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A Southern Republican Apology
Personal Comment | December 20, 2002 | R Grizzle

Posted on 12/20/2002 7:15:18 AM PST by RGrizzle

I am Southern. I didn’t ask to be born in the south. I just was. My family has lived in the rolling hills of north Georgia for generations. Prior to that, I am told that my band of Grizzles lived in North Carolina after relocating from Virginia. Some very informal genealogy research I’ve conducted suggests we Grizzles (once spelled Grissell) sailed from England to Virginia in the mid-1600’s. I don’t think you can get much more Southern than that.

This is not the worst of my crimes. I am . . .well . . .a Republican. There, I said it. I am a Southern Republican. Actually, it gets worse. I am also a Baptist. Not just any Baptist. Yep. You guessed it. A Southern Baptist. The worst breed of citizen I suppose, but it is true. The scandal surrounding Senator Lott has given me cause for some serious self-evaluation as I come to terms with my inbred evil.

I am proud to say that I did enjoy a multi-cultural educational experience. In elementary school I had a Jewish classmate. His name was Scott Horowitz. In fact he almost converted me during Hanukah one year. It had nothing to do with theology. I guess it was the immoral consumer-centric-free-marketer in me. He received gifts each day of the festival. Me? I was limited to just Christmas day. My friend moved before he and I were old enough to discuss theology so my almost conversion was more of envy than conviction. I’m sorry Scott.

My high school experience was equally diverse. In fact, ours was a racially integrated school thanks to the Hamiltons. They were very nice people. I used to take Michael home from marching band practice every now and then.

But not having been exposed to much beyond cracker life in Hall County, Georgia, I hope it’s understandable why I missed some of the racial underpinnings of the Republican Party. I thought for example the 10th Amendment was designed to protect me from the careless whims of New Englanders and Californians. I didn’t realize that “States Rights” was a “code-word” for suppressing blacks.

I promise to read the fine print of the Republican platform. I bet the foot notes in the Federalist Papers go into more detail on this. Republicans tend to quote them a lot. I should have done more research. I’m sorry Michael.

One of my best friends in high school recently married an African American Lawyer. I was honored to be a groomsman. Of course, he is an Irish Libertarian Lawyer. Luckily he does not carry the same racial baggage as a Southern Republican else his story might be similar to that of Romeo and Juliet. I love my friend, but I’m also glad that I was not his Mercutio. I guess that’s makes me a racist on some level. I’m sorry Patrick and Tonnye.

I suspect I also do not fully appreciate the benefits of affirmative action. The previously mentioned Irish Libertarian Lawyer taught me the frustrations of reverse discrimination as he sweat out the admissions process at the University Of Georgia Law School. Despite his hard work and excellent academic history, he was desperately afraid he would be rejected because of his unfortunate race and gender. My friend found my sympathies, and the Republicans found my vote.

However, I now know that despite graduating with honors at a notable university in North Carolina as well as the University of Georgia Law School plus SAT scores that continue to shame me, without Affirmative Action Tonnye would not have been able to choose from so many schools when she decided to add a master’s degree to her resume. Sorry again Tonnye.

I used to like the whole equal opportunity point of view. Seems that a fellow Georgian did too with his “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” speech. But being a Southern Republican, I’m sure I’m somehow missing the context of that statement. After all, we southerners tend to be on the naïve side anyway. I guess I now need to go “across the board” with Affirmative Action. Sorry again Patrick.

I see there’s a lot I need to change about me. To be honest, I was not aware of the Dixiecrat platform that Strom Thurmond trumpeted in 1948. Victim of an inferior southern education I suppose. My parents were in the yet-to-be-conceived phase of their existence in1948, so politics of that era was never much of a topic at dinner.

The same goes for the Civil Rights debate that the media has helpfully brought back from the sixties. Take school vouchers for instance. I know it was African Americans who pressed the Supreme Court case for school vouchers in that dismal Ohio school district, but the inherent racism of vouchers occurred to me yesterday. Republicans have pulled a fast one here I’ve discovered.

Let’s assume vouchers become the norm. On the one hand you have soccer moms able to drive across town in their SUV’s dropping their children off to a voucher subsidized school. In another section of town you have an African American mother who is unable to do the same thing because they can’t afford a car. So how does one solve this problem? Forced busing of course! It is all becoming clear to me now.

In the days ahead, I promise I will purge myself of racism. I will do my best to mend my ways and educate myself on ways to be more progressive. I will take down my poster of “Ronbo” (Ronald Reagan’s head set atop Sty Stallone’s body wrapped in an ammunition belt from the M-60 he is firing) and replace it with a portrait of Condi Rice. I’m fully aware she too is a Republican, but she used to be a Democrat. Hopefully this act of repentance will give me the tokens I need for the tollbooth on the road to recovery. Besides, I kind of have a crush on her anyway. Just don’t tell my wife.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Political Humor/Cartoons; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: condirice; lott; racism; vouchers
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1 posted on 12/20/2002 7:15:19 AM PST by RGrizzle
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To: RGrizzle
Southern? Republican? And Baptist? Dude, you're goin' to hell...
2 posted on 12/20/2002 7:18:33 AM PST by maxwell
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To: maxwell
I am American by Choice

Southern by the Grace of God!!!!!

3 posted on 12/20/2002 7:23:01 AM PST by scooby321
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To: scooby321
(Well actually so am I, dude... I was just givin' him hell...)

(At least I ain't Southern Baptist though...)

4 posted on 12/20/2002 7:24:16 AM PST by maxwell
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To: scooby321
I" am American by Choice

Southern by the Grace of God!!!!!"

Hey, northern chevys had back seats also.


5 posted on 12/20/2002 7:28:20 AM PST by Bluntpoint
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To: RGrizzle
Thanks for the post.
6 posted on 12/20/2002 7:29:19 AM PST by G.Mason
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To: RGrizzle
“not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”

We must accept the teachings of the victorious north:
1)it is wrong, & racist to judge
2)character doesn't matter
3)deviding people by skin color is mandated by law

7 posted on 12/20/2002 7:32:59 AM PST by laotzu
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To: RGrizzle
In the days ahead, I promise I will purge myself of racism.

Don't bother trying. You have way too many strikes against you to dig yourself out of that hole. I am amazed you even have the courage to show your face in public.< /sarcasm >

Seriously, a deliciously ironic read (but a lot of Freepers aren't going to like it because you've just bopped them squarely on the nose.)

8 posted on 12/20/2002 7:36:06 AM PST by randita
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To: RGrizzle
Great Post...

I have an ancestor from your county....

Cpl. Zachariah B. Tate
Co. B
11th Georgia Infantry, "Gainesville Light Infantry"
Army of Northern Virginia

Born in Murrayville in 1840....

Owned..horrors, should I say it?! 10 slaves...

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa....sorry though...he was Methodist!

:)
9 posted on 12/20/2002 7:37:01 AM PST by TexConfederate1861
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Nomination for essay of the week.
10 posted on 12/20/2002 7:38:11 AM PST by randita
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To: RGrizzle
Mine is a very similar story - though I could never so well tell it.

Have been a Republican since the early sixties and always believed the party stands for equal opportunities for all - regardless of gender or race. How could I have been wrong for so long? :>)

11 posted on 12/20/2002 7:39:46 AM PST by RAY
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To: RGrizzle
Great post! As a transplanted Californian, my life in North Carolina has certainly forced me to go back and re-read my history. What an eye opener! I can see now that the real bigots are the liberals who spew the hate and venom against anyone who disagrees with them!

I, too, must apologize for ever thinking that "States' Rights" has nothing to do with the 10th Amendment, but is merely a code word for 'racist'.

12 posted on 12/20/2002 7:44:47 AM PST by TommyDale
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To: RGrizzle
Uncertain of the amount of sarcasm contained in the above post, heedlessly I take the plunge.

I too, am Southern. Not realizing place of birth was optional, and having known people from all across this great land, I'm happy that my "default" switch chose the South. Born and raised in Coweta County, Georgia, now living in Charleston, SC, I remain entrenched in "Southern Heritage".

Being from the South does not mean that I naturally oppose the promise contained in the Declaration of Independence "...that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights". Quite the contrary.

The difficulty I have is that discrimination, in the form of segregation, has been replaced with discrimination in the form of affirmative action. Lott's idiotic remark will make this harder to make. Damn him.

13 posted on 12/20/2002 7:49:49 AM PST by InspiredPath1
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To: RGrizzle
L O T T R E S I G N S
14 posted on 12/20/2002 7:52:12 AM PST by InspiredPath1
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To: RGrizzle
not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character

My dad planted that phrase in my memory in a manner that I still remember when I was about 9 years old.

Do you suppose we are related? Our genealogy tracks pretty much the same even with dates. I wound up in S. GA though.
I never had the benefit of college, but then I travelled a lot in my lifetime and that seems to have done just about as much good. :-)
15 posted on 12/20/2002 8:11:15 AM PST by OBone
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To: RGrizzle
Just as there are a bizillion good Southern Baptist, Republican, whites such as you, there are unfortunately a similar number of racists.

It's terrible to broadbrush anyone. But for as much as you, your friends, your fellow parishioners and neighbors have been broadbrushed as racists, so too have we broadbrushed most northern liberals as feminists, gays, socialists and communinsts.

For whatever reason, too many Southern Baptist racist whites dropped their allegence to the democratic party and became republicans. Probably because so many democrats shunned God in public places, they found a safe haven with republicans that beliver a courthouse without a creche at Christmas is sinful. Unfortunately, we as republicans welcomed them.

The reason I say unfortunatley, is because we have never strived to encourage them to change their beliefs about race to be like yours. Instead we encouraged them to have the courage to stick to their convictions.

Sometimes our convictions need challenged and examined. Sometimes modification and change do need to be implemented. And change is sometimes difficult to implement and forget the ways of the past.

Republicans as Democrats have been too reluctant to distance themselves from their wing nuts. Just as radical feminists and socialists are the wing nuts of the Democrats, so are the the racists (whether overt or subliminal) in our party. We too often don't either lead the racists to less racist beliefs or don't distance ourselves from them. Until we do, we will continue to be labeled racist just as we label the democrats as gay loving, feminist driven, commie supporting liberals.

16 posted on 12/20/2002 8:30:48 AM PST by joesbucks
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To: maxwell
That was an excellent response!

Eternal hellfire for that sinner...
17 posted on 12/20/2002 9:28:03 AM PST by republicanwizard
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To: RGrizzle
I greatly enjoyed your writing style. But to be honest, I missed the point. You seem to be answering an accusation that was made before I entered the room and, despite my listening to your reply, I cannot deduce what the accusation was.

Who is accusing you? Of what?

18 posted on 12/20/2002 3:05:49 PM PST by TopQuark
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To: RGrizzle
I’m fully aware she too is a Republican, but she used to be a Democrat.

She was? I thought she came from a Republican (the only party that would register blacks in Alabama then) family.

19 posted on 12/20/2002 3:13:05 PM PST by Ditto
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To: RGrizzle
This is not the worst of my crimes. I am . . .well . . .a Republican. There, I said it. I am a Southern Republican. Actually, it gets worse. I am also a Baptist. Not just any Baptist. Yep. You guessed it. A Southern Baptist.

Sorry brother, that is enough to get you drummed out of the Republican Party and/or shot at sunrise! You are a born racist dude! Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, President Bush, Rove, the DNC and the anti-American traitor scum on the DU board ALL AGREE on this!

20 posted on 12/20/2002 3:18:09 PM PST by Walkin Man
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