Upper East Tennesse's Clinch Mountain (Wiki commons)
Apparently, the “good Old South” is the gift that keeps on giving. News that a staffer for Sen. Diane Black (R-Gallatin) has sent out an email showing all the presidents of the U.S., with a racist image (in the extreme) for Mr. Obama comes hard on the heels of Rusty DePass’s scurrilous statement about Mrs. Obama. This was widely reported, including on a "hometown" Internet site, nashvilleistalking.
If this woman--Sherri Goforth--is dumb enough to think anything anyone puts up on the Internet anywhere at any time cannot go amiss, she’s too stupid to work for Sen. Black. And that’s for starters.
If she believes the sentiments in the collage she passed around, she’s too racist to serve in government in any capacity. Of course, with the armed forces granting “moral waivers” to skinheads, perhaps we should not be surprised.
Perhaps we should not be surprised at how far and wide the fallout from George and Dick’s Dangerous Adventure has spread. One might well ask if there are ANY Republicans south of the Mason-Dixon line who can go a week without lapsing into contempt for those they regard as different. I’ve mentioned this before in this column, but Dubya making fun of Tanya Faye Tucker pleading for leniency is enough to turn my stomach any time the image crosses my mind. That attitude--that it is fine to play the devil to or about anyone regarded as “less”--was part and parcel of Dubya’s bigoted, chauvinist, prideful regime. It stank then, and it stinks now.
***
Tennessee is not known for its tolerance of African-Americans, of course…except maybe Upper East Tennessee, which was too poor and hardscrabble to support plantations. Therefore, there was no need for a lesser class of humanity, for non-citizens…for slaves. Indeed, having lived there for almost ten years, I can say that I saw rather less racism there than I would have believed before I arrived. I soon found that Upper East Tennessee is different. Maybe it’s the Scots-Irish gene pool. Maybe it’s good sense. Maybe it’s historical poverty that filled the hollows around the Holston River with people more intent on survival than on bothering to be hostile to anyone else. Maybe because it’s so otherworldly beautiful, it doesn’t make sense to be hostile to anyone.
Make no mistake; there IS some racism in Upper East Tennessee, just as elsewhere in the state, or in any state. But the population there also takes enormous pride in being cordial and would never knowingly trot out racism in front of a Yankee, for fear of insulting a guest. Hypocritical? Yes, in a way. But least said, least regretted. It’s a lesson, until we all get over our innate fear of the “other”, that we might all take to heart. Or, to put it as they might in Upper East Tennessee, “If you all can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!”
If the Republicans did no more than that, we’d all be ahead of the game. At the very least, and very personally, I wouldn’t feel compelled to assess the ethics of the situation (in this and the DePass debacle, there are no ethics) and I could go outside and plant the portulaca in the pots on my deck before the rains arrive.
At best, maybe we could get this nation to be a real world leader, for all people at all times. That’s a utopian ideal, perhaps, but better to shoot for that than continue with the separatist, ignorant, ill-conceived national identity Mr. Bush attempted to impose upon us through a magnitude of domestic surveillance and international aggression we are only now beginning to fully comprehend.
Comments
Wow, you'd think from your column that Bush was still in office and conservatives were in charge. Any chance you've written anything bashing Obama and his racism? You know how he associated with Rev. Wright for what 20 years? You do know Rev. Wright right? From reading your stories I find your lack of journalism appalling and as I said on CNN's site as soon as you liberals take a stance against racism, sexism, etc when it is affecting a conservative I will happily support you when it is bashing a liberal. Until then tough.
dubya dubya dubya firedavidletterman dot com
Fred: I'm not sure Dubya knows he's not in office anymore, but then, I'm not sure he knew he was in office when he was in office. Dick sure knew; he thinks he's still in office, since we've seen more of him in the past six months than the previous eight years. It would be terrifically difficult to write about Mr. Obama's racism; it would be almost impossible for him to BE a racist, being--as he is--half white and half black. Or did you miss that point?
Might one assume you consider FOXNews to be journalism? Or maybe Rush?
I'm totally appalled by this. Here, ELECTED politicians and their staff members are perpetuating racial stereotypes against OUR first family, and the first comment here just has to mention that ridiculous Fire David Letterman website. Get your priorities straight. Why are you so concerned over what a dopey comedian said, yet you feel it's perfectly fine for elected officials and their staff to send racist messages regarding OUR president and his wife (and this one sounds like it was done on work time)? Racism is alive and well. It's really a shame - and it says an awful lot about Tennessee Repubs - that in 2009 people like you can't seem to get over it. How sad for you, Fred, that you live your scared simple life under a big old rock.
What I find wrong is that Senator Black doesn't seem all that concerned. Republicans can get a big group going to fire David Letterman, but they also think it's fine to keep Goforth on the payroll. Total hypocrisy. But then, did we expect anything else?
Beautiful column, I think I may have to subscribe to your posts. Even here in Arizona, the state of Tennessee has the reputation of being the most racist state in the union behind South Carolina.
We know that not ALL republicans are racist, but their policies sure are, ask any Black or Latino...or Arab. So as a result I don't feel sorry for Miss Goforth, or any of the conservatives who routinely reassure America of their undeniable xenophobic mentalities. If anything conservatives are feeling the results of Nixon's Southern Strategy; you wanted the deaf, dumb, and the blind....here they are. Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2000-20?? Republican Party!
The Republicans are no better than white supremacists (sp); they spread their foul racism and bigoty just like this group does! The Reps have lost all credibility and noone wants them in any kind of leadership power, is there any wonder?? That empoyee needs to be fired. There are laws that do NOT condone this kind of behavior....ANY Equal Employment Opportunity Office knows this! So, why is this gal still in her government job? She has NO business there!!
Hahaha! What a Joke! They are FINE with racism but let's get a 30+ performer-comedian fired for insulting their "Saint Mary", Sarah Palin. LMFAO!!
Please attend Tuesday's Fire David Letterman Rally - AND PROTEST IT!!
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Ed Sullivan Theater
1697 Broadway
New York, New York
Great column. If there is a petition to fire that idiot, I'd sign it. I live in Memphis, and agree that the Republicans in Tennessee are the most racist, hateful bunch of morons that make you just want to throw up. She knew exactly what she was doing, and even had the gall to say she was sorry it was sent to the wrong people, not that she was sorry she sent it at all. Fire her. The Senator should have the guts to just get rid of her.
Ms. McBride, I am not sure if you read these comments or not, but I wanted to send you an email and could not find a link. I spent five years in Tennessee getting my Ph.D. in southern history and now live in Alabama. I support your sentiments about racism and your feelings about the email. I think, however, that you need to watch to use blanket statements about large groups of people. Did all southerners who lived in the antebellum Old South support racism? Do all people from Tennessee share the same feelings about race? Why do you point to ethnic markers such as being Scots-Irish as a trait that would define an entire group? I am not being critical of your writing but want to point out issues that weaken an otherwise strong arguement. If you replaced "Scots-Irish" with another racial or ethnic group would you write the same comment? I hope you, and your readers, will take these statements in the spirit in which they are being delievered. Thanks for a great article.
John: Thank you. Your points are well taken. Had I the time and space that this column format does not permit, I would have further explicated the blanket statements. It's almost as if one is writing a sort of shorthand, in which the interstitial letters--in this case, concepts--just have to be understood or done without. For example: regarding the Scots-Irish, the settlers themselves were poor Scots-Irish in the old country, and developed--in the mountain fastnesses--a certain ability to live and let live that seems to see them through today. And, too, there is, deep in the Irish character, a sense of hospitality that must be extended, no matter what (which I find still true every time I visit Ireland.) That, in turn, probably comes from the underlying Celtic culture and Brehon Law.
But, no room and no time, mainly. But I do appreciate your points, very much. And I shall see if there is some way to post an email address through which readers may also send comments.
Thanks agai
Fred, you're attempting to defend the indefensible... or at least deflect it with some inane "lib'rul bias" straw man. The facts remain - not to ignore the "Obama Bucks" & White House watermelon patch emails, or the Kentucky congressman referring to Obama as 'that Boy' - these GOP racist "gaffes" keep recurring at alarming rates. And it's not just in the South.
Obviously, there's a comfort level or like-mindedness within the party... otherwise this article isn't written. And until that racist, xenophobic element is addressed by the GOP, their efforts to be more inclusive (as they claim to want) are feculent.
Meanwhile, if you're really interested in offering solutions to this nation's problems, then you need to purge this liberal-conservative mindset, and start acting like an adult.
Ms. McBride - you're nothing less than a race-baiter and you should keep your opinions about TN and the South to yourself.
And please, never come back to TN again.
This whole issue is retarded.
Mr. Trent: You're a little late with your gracious invitation. When I lived in TN, worked for a newspaper, and wrote a story about a new New Age business in town, the YOUTH MINISTER from a local church wrote a letter to the editor saying, "Yankee Go Home." What a way to demonstrate Christian values to the kids! I treasure that letter to this day. It showed me unchristian sentiment spewed at me because the author couldn't bear that anyone didn't think as he did; like you, I suspect, he thought everything in the South, no matter what kind of dung it was, smelled like a rose. BTW, there are stinky things up North, too; I'm no big fan of New Jersey, with its penchant for electing, to say the least, unsuitable people to the governorship. But again, thanks for your invitation. I shall treasure it, as well.
It was in Tennessee when I heard the first words out of a trashy looking white supremacist, while passing by, calling me a "chink." I can relate to the bigotry that is pervasive in that particular state and wonder what made them think they are so superior.
This does not help the domestic or international reputation of Republicans now full of white supremacist traitors and terrorists, and the neo-conservative neo colonialists.
Oh, one more thing. I and many other Asian professionals "used" to be Republican until these "wackos" decided to take it over.
Good luck trying to regain the trust of many of us who will have much influence in the state of affairs of this country.
God Bless America.
Thank you, Ms. McBride! And God Bless President Obama and his team!
Do we know if Sherri Goforth created the image? If not, did she get it from someone higher up the TN RNC and that is why she has not been fired?
It's not just Upper East Tennessee, but the whole eastern 3rd of the state that was different from much of the South and North. East Tennessee never had much slavery, overwhelmingly supported the North in the Civil War and contributed a large number of Union soldiers and militia to fight the Confederate veterans' Ku Klux Klan from the western 2/3rds of the state. Eric Foner's acclaimed book on Reconstruction even has mention of the postwar biracial Union League of Maryville, East Tennessee which reached a level of interracial political action unheard of in the 19th Century and probably exceeding that many modern locales such as Tempe, Arizona where some apparently think Tennessee is a racist state.
Mack from Tennessee: Thank you for all that. I didn't know about the Maryville Union League--very interesting. I spoke only of Upper East Tennessee, as that's all I knew first-hand...although Maryville, being just the other side of Knoxville (major shopping/culture venue for me when I was there), perhaps should have been more well-known to me. In any case, I shall look up that book, also. I find the area not only salubrious in many, many ways, but immensely interesting.
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