Tag Archives: South Carolina

Stupid Remark of the Day …

Posted on by under Global Issues, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry

When Ms. Nikki Haley was governor of South Carolina, I had some admiration for her, based on what little I knew of her.  While Ms. Haley had not, in the past, been supportive of removing the Confederate flag from the statehouse grounds, after the Charleston church shooting where Dylan Roof murdered nine African-Americans, Haley changed her stance with good grace …

“These grounds [the State Capital] are a place that everybody should feel a part of. What I realized now more than ever is people were driving by and felt hurt and pain. No one should feel pain. There is a place for that flag. It’s not in a place that represents all people in South Carolina.”

She also refused to support anti-LGBT legislation that would have required transgender individuals to use restrooms based on biological sex instead of gender identity …

“These are not instances… Y’all haven’t reported on anything. I haven’t heard anything that’s come to my office. So when I look at South Carolina, we look at our situations, we’re not hearing of anybody’s religious liberties that are being violated, and we’re, again, not hearing any citizens that feel like they are being violated in terms of freedoms.”

She called for Donald Trump to release his tax returns, and in turn was the victim of Trump’s verbal assault.

And that was most of what I knew of Haley, and I liked what I saw.  However, when Trump named her to the position of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, I had grave concerns.  First, she had no experience in foreign policy and her limited experience, I felt, would ensure that she was in far over her head.  But, Donnie didn’t listen to me, so there she sits.

What respect I once had for Nikki Haley has long since evaporated, for a number of reasons, the main one being that once named as Ambassador, she quickly lost her values and became just another of Trump’s lap dogs, doing the tricks he trained her to do.  But this week, she said something so unconscionable, so stupid and ludicrous, that I have to call her on it.

In 2016, 15,000 Syrian refugees were admitted to the U.S.  In 2017, that number dropped to 3,000.  And by the end of the first quarter of 2018, fewer than 12.  Given Trump’s xenophobic, Islamaphobic immigration policies, is it any wonder that they are afraid to come to this country?  But no, says Haley, the reason they have stopped coming is because they would rather stay in Syria.  I want to let out a primal scream on this one, but I am trying to remain calm, to use my words rather than shred my vocal chords.

Dear Ms. Haley,

I have had the honour and pleasure to live next door to a family of Syrian refugees – father, mother, and three sons – since December 2014.  Normally, I would expect a person in your position to have a greater understanding than I on this topic, but since you obviously do not have any understanding, please allow me to enlighten you.

This family spent years taking turns staying up all night and watching … watching for soldiers, listening for gunshots, listening for planes overhead so that whichever adult was on ‘watch duty’ that night could awaken the others, and they could herd the children to the nearest place of safety.  They saw friends and family killed.  They had no electricity much of the time, no refrigeration ever.  They came to this country, after a long wait, because they wanted to give their boys a life free of bombs, soldiers, chemical attacks, and fear … always fear.  They wanted a better life for their children, just as we all do.

Yes, they miss Syria, miss their homeland, their friends, their families.  And no, given different circumstances, they would likely not have chosen to come to the U.S. where they are taunted and teased for their dress, their language and their religion.  But make no mistake, they did come here seeking a safe haven, and others would as well … certainly more than a dozen in three months.  But we no longer welcome them.  We have a cruel man leading the nation who has promoted hatred of immigrants, who has encouraged violence against refugees, so they are now nearly as afraid to come here as they are to remain in Syria.

“They want to stay as close to Syria as they can so that when, God willing, this fighting stops and when there is finally stability and peace in that area, they want to go rejoin their family members. They want to go back to what they remember.”

Ms. Haley … under what circumstances do you actually see the fighting in Syria stopping?  Do you truly believe there will ever, in your lifetime, be peace in Syria?  Because if you believe that, you have just proven my initial conclusion, that you are highly unqualified for your position.  Peace in Syria in the next 50 years is about as likely as me sprouting wings and flying.

No, Ms. Haley, Syrians have not stopped coming to the U.S. because they prefer to stay in Syria and live in fear day-after-day.  Syrians have stopped coming here because the ‘man’ sitting in the Oval Office, your boss, has made the U.S. a living hell for Middle Eastern immigrants. We should be ashamed, and the majority of us, myself included, are.

My neighbors, by the way, are among the kindest people I have ever known.  They are constantly making special treats for us, I am free to use their car any time I need to, we share meals on holidays, and when I had my eye surgery, they brought me a bouquet of flowers.  They are as worthy as anybody I know to live in this country, and I am proud to call them ‘friend’.

As for you, Ms. Ambassador, I suggest you seek advice from some former State Department officials who may be able to help you understand the Middle East before you open your mouth again.

Sincerely …

South Carolina Wants To Leave Home …

Posted on by under Political commentary, Social commentary

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union in December 1860, and was one of the founding member states of the Confederacy in February 1861.  And now, they want to do it again.  According to an article in The Hill …

A group of Republican state legislators in South Carolina introduced a measure Thursday that would allow the state to secede from the United States if the federal government began to seize legally purchased firearms in the state.

The bill, which was referred to the state House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, would allow South Carolina lawmakers to debate whether to secede from the United States if the federal government were to violate the Second Amendment.

It states that “the general assembly shall convene to consider whether to secede from the United States based upon the federal government’s unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution if the federal government confiscates legally purchased firearms in this state.”

Now, since the major secession of the Civil War, a number of states have gotten their knickers in a wad and tried to run away from home, but in each case the idea either failed to gain momentum or was struck down in the courts.  In 2009, Texas Governor Rick Perry raised the issue of secession in disputed comments during a speech at a Tea Party protest saying “Texas is a unique place. When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that … My hope is that America and Washington in particular pays attention. We’ve got a great union. There’s absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, who knows what may come of that.”  I have no idea what he was talking about, but remember that it was Rick Perry, the current and unlikely Secretary of Energy, and last November’s Idiot of the Week award winner.

The State of Alaska tried it in 2006, but the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that secession was illegal and refused to permit an initiative to be presented to the people of Alaska for a vote.  (See Kohlhaas v. State of Alaska)

Mike Pitts

Back to South Carolina … the measure was put together by three republican (go figure) state representatives – Mike Pitts, Jonathon Hill and Ashley Trantham – in response to anti-gun violence advocates who, in the aftermath of the Parkland, Florida shooting in February, have stepped up demands for new gun control laws, calling for prohibitions on assault-style weapons and stronger background checks for gun buyers, among other measures.

Ralph Norman

If you doubt how seriously South Carolinians take their guns, consider this:  U.S. Representative from South Carolina, Ralph Norman, was holding a town hall style meeting with his constituents in a local restaurant last Friday, when, to the dismay of most in the audience, he pulled a loaded gun from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of him.  The idea, he later claimed, was to show that firearms are not dangerous.  He kept asking people if they felt safer, and many later said they did not feel safer and were very uncomfortable about it.  I would have gotten up and left.  One constituent said, “I was very angry. I felt like it was a move to intimidate.”

The likelihood that this bill to secede will go anywhere is near nil, but the idea that they would consider seceding from the union just to be able to own assault weapons should be lost on nobody.  In 1860, states began seceding because they wished to maintain their right to own other human beings.  Now, in 2018, at least one state is threatening to secede because they wish to maintain their right to own what I would call ‘weapons of mass destruction’, for assault weapons are made only for the purpose of mass killings.  There is a part of me that wants to send them on their way and wish them well, and then petition for a border wall, not on the U.S.-Mexican border, but around the state of South Carolina!

It is a sad statement when I tell you that, in all honesty, I am far less afraid of any Muslin or Mexican, anybody from any other country, than I am the citizens of my own country who are willing to go to any lengths for the right to own killing machines.  And it is a sad statement when, instead of working together to find compromises that are acceptable to all, that make our nation safer and better, we want to hurt others.  Whatever happened to putting human life above all else?  Whatever happened to reaching out to others and seeking to understand?  What ever happened to caring, to compassion?  And for that matter, where have gone intelligence and common sense?  Think about that one for a bit.

This t-shirt was seen at a recent rally in South Carolina.

Forget the Shooters … Arrest the Students!

Posted on by under Rants, Social commentary

As a very young child (many decades ago), I was taught that policemen were my friend and that if I were ever in trouble or felt unsafe, I should go to the nearest policeman and ask him for help.  I was also taught that the police were there to protect us and, as such, we should respect them.  I still hold these values today, but they are wearing thin.  The video last month that went viral in the social media of a police officer, actually a sheriff’s deputy, physically dragging and throwing a young African-American girl in South Carolina begs a number of questions that deserve answers.  There seems to be some ambiguity of the actual facts surrounding the incident, so I cannot address those, but rather I would pose some general concerns and questions about what seems to be a growing trend.

First of all, why is there a police presence in the schools?  After Sandy Hook (2012) and numerous other school shootings (I count 114 in this decade alone!!!), I would understand a police presence in the schools to protect the students and teachers, but it appears that the police are in the schools more to enforce discipline among the students and relieve teachers and administrators from that task.  I am sure there are those who would argue with me, but I simply do not think it is appropriate to put a child in handcuffs or otherwise physically abuse them in order to enforce discipline.  If a parent had treated the young student in the video as the police officer did, that parent would be charged with child abuse, no questions asked.  Granted, the officer was fired, however the Richland County Sheriff said in a press conference that the girl had initiated the confrontation with “disruptive behavior”.  When I was in school, disruptive behavior resulted in a trip to the principal’s office and a call to the parents, which was threat enough to keep most of us fairly well behaved.  In another story in the New York Times, it is reported that in Kenton County, Kentucky, two disabled children, ages 8 and 9, were put into handcuffs for disruptive behavior.  Since their wrists were so tiny, the cuffs were applied to their biceps.  Any parent reading this should be seriously incensed!  If school administrators are incapable of maintaining and enforcing discipline without assistance from the police, then perhaps it is time to review their qualifications to do the job.

Second, it appears that many schools disciplinary policies are not only police-driven, but also are found to be discriminatory against racial minorities and disabled children.  The Obama administration and the Department of Justice have increased civil rights investigations and issued guidelines for schools to reform practices.  In the case of the two young children I mentioned above, the Justice Department is supporting, appropriately, a lawsuit brought by the parents of these children.  When did we return to a culture of racism?  Or did we never truly leave it?  I have to question whether the teachers and administrators would be as quick to call police in to handle the child of wealthy, white parents.  And I also wonder if this is a problem mostly confined to the southern states, or is it a nationwide epidemic?  Just some things to think about and keep an eye open for in the future.  At least one of the current candidates for next year’s presidential election has made the claim that we are becoming a “police state”.  While I disagree with that premise, I have to wonder if this is what he was referring to.

We have all probably “acted up” in class at one time or another.  Granted, today’s culture is one that provides many more opportunities for misbehavior:  more absentee parents, children with cell phones and hand-held video games, more exposure to violence, etc.  Still, school is where we send our children to learn, and the lessons that they are learning by being threatened and abused by those very people who are supposed to “protect and serve” is not the lesson I would like to see them learn.  While I am not a sociologist, I do believe it is true that violence breeds violence.  Think about the messages the schools are sending the next generation.  Is it really any wonder that U.S. schools are ranked only 36th in the world overall?  I think we need to spend less time and money worrying about trying to fit square pegs into round holes with “common core” standardization, and more on making sure we have fair and equitable disciplinary policies in order to create an environment in which children are able to focus and learn, teachers who care about the impact they are making on the children, and administrators who are capable of administering discipline without abuse.  Put the police back into the position of being our friends, our protectors.

Racism at its Finest … Charleston, South Carolina 2015

Posted on by under Rants, Social commentary

I had almost completed a humorous post for this blog about Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency and had planned to post that today. However, I am afraid that I don’t feel very humorous today in light of yesterday’s tragedy at the historic African-American AME church in Charleston, South Carolina, and I think it would be inappropriate and nearly a sacrilege to mock and make jokes today. Instead, I want (need?) to voice my opinion about yesterday’s horrific tragedy.

I watched Jon Stewart’s monologue about the tragedy and several things he said really resonated with me, but one in particular took my breath away with the truths he told. He said “… I’m confident, though, that by acknowledging it, by staring into that and seeing it for what it is, we still won’t do jack s—. Yeah. That’s us.” And he is so right. This could segue into a commentary on gun control vs gun rights, but that is a topic for another day. This post is simply about what happened in Charleston and what it says, not only about the southern states, but about the nation as a whole.

To any who cared to listen, I have been saying for about the past year that our society is going backward toward a return to the racism and bigotry of the 50’s and 60’s. Many have pooh-poohed this notion and told me I was making a federal case out of a few minor incidents, a mountain out of the proverbial molehill. Still think so? Who among you remember the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15th, 1963? I remember it well. Four young girls were killed, and many others injured in what would today be called a “terrorist attack”. Are there parallels to the 1963 bombing and yesterday’s shooting? Sure there are. Both are a result of the murderous actions by those who think of themselves as “white supremacists”, who think themselves better than others simply because of the colour of their skin! Make no mistake: this was a racially-motivated hate crime. This, my friends, was racism rearing its ugly, ugly head again nearly 52 years after the Birmingham church bombing, nearly 51 years after the Civil Rights Act was signed into law.

Twice in the past 24 hours, somebody has accused me of “playing the race card”. WHAT???? When a young man, a child really, goes into a church stating he’s there to kill black people because, in his words, they “… are taking over our country.” He claimed that he was “on a mission”, a “mission” that he almost called off because the people in the church were “… so nice to me.” So how in hell am I playing the “race card” when I state that this was a racially-motivated hate crime? And why do I keep reading that he was a “smart kid”, a “normal kid”, and a “typical American kid” who was simply “mentally ill”? No, this was an evil, malignant individual who had been planning this act, according to a former roommate, for some six months and intended to “start a civil war” and then kill himself. Make no mistake, mental illness or not, this was a deranged and evil individual. He has confessed with no sign of remorse. I do not ordinarily support the death penalty, however in this case, I will make an exception. Or perhaps I would prefer that this “all-American, smart kid” be tossed into prison with a bunch of rapists and murderers and left to rot for the next 70 years or so.

Where did this boy get these ideas? Well, he was raised in one of the most racist states in the union, South Carolina, where the confederate flag is still revered and the streets are named after confederate generals from the Civil War. But I think we must look closer, to the parents. Parents are the ones who teach children their values, or lack of. Nine times out of ten, a young person will tend to follow the same political views are his/her parents, believe in the same social norms, ascribe to the same religious beliefs. Racism is more open and more prevalent in the southern states, but make no mistake, it exists in every single state in this nation and until we unite to confront racists, to shun them, we will not conquer this national cancer.

What have we learned in the last 50 years? 100 years? Apparently nothing. Today we are experiencing a return to an era where white supremacists walk freely among us, where the KKK is making a concerted effort to increase its membership, where racial profiling is the norm in police departments in every state, and where those of us who protest police killing unarmed young black men willy-nilly are called “agitators”. I am only one voice and my voice is not heard by many, but believe this: I will make sure that my voice is used to fight racism and every other form of bigotry in this nation for as long as I live.