Your points are well taken. I think the difficulty many Southerners face is intrinsic and unavoidable: one is often held responsible, however irrational that may be, for the sins of one's forefathers.
In the past, I often thought about what is is like to be a German that is born after the war. What would I feel having discovered, for instance, that my uncle or my father worked for Gestapo? It is much easier when all this in the abstract and so much harder when it is a member of one's family, isn't it. Personally, as a Jew who lost a sizable portion of his family in the Holocaust, I should be least inclined to be sympathetic in this area. But I am: it's not easy to deal with the legacy of one's predecessors, in creation of which one had no input whatsoever.
I do not know whether you would agree with me, but I think that this is what we are dealing with today. Southeners are unfairly stereotyped, although many people like you have lived their own lives and made personal choices vert different from that stereotye. What is one to do?
My personal opinion that the only way to combat the stereotype is to show clearly adherence to principles. Why should I even be in the same room with a racist, for instance?
Yet, this is what Lott did. No he is not a racist himself. But one need not bend over backwards to accomodate a person with history like Thurmond's and to "encourage him to feel good about himself." As I mentioned on the other thread, just like the rest of us: he did not have to attend the party even if invited; if attending, he did not have to give speeches; if compelled to give a speech, he did not have to make it particularly warm. Even if Thurmond has "changed his mind" about the race issues, his life's sum total does not warrant such praises.
That is what bothered me. Some said, "But Lott is not a racist." Why such a low standard? I am not only not a racist, I do not interact with such. Period. That cannot be said about Lott.
His is a good example of why the problem perpetuates. No, he should not be apologizing for being a racist because he is not. But he was not diligent in making clear where he stands. In my opinion, this is the only way to break the stereotypes, for which many decent people like you pay with unearned disrespect of others.
Ovbserve that, in your own capacity and with resources given to you, you have done successfully what Lott has failed to accomplish. In your nice post you told us where you stand, what you life was and is like, and about your own experiences. I personally am richer because of that, and your (screen)name will come to mind if someone in my presence attacks Southeners indiscriminately. You gave me an extra weapon to speak up and an extra bullet to fire.
I wish all Southeners did that also. Thurmond should have been retired by the people long, long time ago. And younger representatives, such as Lott, should have been selected with stricter standards on sensitive issues. This is not pandering to PC crowd: given the demonstrated durability of bigotry and prejudice in the world one has to be very clear on this issues even the PC crowd did not exist.
I guess, we'll have to wait for people of your generation to flex their muscles. Perhaps, you too should consider running for office some day --- in self-defense: as you can see, others fail to represent you properly.
You have nothing to apologize for. Just insist that people who purport to represent you do their job well.
Thank you again for your original post and your nice reply to me.
Best wishes and regards,
Merry Christmas to you and yours,
TQ