.
Katherine
SC Junior Olympics Site:
http://sc.milesplit.us/meets/48827
By Lacombe on June 15th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Gee. And all that I keep hearing from Republicans is that they are not racist. Perhaps they keep saying that for a reason?
By Nabil Al-Murabit on June 15th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I lived in Charleston for about 6 months and I was astounded to what I saw. Moving there from the south bay area of SoCal, I wasn’t prepared for the culture shock. I opened a door for an elderly white lady and she said that I was a nice “colored” man. WTF?! Needless to say I got my ass right back to what they called the “left” coast.
Repuglicans like to say that they believe in a color blind society, but they do stupid shiite like this. I mean how many t-shirts, banner, etc did we see during and after the camnpaingn that showed 44 in a racist, negative light? I mean we all heard about the European-American that went out and killed “Black” people because 44 won the presidency. On another note, what’s up with Mike Green? I grew up in an area where it was majority “Black”. My mother had to adopt to it because of her ethnicity. But what I’m trying to say here is this, 90% of the people that lived in that area were married, worked their asses off, and raised their kids. Most of those kids, went on to college, got jobs, married and are raising their kids. Now, I know that there is a certain segment of our community that is trifling, but most of us are hard working, law abiding citizens. All of this goes to prove that repuglicans being inclusive is just bull$hit
By CNSYD on June 15th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Nabil, when in Rome…. You said elderly white lady. So I will assume she grew up in a different decade and place than you. We are reflections of where we were when. I would imagine if I went to Chinatown in SF I would seem and feel that I was out of place. Nothing wrong either way. You appear to be one who lacks tolerance. But at least you have gone back to the left coast where all things are peaceful and wonderful. The land of fruits and nuts is what I hear.
By baker on June 15th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
So, by CNSYD’s logic, if you come to South Carolina and are put off by racist condescension, then you’re the one who is intolerant.
That’s pretty interesting.
By male sapphist on June 15th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Give Mike Green a break. With the current history of this new Mafia government I think President Obama can take the aspirin joke. Everyone who pays attention knows that one undertone in the Obama administration is payback.
Once you name as you nominee for lifetime appointment to the supreme court(the other awful branch of government which is a legislature suprema) a woman member of a racist organization, La Raza-The Race, whom spews racist crap then I think you open the door to jokes like the one Mike Green posted.
The joke is weak. Our president is weaker.
By Tom on June 15th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
It’s pretty funny how the “evil” white males are supposed to sit down and shut up and take all the crap that is dished out.
Reverse discrimination: All the coons flunk the promotion tests so the tests are changed or grades artificially boosted so white males can be passed over to the benefit of those legitimately proven unfit to lead.
Show factual data like black males (6% of the total population) are 40% of the prison population? Racist!
You can’t find compatible bone marrow donors for mixed-race people, but if you discuss it out loud, the FACTS don’t matter; you’re a RACIST!
Dislike anything done by a coon and you’re automatically a “racist”.
TV shows? Always the mythical black family where Dad is a brain surgeon and mom is an executive and kids are gifted scholars and atheletes. PURE FANTASY. Fact is “Dad” isn’t there in over 80% of all black households (if anybody is even sure who “Dad” is…), Mom is generally employed (which is good…the only ones who work) and kids are hoodlums(male) or pregnant by age 13.
Movies also continuously theme the myth of the morally superior negro over the oppressive white man. BALDERDASH! It’s the white man who let the jigs out of chains, gave them everything, and now the result is multiple generations of welfare recipients. Over 85% of all negros born since 1980 get some sort of government handout. White men pay for it. Asian men too.
TV Commercials not only make the white male out to be a buffoon, but are now more frequently showing the negro male with white women. And parents are supposed to be quiet if their daughter brings one of these baboons home? Ridiculous.
All you Lefties want to teach evolution over creation, so let’s spell ot out:
Cradle of civilization was mesopotamia.
First modern humans started there.
Lazy ones stayed put.
Smart ones migrated to places where they had to use their minds to overcome the difficulties of the environment.
The further they went, the more advanced they were (China, England, much of Europe, to some degree, even Morocco, Egypt etc.)
All the while, those who didn’t migrate retreated south as they depleted their environment and the desert encroached on it until they ended up in sub-saharan Africa.
While the rest of the world discovered things like WRITTEN LANGUAGE, EDUCATION, METAL, MATH, FARMING, THE ABILITY TO GOVERN, MEDICINE etc. the Africans existed little different than baboons with less hair…traipsing through the jungle as parasitic opportunists. Like giant rats on 2 legs.
Then slavery came and the Africans engaged in tribal warfare, one group of blacks selling their conquored neighbors into slavery just so they could take their stuff. YES, TYRONE, YOUR OWN ANCESTORS SOLD YOUR GRANPAPPY AND GRANDMAMMY TO THE SLAVE TRADERS.
Being opportunists, the slaves recognized a good thing like a dog eyes a bone. Pretty soon, they decided that even though their species missed out on tens of thousands of years of evolution, they liked all those “big shiny things” that Massa had in the house, and even though they had no idea how to make them or earn them, “they’s gots to have dem”.
(Note this is still prevalent today with $500 cars that have $5000 worth of giant wheels on them. By merceded hood ornaments worn as necklaces. By gold “grills” worn on the teeth and so much more)
Just like the trained fish at SeaWorld and Chimps that use computers at zoos, some of the Africans managed to learn to read and speak. Genetically, however, they were unequipped to make certain sounds; Ask a negro to pronounce the word “Ask” and you will see this because it is pronounced “AX”. here are many other examples. Certain negros, cross-bred with whites (e.g. Bryant Gumball) did learn to talk correctly, but they harbor the same dislike for whites because “Whitey gots all the bling”.
Bottom line, because 40,000 years of evolution bypassed the african negros, the statement that Barry Soetoro’s wife may be related to a gorilla isn’t something to be ruled out. She certainly has the tree-swinging shoulders, long vine-gripping arms, and the neanderthal cranial structure to uphold that supposition.
Of course, by liberal teachings, ALL of us have ancestors that were monkeys, so just because Barry’s mate is dozens of millenia closer than the rest of us, why is that considered racist if it’s true?
By CNSYD on June 15th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
baker, my point was that racial tolerance is not the sole purview of the state of SC. Unless you come from some nirvana I have always felt you needed to clean up your own mess first. I recall many years ago being in a pub in rural Scotland. You should have heard all the vile being spilled as regards the Irish and the English. So SC is not the only place where intolerance exists. My other point was the age of the person they had a problem with. Time will cure that.
By CNSYD on June 15th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Tom, are you Joe Pyne reincarnated?
By Cooter Brown on June 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
All folks is “racist” ’cause dey prefer th’ interests of they own familie and kin befo’ the familie and kin of othas. All peoples is “prejudice” because dey haves to make decishuns; choose one thang ova anotha– I am prejudiced ‘gains otha womens, fer examples, cause I likes Mrs. Brown da best! Enie stick will doo t’ beat a dowg. When is y’all gonna lern dat these werds are sticks and mean nuthin!!! 1984, folks– dis is newspeak an’ meant to castrate otherwise rational folks…
By baker on June 16th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I want to guess at something: Is “Tom” one of those school choice supporters who believes it’s all about helping poor black children reach their full potential?
By lou on June 17th, 2009 at 7:53 am
These men act like they live on a plantation. Trouble is:
There aren’t any plantations anymore. Make a note.
By Russell on June 17th, 2009 at 9:49 am
Green and Starboard are also working for Jeff Duncan, in the 3rd CD race. Green is running the new media stuff.
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