SC

Robert Ford Warns Black Leaders To Stand With Lillian McBride

ONCE AGAIN, IT’S ALL ABOUT RACE S.C. Senator Robert Ford (D-Charleston) has waded into the “Richland County Robbery” controversy, urging black elected officials to rally around embattled elections director Lillian McBride. “Lillian McBride should not be persecuted or fired,” Ford wrote in an open letter this week, accusing unnamed black leaders…

ONCE AGAIN, IT’S ALL ABOUT RACE

S.C. Senator Robert Ford (D-Charleston) has waded into the “Richland County Robbery” controversy, urging black elected officials to rally around embattled elections director Lillian McBride.

“Lillian McBride should not be persecuted or fired,” Ford wrote in an open letter this week, accusing unnamed black leaders of bowing to the demands of their white constituents.

“I’ve notice(d) a strange type of attitude from Black elected officials who represent districts that are majority white,” Ford wrote.  “They believe they were elected because they were different from other Blacks. They honestly believe that their White electorate voted for them because of this imaginary difference. As a result of this misinterpretation they develop the distorted opinion they have to represent the district differently than any other elected official.”

Ummmmm … okay.

Ford then accused unnamed black officials in Richland County of embarking on “a quest to be like Clarence Thomas and Allen West” in criticizing McBride for her role in last month’s “botched” election.

But was the Richland County election really “botched?” Or was McBride’s “incompetence” a deliberate effort to suppress white turnout in precincts that opposed a massive $1.2 billion tax hike that appeared on the ballot?

We are convinced it’s the latter … despite the best efforts of pro-tax hike forces to cover up the scandal.

Two years ago, this tax increase failed by just 600 votes – prompting Republican and Democratic state lawmakers to oust a 30-year election veteran and install McBride (who is all sorts of connected to the tax hike movement) as election director.

The result?  Mysterious shortages (and malfunctions) of voting machines in precincts that voted heavily against the tax increase two years ago – leading to seven hour wait times in some of these precincts.  These shortages and malfunctions resulted in widespread violations of a state law mandating at least one operable voting machine per every 250 registered voters.

Thanks to this illegal voter suppression, the sales tax hike passed by a 52-48 percent margin.

Why is Ford – an outspoken Lowcountry lawmaker – weighing in on a Midlands issue?  Well, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn has already played the race card on McBride’s behalf … and our guess is Ford doesn’t want to be upstaged.

Of course Ford’s concern for McBride seems misplaced seeing as she’s being fitted for a golden parachute, not a scapegoat’s role.

As we’ve noted in several previous posts, what happens to McBride is of little concern to us.  Our concern is that Richland County hold a valid, legal election prior to imposing this $1.2 billion tax hike.

We’re still waiting on such an election to be held …

ROBERT FORD LETTER (.pdf)

***

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63 comments

Guero December 19, 2012 at 9:52 pm

Billy, sorry you’re confused by facts. Story of your life, bub.
Of course, anyone who voted for both Mark Sanford and Junior Bush should have their competency questioned. You don’t wear paranoia well, Billy, but as a Faux News kinda guy, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.

It does take someone aggressively stupid to confess to being a know-nothing non-reality-based thinker such as yourself. A computer science professor tells the world your math and assumptions are wrong and all you can do is rant. Sounds like you and Lillian McB might be twins separated at birth.

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Fake Henry Louis Gates, Jr. December 19, 2012 at 10:34 pm

Sorry, still trying to figure out this internet thingymabob.

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Indifferent December 19, 2012 at 10:01 pm

Is anyone else bothered by the flag this racist asshole is wearing on his lapel? Who does he represent? He would scream racism if Glenn McConnell wore a confederate flag. There isabsolutely no question this dick is crooked. I can only hope this flag is actually from a region of West Africa that sold slaves. My money says he can’t spell Africa.

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same ol' same ol' December 20, 2012 at 10:20 am

If he loves Africa so much that he wears Africa’s flag instead of his own country’s flag, let him move to Africa. He’s supposed to be representing people here in the US, not over there.

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LIVE ACTION !! December 20, 2012 at 1:13 pm

He wears it because if anybody calls him on it he will throw out the race card. It’s a double standard accepted within the black community(we all know it ) and until folks get fed up with it count on it getting worse.

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Joe Wilson Is A Very Smart Man December 20, 2012 at 2:57 pm

Indifferent,

Ford and McConnell are good friends.

Ford calls him his “brother” and supported McConnells Confederate flag compromise.

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Fake Henry Louis Gates, Jr. December 19, 2012 at 10:01 pm

Come now Guero, call a bigot a bigot when you see one son. This guy is all about smoke and mirrors. Even I can see that.

http://northcharleston.patch.com/articles/sen-ford-controversy-over-richland-county-election-overblown

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Fake Henry Louis Gates, Jr. December 19, 2012 at 10:05 pm

Come on now Guero, call a bigot a bigot when you see one son. This guy is all about smoke and mirrors. Even I can see that. You really shouldn’t rely on Fits for all your news.

In his own words, it actually sounds worse than the picture painted on this website.

by Sen. Robert Ford

As Chairman of the Affirmative Action and Civil Rights Committee of the S. C. Legislative Black Caucus the joyful situation that people are complaining about in Richland County was brought to my attention because it pertains to complaints against agency employee’s and the 2012 General Election. Let me point out our dream of 1965, the right for which we struggled, fought and died was a reality in the State of South Carolina on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. I was extremely proud to hear that in each of the 46 counties voters, particularly African American voters turned out in record breaking numbers and stood in lines averaging 7 hours to cast their ballots.

Let me speak to my friends in Richland County especially those who call themselves Republicans, the other 45 counties in South Carolina and approximately 100 percent of all of the counties throughout the United States of America (USA) experienced the same concerns and issues you are raising holy hell about today.

In other words, my fellow South Carolinians in Richland County the hell you are raising is not justified. The State of South Carolina adopted and approved the election laws and the voting machines. To brutalize Ms. Lillian McBride and her well-qualified staff who executed their duties in this unprecedented voter turnout is inhumane. The issue being, how do we prepare for the future?

I will talk to the members of the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus Affirmative Action and Civil Rights Committee about conducting public hearings across the State of South Carolina regarding the aftermath of this election to hear their concerns and address potential issues. I hope and pray, the concerns that the Republicans (GOP) in Richland County have expressed are not based on the fact that Democrats in Richland County were able to win the majority of the seats in the General Assembly except one.

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Guero December 20, 2012 at 7:51 am

I repeat: Billy Folks’ ignorant paranoia is just as aggressively stupid as Lillian McBrides’ breathtaking incompetence. My vote is Billy and Lillian are twins separated at birth.

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same ol' same ol' December 20, 2012 at 10:15 am

My bet is he didn’t write this.

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Gonzo December 19, 2012 at 10:13 pm

Robert Ford finds white racism in weather reports, traffic jams, and “too-hard-to-figure-out” microwave ovens.

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junior justice December 19, 2012 at 10:20 pm

Also tic-tac-toe and checkers.

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junior justice December 19, 2012 at 10:21 pm

Looking at this picture he should also stay away from white bread.

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Fake Henry Louis Gates, Jr. December 19, 2012 at 10:32 pm

In all fairness, modern microwave oven can be a bit dodgy. At least that’s what my white butler says.

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junior justice December 19, 2012 at 10:18 pm

This guy is a sad example of the pathetic elected representatives who get an inflated ego and false sense of their importance. I could say more but I’m too polite. His opinions mean nothing to me. He’s a “zero”.

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LIVE ACTION !! December 20, 2012 at 1:15 pm

Double “zero” is more like it !!!

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Lewis December 19, 2012 at 10:54 pm

Robert Ford is a racist and does not care one bit about fairness and justice for all. Fairness to him is 75-25 his way. End of story.

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RobertByrdsays: December 19, 2012 at 11:30 pm

Didn’t this dude just get suspended from ESPN for saying this same thing about the Redskins quarterback? If loyalty to his race is so important then I guess he doesn’t like Abraham Lincoln. Someone got Lincoln’s number so we can reverse his actions?

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Mad December 19, 2012 at 11:40 pm

Robert Ford is nothing more than a black Jakie Knotts. A bigot is a bigot no matter what color you are.

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ted halloran December 19, 2012 at 11:50 pm

ok, the real reason was the machines were damaged due to weather, yes, weather. The storage facility had a failure in the roof of the building and it rained etc into it damaging the machines. The Richland Co Election Commission knows this and I am astonished this has not been revealed. Also, McBride would or should have known about this for a general election. A check of the machines should have been made months and then weeks before the election for a good double check. The lack of machines would have been apparent at this time to anyone who worked regularly or accounted for machines. So, it did seem to rain on people and their rights. However, I would not say McBride tried to suppress the vote of whites. Will, you really need to stop the fear-mongering and over-the-top allegations. McBride is just a bad manager, period.

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The Colonel December 20, 2012 at 12:25 am

You missed his missive in the North Charleston Patch:

As Chairman of the Affirmative Action and Civil Rights Committee of the S. C. Legislative Black Caucus the joyful situation that people are complaining about in Richland County was brought to my attention because it pertains to complaints against agency employee’s and the 2012 General Election. Let me point out our dream of 1965, the right for which we struggled, fought and died was a reality in the State of South Carolina on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. I was extremely proud to hear that in each of the 46 counties voters, particularly African American voters turned out in record breaking numbers and stood in lines averaging 7 hours to cast their ballots.

Let me speak to my friends in Richland County especially those who call themselves Republicans, the other 45 counties in South Carolina and approximately 100 percent of all of the counties throughout the United States of America (USA) experienced the same concerns and issues you are raising holy hell about today.

In other words, my fellow South Carolinians in Richland County the hell you are raising is not justified. The State of South Carolina adopted and approved the election laws and the voting machines. To brutalize Ms. Lillian McBride and her well-qualified staff who executed their duties in this unprecedented voter turnout is inhumane. The issue being, how do we prepare for the future?

I will talk to the members of the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus Affirmative Action and Civil Rights Committee about conducting public hearings across the State of South Carolina regarding the aftermath of this election to hear their concerns and address potential issues. I hope and pray, the concerns that the Republicans (GOP) in Richland County have expressed are not based on the fact that Democrats in Richland County were able to win the majority of the seats in the General Assembly except one.

I wonder if Ol’Robert “Mugabe” Ford even knows that Ms. McBride’s plan was about 60% of “…The State of South Carolina(‘s) adopted and approved the election laws and the (required number of)voting machines.

Robert and Jakie, brothers from another mother.

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The Colonel December 20, 2012 at 12:26 am

My apologies to Fake Henry – I scrolled to the bottom to fast.

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9" December 20, 2012 at 5:53 am

You print that picture,and then say it’s about ‘race’!? NO fucking way,bitch! This is about,MOTHERFUCKING UGLY!!!

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BigT December 20, 2012 at 6:58 am

FITS: You’ve Demanded that Voter ID (or Voter integrity) laws are an attack on Black voters…

You routinely tell you LIJE: Benjamin; Malloy; Ford; Sellers…etc…while you impuslively hate so many others…

You base your perspective of Race Relations in America on the movie: Mississippi Burning, that presents a licensed view and was set in a long-ago era….

FITS : and so many easily-led, Race-mind-blanked WHITES are the reason.

We have avowed Racists like Obama, Holder and Ford stuffing their Hatred down our throats, after we did do much to give them more then they could have ever forged on their own lack of ability…

Go look in the mirror, @$$-clown, before blaming those who are Honest about What they are…

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LD December 20, 2012 at 2:22 pm

If I can’t agree with T and I can’t agree with Ford then what? Let’s hope the Mayans are right and this won’t be an issue after tomorrow. Drinking all my good liquor just in case.

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same ol' same ol' December 20, 2012 at 5:03 pm

LD, I’ll be over in a few minutes, don’t drink it all! I’ll bring some coke and girls. (lol, you wish)
It’s 7am in Melbourne, 12/21/12, guess the EOTW hasn’t started yet.
Wait… is it supposed to start at 8am EST? I’ll just have to take a chance then, won’t be up before about 9am tomorrow, I’m off. If I see the comet, planet X, UFO, Aliens, Jesus, or whatever coming, I’ll hopefully get a swig, or two, in before the AOD comes for me.

Cheers Y’all.

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hhuuhh?? December 20, 2012 at 8:20 am

Has anybody ever figured out why almost the entire Black Caucus voted with the TEA parters and against the Amazon deal the first time around?

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Chris Memminger December 20, 2012 at 9:00 am

Spite

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LIVE ACTION !! December 20, 2012 at 1:25 pm

Probably because they were tring to flex their collective muscle in a effort to leverage better employment opportunities for “their” people.
Have a friend that got hired on with them,within 3 months they caught one of those who support the black caucus (ya know what i mean) , stealing a bunch of electronic goods by falsifying paperwork.You can take them out of the hood,but you can’t take the hood out of them.LOL !!!!!

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SCBlues December 20, 2012 at 8:52 am

FITS – You are “all about race” – never missing an opportunity to stir the pot – typical ignorant SC Republican.

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Turtle December 20, 2012 at 9:16 am

Okay. Ignore the issue, keep ’em dumb and available to have their votes “rented” when needed by the white elite in the SC Democratic Party? Hmmm. Interesting plan to move South Csrolina forward.

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Chris Memminger December 20, 2012 at 8:55 am

The least respected Senator in the body ranting about how to be respected. Ranting poorly and in a grammatically incorrest fashion I might add. But the irony remains.

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Roscoe December 20, 2012 at 9:00 am

You cannot expect truth to override ineptness where blacks are concerned.

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Thinker December 20, 2012 at 9:15 am

Racism is apparent in SC. The consequence of an election going this bad is resignation. Regardless what race a person is, a failure this large cannot be ignored. SC hacked had a resignation why shouldn’t this situation. If you want to be paid and enjoy the benefits of a job you do your job well.

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Indifferent December 20, 2012 at 9:24 am

Again, he is wearing a flag of another country while being a representative for people of this country, albeit a loacal representative. Extremely unpatriotic. I wonder if he goes into session wearing a grass skirt, barefooted, eating a banana while scratching his nuts. And another thing, if he is who can get elected, his constituency must have an average i.q. Of about 70.

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Lawn Sharts December 20, 2012 at 1:49 pm

“As Chairman of the Affirmative Action and Civil Rights Committee of the S. C. Legislative Black Caucus…”

I believe he clearly states who he is representing in that opening salvo.

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BigT December 20, 2012 at 9:42 am

Textbook FITS-Sanford Fence Riding…

They pander to the Race-Haters, but then think nobody has been watching them pander when the Black Racism comes home to roost…

So indicative of FITS, and why he is totally dis-credited as an authority, or even a legitimate voice, except for the wobbly-moderates, who have no core or values….

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Thinker December 20, 2012 at 9:59 am

You comment on his site… I believe that validates him.

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The Cauldron December 20, 2012 at 10:08 am

I bet Ford the BIGOT thinks Obama just “isn’t quite black enough” for his tastes.

How do racist morons like Ford get elected in the first place?

Play me that race card, so I can slap it back in your face.

Lillian McBride is an ignorant, pompous, and incompetent imbecile.

Darrell Jackson, Jim Clyburn, and Robert Ford… You are all racists and your hatred of white people isn’t even moderately disguised. Keep this shit up and eventually you will cement into the minds of the unbiased and nonjudgmental people that RIGHT OR WRONG BLACK ONLY LOOKS OUT FOR BLACK.

“He don’t hate me cause i’m an ignorant, incompetent, and arrogant asshole. He just hate me cause i’m black.”

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scsince60 December 20, 2012 at 11:17 am

Well said. Amen.

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Bill December 20, 2012 at 10:30 am

Ford is just a racist: period.
Young Black Men are no longer listening to these old fools. Who keep their power over them by using the “Fear of Whites,” as a tool.
Now, they are waking up, and seeing the liars for who they are.

Being a liar and a crook has always been, and always will be, an: “Equal Opportunity,” job.

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WTF? December 20, 2012 at 10:39 am

Miz Lilly is getting a sweetheart severance deal and a new job with the state – hush money — what in the world does she know about one of/some of our black “leaders?” Plenty is my guess.

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BigT December 20, 2012 at 11:12 am

And you Obama @$$-kissers voted one worse than Ford as president…How dangerous is that???

It WILL bite you HARD…when you figure it out…

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scsince60 December 20, 2012 at 1:27 pm

BHO does seem to have appointed quite a goodly number of black and tan people. Coincidence?

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BradWarthenSucks December 20, 2012 at 11:51 am

When Robert Ford retires, does the job automatically go to Alvin Greene or Lillian McBride?

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lynn breazeale December 20, 2012 at 12:08 pm

Ford is a joke, we all know it and yes the person should be fired regardless of race. People of all races can be incompetent and should be held accountable. Blacks seem to be incapable of honesty when another black is involved. If people want to be taken seriously they should lay aside all their prejudices whatever they may be

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Lawn Sharts December 20, 2012 at 2:10 pm

correct, Lynn. those of us in the real world peaceably get along with different races every day. we find common ground, get things done and improve our community(ies).

what pisses me off is the propagation of race and the business of big-race by folks like Clyburn and Ford, simply for the purpose of division. it is a vapid manipluation of folks they should be serving.

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norman December 20, 2012 at 12:59 pm

I watched an interview with this racist and his main comment was that a southern white man is the most dangerous thing on earth. He constantly plays the black card which has a large amount of the vote in Charleston county.

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brushjumper December 20, 2012 at 3:57 pm

Also, the largest amount of crime in the state with gangs and guns and Section 8 housing of course – North Charleston – DISGRACE

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BigT December 20, 2012 at 1:02 pm

How many of you are ARDENT supporters of Affirmative Action…

If you are: you need to STFU…

Sanfrod did NOTHING to counter it in 8 years…Sanford likely even embraced it, so the media would like him…

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Peter O December 20, 2012 at 1:31 pm

I read the entire piece he wrote and, to be honest, I’m not sure what his point was. He started by saying McBride shouldn’t be fired, but he didn’t give any defense of her whatsoever except for a vague “long lines” comment.

Instead he rambled on with racist comments about black legislators from majority-white districts being scared to be act like themselves. Besides most of those black Richland County legislators represent majority-black districts, anyway.

Is he saying that whether or not a person thinks McBride did well is purely based on that person’s skin color? That’s absurd.

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shifty henry December 20, 2012 at 2:21 pm

Not if your brains are made of Silly Putty, I guess.

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brushjumper December 20, 2012 at 2:56 pm

Point of fact is Lillian McBride is an incompetent professional in her last position, and she should have been terminated immediately. Now the race baiters are coming out of the woodwork, and this is exasperated by the Failed President policies of RACIAL and Economic warfare and division. This is not a story, she is a failure and any black invoking racism is a complete idiot and a SCUMBAG period.

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shifty henry December 20, 2012 at 3:03 pm

Especially if his brains are made of Silly Putty, I guess.

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brushjumper December 20, 2012 at 3:46 pm

The African American communities and their leaders should focus on the following problems within their own communities:

Most American Democratic cities are the new reservations for minorities, poverty, crime, UNWED Mothers, school dropouts(76%), 50 percent illiteracy rate, corrupt unions, abortions, drugs, gangs, gangsters, guns, abyss of crime, debauchery, gun play, school truancy, car-jacking, human depravity, cronyism, incompetence, arrogance, 7 out of 10 murders remain unsolved, unemployment rate is 32.9%, and general entitlement living. With Aid to Dependent Children, (73% Out of Wedlock) minority women birthed eight to 10, and in one case, one woman birthed 24 children and all on American taxpayer dollars. America city reservations are a vast urban wilderness filled with mayhem and death.

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BradWarthenSucks December 20, 2012 at 4:34 pm

I’s gonna need twenny-foua uh dose ‘bamma phones.

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shifty henry December 20, 2012 at 6:28 pm

+ 100

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Turtle December 20, 2012 at 11:28 pm

Detroit; Atlanta; Trenton, NJ; Washington, DC; Columbia, SC. But it’s all your fault, Whitey.

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BigT December 20, 2012 at 4:47 pm

Why do so many Leftists sell Sen. Ford up the River???

His Black Separtists sentiments are NO different than Rev. Wright’s, Holder’s or Obama’s….and FITS supports those…

But it’s Classic liberal to Cower or dis-avow when your handi-work Slaps you right in the face..

Too bad, but I see what you do…Fleeing from what you are does not work….

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LEX SC December 20, 2012 at 5:14 pm

N person

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LEX SC December 20, 2012 at 5:24 pm

Who are the 2 Irmo whores that Brett Parker was banging?

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Soft Sigh from Hell December 20, 2012 at 6:13 pm

Maybe we could arrange an exchange with Lexington County for some of their corrupt and incompetent whites. It seems many commenters might be a bit happier with these.

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junior justice December 20, 2012 at 7:28 pm

Are we sure that isn’t Jakie with a tan?

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