Posted on 12/23/2002 3:07:30 PM PST by GOPcapitalist
With recent controversy surrounding Trent Lott, the leftist media has been woefully negligent when it comes to Democrat senators who have committed far worse offenses. In part, conservatives have responded by pointing out the bigotted past of former Ku Klux Klansman Robert Byrd (D-WV), who recently used a racial slur on television. There's another Democrat senator out there with a similarly embarassing past, but also one who has recieved much less attention, even among conservatives: Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-SC). Like Byrd, Hollings has a recent history of racial slurs. Less known is his history as governor of South Carolina in the early 1960's, when he was a leading segregationist. To fill this gap here's a glimpse of Senator Hollings' segregationist past and history of racial slurs:
SEGREGATIONIST GOVERNOR: As Governor of South Carolina, Ernest F. Hollings personally led the fight against lunch counter integration in his state. The New York Times reported that Hollings "warned today that South Carolina would not permit 'explosive' manifestations in connection with Negro demands for lunch-counter services." The Times reported that Hollings called a news conference on the subject where he "challenged President Eisenhower's contention that minorities had the right to engage in certain types of demonstrations" against segregation. Hollings told reporters at the press conference that Eisenhower was "confused" and had done "great damage to peace and good order" by supporting the rights of minorities to protest segregation at the lunch counters. (SOURCE: "Warning by Hollings." New York Times, March 17, 1960.)
ANTI-INTIGRATION ORGANIZER: Governor Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina is listed as a leading participant at a July 23, 1961 conference of "leading segregationists" in Atlanta to organize a "segregationist bloc" voting lobby to resist pressures for integration. Hollings was one of four governors who attended, with seven more having been invited. The others were Orval Faubus of Arkansas, Ross Barnett of Mississippi, and John Patterson of Alabama. The strategies discussed at the meeting heavily involved using the White Citizens Council, a segregationist organization. (SOURCE: Sitton, Claude. "Segregation Bloc Seeks Vote Lobby." New York Times, Jul 24, 1961.)
RACIAL SLURS: Senator Ernest Hollings has a long history of using racial slurs. Following a poor showing in the 1983 Iowa Straw Poll, Hollings remarked "You had wetbacks from California that came in here for Cranston," a reference to Alan Cranston who finished second. Hollings also made derogatory references to an African delegation at a 1993 international conference, suggesting they were cannibals. He stated "Everybody likes to go to Geneva. I used to do it for the Law of the Sea conferences and you'd find these potentates from down in Africa, you know, rather than eating each other, they'd just come up and get a good square meal in Geneva." He once referred to Sen. Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, who was Jewish, as "the senator from B'nai B'rith." The South Carolina Democrat also allegedly referred to blacks with the slur "darkies" in a 1986 interview and once called the Rainbow PUSH coalition the "blackbo coalition."
This would be great ammo to use against the 'RATs, but we are never able to because a few of your "consevative" Dixiecrat buddies will no doubt be drawn to Hollings' segregationist record and defend him and the rest of the old sleazebag segregationist 'RATs as "true conservatives". (Anyone who disagrees with them about racist Democrats will no doubt be labeled a "southern hater" or something like that).
Most of these so-called "conservatives" are actually quasi-liberatarians who have ALWAYS despised the Republican Party, which only further enforces my point.
They despise Clinton NOW, but that's because the modern Clinton is known for being President of the United States, a federal office. Clinton and Gore ran on quite a different tone ("I'm pro-life! Really!") when they were seeking statewide office, and had the racist Dixiecrats eating out of their hands.
Southern Republicans, on the other hand, hated Slick Willie during the ol' days, but unfortunately had no statewide power back in the 70s when they had a chance to stop him. I'm not a big fan of Bill Frist, but I am fortuante that his state was at least smart enough to jump off the Dixiecrat platation decades before the "more conservative" deep south. In the 1920s, Tennessee was leaning conservative Republican turf. Probably explains why Clinton and Carter easily won their "conservative" home states but TN threw out but Al Bore Sr. and Jr. after seeing their "leadership" in action.
I think eastern Tennessee was pro-Republican and pro-Unionist even in Civil War days.Not much slavery was going on in the mountains.
"You had wetbacks from California that came in here for Cranston,"
"Everybody likes to go to Geneva. I used to do it for the Law of the Sea conferences and you'd find these potentates from down in Africa, you know, rather than eating each other, they'd just come up and get a good square meal in Geneva."
"the senator from B'nai B'rith."
"blackbo coalition."
"darkies"
The context of Lott's recent remark was a self-effacing joke. I have no idea what the full context of the above Hollings comments are but it looks like you are the one who is "quite silly", "embarassing" and "self delusional" for thinking that Lott's remark don't occupy the same neighborhood as Hollings listed remarks.
JMO
Invite 'em to weigh in on Hollings then, and while they're at it, Byrd. Both are racist southern Democrats and neither is a conservative. Until then, don't assume how the people you speak of will respond.
Unfortunately they aren't in any electronic format that's publicly accessable. The best I can give you are the article dates, authors, and titles. If you'd like to check them out you should be able to do so at most university libraries or major public libraries. They keep the NY Times on record or microfiche, or if not, they probably subscribe to the electronic database that has the same.
I guess Fritz Hollings calling African leaders "Cannibals" just a short 9 years ago pails in comparrison to Lotts attempt at making an old man feel good.
Or Byrd's use of the word Nigger just 2 years ago in a nationally televised interview.
Merry Christmas
I would love to be on your list
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.