When I lived in Virginia, inside the beltway Trent Lott and his family where neighbors. I first met Trent while putting a Solidarity Day 1980 flyer on his porch. After that we spoke when ever we saw each other, he was always friendly. His wife is a wonderful woman and was one of the few stay at home moms in our subdivision. My daughter, Cindy, was a frequent after school visitor to the Lott home. His boys are great and were well behaved.
I have no doubt that he is a racist as are most of the white guys in the South not in public but you know those conversations when they think they can talk real with each other they tend to think alike. Lott is the product of his up bringing period. I am glad he is no longer Majority Leader and would like to see him out of office. But he is a Southern Gentleman and that means bigot for the most part. It is such a shame these folks miss so much.
Joanne- I hear what you are saying, but I think that Lott has proven himself to be a grade "A" jerk. He is not some good ole boy telling racist jokes at the corner bar. He is a sophisticated, seasoned senator. As far as his upbringing, at his point in his life, he should have gotten beyond that. If he hasn't, he never should have gotten as far in public service as he did.
I too am glad that he resigned. He certainly would no longer be an efffective leader in the Senate.
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Lightwizard
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Fri 20 Dec, 2002 09:18 pm
I think it will effectively put pressure on especially the Southern Senators and Congressmen to show they are not racists or bigots by their future actions. They've always resembled Dixiecrats in disguise.
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edgarblythe
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Fri 20 Dec, 2002 10:10 pm
Trent Lott is representative of quite a few voters in their thinking. It is a value system that ought to be long gone, but I am sure variations will be with us for the forseeable future. The thing is, they genuinely believe they are right to be like that. I don't see a law or education that can wipe out visceral feelings that cause voters to support the Trent Lotts.
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dyslexia
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Fri 20 Dec, 2002 10:11 pm
i dont know whether i am more disaopointed in Lott or the fact that he spent so many years in the House and the Senate with approval. Even Thurman changed over the years but not Lott and he ended up as Senate Majority Leader with the approval of his cohorts.
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JoanneDorel
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Fri 20 Dec, 2002 11:01 pm
It would be nice but I do not think they can change. I used to get so sick of them fianlly one day I got the courage to call one out in an all white group. A DOJ senior lawyer he was so embarrased but did not argue just left. Now when that kind of thing happens, a white person either male of female, I call them a racist bigot. Shuts them right up.
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eoe
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Fri 20 Dec, 2002 11:19 pm
I was surprised he actually resigned. Less than a week ago, a group of us were talking and absolutely no one expected him to let go of his post. I thought he was smarter than he turned out to be, apologizing all over the place, just throwing oil on the fire, rather than giving us one apology, as sincere as he could possibly fake it, and then shut the hell up. It never ceases to amaze me just how stupid some politicians are. It makes you wonder how they got so far in life. Without a daddy paving the way.
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au1929
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Sat 21 Dec, 2002 09:29 am
They say the lessons and values learned when young stay with you the rest of your life. I don't expect people to change and couldn't care less about their innermost feelings. The problem as I see it is when and if an individual acts out these prejudices.
Is their any of us so pure that we have no prejudices and have never uttered a derogatory word or told an offensive joke about a different ethnicity, race or religion?
As for Lott, what could one say? Being on the political scene as long as he has he should have known better.
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Phoenix32890
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Sat 21 Dec, 2002 09:32 am
au1929- Exactly. I think that there is not a human being living, who does not have a preconceived notion, a prejudice about one group of people or another. Mature people, of good will, refrain from acting on those feelings.
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blatham
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Sat 21 Dec, 2002 11:21 am
Yes, we are all somewhat guilty of growing up within an influential context. In a private discussion with perception, I acknowledged that the fact my father was a union organizer and my mother a from a pacifist religious group went a long way to explaining my political leanings. I think it all quite unavoidable, in a general sense. Partly, it seems a matter of not just 'this is right/that is wrong', but of appreciating things richer than that, of sympathizing with the positives that we find everywhere. I can, at least theoretically, understand a sympathy for a traditional southern heritage, for the good parts of that. Given these sorts of sympathies, one can be a bit blind to the negatives.
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Gala
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Sat 21 Dec, 2002 12:18 pm
I'm not surprised he resigned. Specifically, because if he remained in his position he would actually have to make good on all his protestations he made while apologizing, i.e. in his contrition he came out in favor of Affirmative Action. Republicans of his ilk would not be able to tolerate any race other than the white race from getting a leg up in life.
Joanne, naturally he was a good neighbor and his children were well-mannered. Appearances count for most people, but when you are a politician, it is essential. I always found him to be a mean-spirited man by what I saw, and besides, he has the most bizarre configuration of hair I've ever seen.
Resigned did someone say resigned. I think if you examined his backside you would find Bush's boot print.
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JoanneDorel
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Sat 21 Dec, 2002 03:00 pm
That is so funny au1029 and so true.
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Gala
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Sat 21 Dec, 2002 05:34 pm
Well, the point is, booted or stepped down, the ol' white boy network will continue to thrive.
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au1929
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Sat 21 Dec, 2002 05:45 pm
Gala
Birds of a feather, you know the rest. Or a leopard doesn't change his spots. However, as long as they do not act out their hatred I would say they are entitled to their beliefs.
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eoe
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Sat 21 Dec, 2002 06:15 pm
Bush's boot print?
Good one!
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Gala
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Sun 22 Dec, 2002 02:01 pm
au. I would say they are acting out their hatred through the back door: Drilling for oil in Alaska, reducing pollution standards, not enforcing voting rights act...you get the picture.
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au1929
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Sun 22 Dec, 2002 03:46 pm
Gala
I think you are mixing apples and onions. Those actions have nothing to do with racial beliefs. They are involved in sweetening the pot.
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Gala
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Sun 22 Dec, 2002 05:00 pm
au, I only partially agree. The race issue is a piece of the discrimination. Sweetening the pot means screwing alot of people. It's no secret that this administration has contempt for people who aren't as wealthy as them.
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