How can we have "Democratic" racists?

[RiverStone]

I have always associated the Democratic party with inclusiveness and compassion; our more progressive values have always slanted towards protecting individual freedoms in speech, religion, reproductive rights, and employment. Our party has championed equal opportunity, affirmative action, and separation of church and state.

I remember when the Dems ruled the south - I grew up as a kids in the 60's just north of Atlanta. That party felt more driven by a populist message then liberal vs conservative. But over time, the rethugs inherited the mantle of the religious right, and became the dominant party in the southland.

These days, I have grown to associate intolerance and bigotry with the rethugs.

Sadly, it seems in some quarters - racism is alive and well within our own ranks. I just don't get how someone who professes to believe in the values our party holds dear, can harbour a racist mentality as well?

I never thought I'd be associating contemporary Democrats (anywhere) with racism because one seems to be the antipathy of the other. I thought the good ol boy Democratic party died a long time ago; that we passed along those racists traits to the Trent Lott and Jesse Helms of the world.

Apparently not as completely as I thought.




on edit: kant spel

[MonkeyFunk]

1. Because

racism, and sexism, and homophobia, and all forms of bigotry, don't align directly with a political point of view.

[Bullet1987]

2. It was always here in the Dem Party

it was just never a factor because we didn't have a serious Black candidate for President.

[RiverStone]

3. If that's true, maybe it's a good thing we were forced to take...

...a close look in the mirror?

[rucky]

4. Rush and Mark Penn are punking the Democrats, big time. n/t

[TahitiNut]

5. I'm old enough to remember "Southern Democrats" and "Dixiecrats" and George Wallace.

I lived in George Wallace's Alabama in 1963-64. Just another reason I'm an independent liberal.

[RiverStone]

8. And I remember that racist idiot Lestor Maddox - Gov. of GA

Who was an outright segregationalist.

Did not Wallace finally acknowledge his racist beliefs were wrong before he died?

[TahitiNut]

14. Axe-handle Maddox ... "He's not a racist so stop saying that!" (Same ol', same ol'.)

Wallace NEVER admitted racism ... he merely acknowleded that he was wrong to resist desegregation. Strangely, he never admitted that his segregationist stance was race-based ... merely "states rights." Alabama's racists ALWAYS lauded his "constitutional" expertise. It was "principled" - didn'tcha know?

While I was living in Alabama, I was a "ni__er-loving Yankee." If there was anything lower than a black, it was a "ni__er-lover." I really can't even begin to describe the experience. Surreal and nightmarish. (I left within days of "Mississipi Burning.") Detroit wasn't all that much better ... but it was at least a little. There was NOWHERE nearly as much bizarre rationalization - religious, constitutional, etc. There was no pretense of "principle" - and much more "Racism-by-Proxy." Part of the surrealism was the southerners' stance that "at least we're honest about it." (Enough to know I was in a logic-free zone.)

[cliffordu]

26. I was in Alabama

assigned to Fort Rucker in the Army in '68. - Dothan, the town outside the fort was the most openly racist place I'd ever seen. There was STILL a segregated drinking fountain at a gas station on the way out of town in the opposite direction of the fort.

As yankees we were 'counseled' that things were going to be 'different' in Alabama than we had seen...

[backscatter712]

18. Actually, your reason is why I'm a registered Democrat.

I've been an independent for a long time.

Then I decided to join the Democratic Party - not simply to adhere to their ideology, but to exert my own influence on the direction on the party, and make sure it holds to its promises of working for the people, striving for equality and social justice.

I'm in the party specifically to get myself in the faces of those wannabe Dixiecrats and DLCers and Blue Dogs, to tell them and to push the party in a newer, better direction.

You think I'm on this ride just as a passive observer, you're wrong.

[Carolina]

6. The Dixiecrats of yesteryear

were Democrats who abandoned the party over civil rights and desegregation. George Wallace was a Democrat! Many Dixiecrats, like Strom Thurmond, became Republicans.

[jpak]

7. Cuz Lincoln wuz a Republican

:evilgrin:

[boppers]

28. Lincoln was also a racist, by today's standards.

Interesting stuff in the bottom of his memorial. Last time I was there, I saw two guys who were utterly flabbergasted by the exhibit, painting Lincoln with his own words. It was as if the history lessons they had grown up all their lives with had painted Lincoln as a man of upstanding moral character, fighting for equality.

Yeahbutno. The guy wanted to end slavery, not promote equality.

[BlooInBloo]

9. Um, in America, you have racism anywhere you have white folks....

It's just convenient for Democrats to hide it by saying "it's just republicans".

[RiverStone]

13. Well, maybe it's a good thing we were forced to look at it. n/t

[BlooInBloo]

20. Yup. We can't just point at the repubicans on this one.

[SoCalDem]

10. Because, over the years the parties have been pulled apart

towards the extremes on both sides, and the mushy middle has become the accepted playing field. People who would have once been liberal republicans, are now calling themselves conservative democrats.

If a person wants to run for office in a democratic area, but they happen to be a reactionary, the know better than to run as a republican..some goes for the flipside.

We have diluted the party with wish-washies. we may THINK that a conservative democrat says things that will allow republicans in their area to vote for him/her, but there is also the possibility (probability?) that sometimes those are REALLY the convictions of the candidate, and not just something they say to get elected.

Racism knows no real boundaries, and it is not confined to a particular political party :(

[cliffordu]

27. NIce photo!!

[xultar]

11. Same way there are Democratic Sexists and Homophobes.

[murielm99]

15. A lot of that has been displayed in this primary season, too.

I will not forget the way Clinton was treated, here and in other places. And I will not forgive Obama for pandering to homophobes in the AA community. Glossing over this will not make it go away.

[Binka]

21. Back On Topic Muriel The Thread Is About Racism

Funny you should show up here and completely miss the point (INTENTIONALLY) just so you could Boo Hoo Hillary and cap on Obama. You are something else. What that else is I won't say. But it is being discussed in the OP!

Have a blessed day in LILLY WHITE Ogle County IL.!:hi:

[murielm99]

24. You do not get to imply that I am a racist.

If I want to point out the sexism and homophobia that have been more than prevalent in this campaign, I do not need the permission of a shit-flinger like you.

Do you live in wine country? How interesting! How integrated is your elite county? You know nothing about me or where I live, nothing about our ethnicity, our problems our strong points. Your ignorance shows the more I read your posts. I guess the solution is to stop reading them.

It is easy to call someone a racist in the heat of partisan bickering. How typical of Obama supporters. How interesting that you don't seem to care that you are losing support for him with every ignorant attack that you post.

[Fredda Weinberg]

12. You're not old enough to remember and didn't bother to learn history

Sorry, but the Democratic Party has been at war with itself for generations.

[RiverStone]

16. Or maybe I have been away from the south for too long

Living on the west coast now for 25 years, in BLUE Washington and Oregon, is it fair to assume the Dems out here are less racist then the WV (for example) Dems?

I sure as hell don't recall running into any personalities active within the party that harbored racist views.

But I'll admit it's easy not to see, what I don't want to.

[Fredda Weinberg]

22. Boston rioted over desegregation ... they're not in the south, last I looked

Racism is everywhere and the term is meaningless except as a derogatory term, usually signifying the opponent is resorting to victimhood as an offense.

Take your own bigotry elsewhere. I deliberately live in a mix 'hood where my kind mingles w/African Americans. The Democratic Party is exactly, as elsewhere, internally divided.

[boppers]

29. New York

Within the last 50 years.

Yankees have no great claim to racial tolerance.

[murielm99]

25. I think it is fair to assume that.

Actually, I do run into racism in Democrats in my part of the world. It is discouraging. In fact, I know a racist Democrat who is an Obama supporter. When I called him on it, he told me that he does not support Obama because he hates Clinton. He thinks Obama is the better candidate, and that Obama is "different from the rest of them."

I think that some Democrats who are racist have had very little contact with African Americans. A little one on one education would change most of them. Their type of racism is not the hate-spewing type, but the more subtle type born of misconceptions.

We can't assume that we are perfect just because we are Democrats. I suspect that there are non-racist republicans, too.

[AtomicKitten]

17. their response to Hillary's race-baiting has been enlightening

It seems her supporters either are in denial and ignore it (like many do here at DU) or they are perfectly fine with it ... either way does not bode well for party unity. And here's the upside of that: A party realignment is in progress. Those committed to progress, change, and inclusiveness are uniting under the Obama campaign including people of all political persuasions, and the others will have to find a spot somewhere on the political spectrum that more closely mirrors their vision of America with all its limitations and divisions.

[crankychatter]

19. Anti-Arab and anti-Immigrant sentiment is boiling over in America with the help of Dobbs and Co.

it's a damn shame

it's emboldened the worst among us... and acted as a catalyst for those with racist predisposition

[redqueen]

23. Yup...

*sigh*

[Cali_Democrat]

30. One word...

Dixiecrats