Blog for Democracy

What’s wrong with Sen. Robert Brown?

Not a damn thing really, but someone should probably have a talk with Malik. Look, I understand no one likes to be called a racist, least of all racists, but Senator Brown seems to have stated the obvious, albeit in the harshest possible terms. White flight, whether from a city, a neighborhood or a political party is still white flight and is by definition racially motivated.

Seriously, how many of these self described “Christians” do you think vote Democratic? Like it or not, the far right wing is part of the Republican base, wedged somewhere between the clinic bombers and the guys who drag people behind trucks. Our fringe wants to beat swords into ploughshares, their fringe just wants to beat people’s heads in. The idea that any Democrat would join their ranks is disgusting in the extreme.

Perhaps Senator Brown should apologize for his choice of words, but certainly not for the sentiment behind them. Their laundry, sheets and all, is very dirty indeed.

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27 responses to “What’s wrong with Sen. Robert Brown?”

  1. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    “self-preening holier than thou tut-tutters”

    I think you’d be a perfect match, dear. I’ve never met a more self-preening, holier-than-thou bunch of tut-tutters than self-described independents. Seems to me the reason that you aren’t a Democrat or a Republican is because it allows you to be holier than two thous, rather than one.

    Still, it is a stupid reason not to be a Democrat.

    “disagreeing ideology is the equivalent of bigotry”

    If the ideology that Republicans disagreed with weren’t equality, then you might have a point. But it is, so you don’t.

    I know that you independents prefer to avoid substance like plague, but there is a substantive difference between the Democrats and the Republicans with respect to equality, with Democrats generally in support and the Republicans generally in opposition.

    “let’s start with what he shouldn’t have said instead of what he could have said”

    Fine. Let’s continue with what he could have said. Could he have said that the Republican Party’s policies are informed by bigotry? Or would such an accusation, no matter how phrased, be dismissed by you and the rest of his critics as asserting that “disagreeing ideology is the equivalent of bigotry?”

    From what I’ve seen, it would be. Really, no matter what the Republicans do, it’s never bad enough to warrant an accusation of racism. I bet they could elect a person who voted against the Voting Rights Act governor, and it wouldn’t be enough. They could elect a person who would deprive children of citizenship based on the nationality of their parents, and it wouldn’t be enough. Because no matter how racist the Republican Party is, it’s never racist enough to be called racist.

    Am I right?

  2. griftdrift Avatar
    griftdrift

    Yeah. It’s the reason. And not wanting to be in a club that is infiltrated with self-preening holier than thou tut-tutters who hold as shibboleth that disagreeing ideology is the equivalent of bigotry isn’t stupid.

    Well let’s start with what he shouldn’t have said instead of what he could have said. He shouldn’t have said that switching political parties is the equivalent of joining an organization responsible for 100 years of terror, bombings, destruction and murder.

    That’s what he shouldn’t have said.

  3. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    That’s a stupid reason not to be a Democrat. But I doubt it’s the real one.

    Otherwise, I’d like to know what Brown could have said that would have acknowledged the bigotry that informs Republican policy but would not have constituted “ridiculous hyperbole.” Because every time anyone accuses any Republican of racism for anything other than burning a cross, the response is always to attack the accuser of “hyperbole” and find a plausible excuse for the Republican.

  4. griftdrift Avatar
    griftdrift

    If I could actually make sense of that I think I would say it’s one of the grossest exaggerations I’ve ever read. If you accuse someone of racism that isn’t a Klansman that’s an incitement of violence? I certainly don’t get that from what Travis wrote.

    What I get is that comparing people switching parties to people joining the Klan is ridiculous hyperbole. Which it is. And ridiculous hyperbole inflames people to irrational behavior whether it is on a message board, a blog or at a press conference.

    And if you don’t believe that, then never let me hear complaints about people believing in “death panels” pass the lips of Democrats ever again.

    And people like you who even hint that I tolerate racism are the reason I will never be a Democrat.

  5. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    No. But I do think your belief that any accusation of racism against anyone other than a Klansman is tantamount to an incitement to violence (per the link you offer below) and worthy of an apology is, well, stupid.

  6. griftdrift Avatar
    griftdrift

    Are you accusing me of tolerating racism?

  7. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    No, stupid are those people who waste more air attacking these comments than they ever have or ever will attacking actual racist comments. Which include most of the people attacking them in this thread.

    Whenever anyone correctly identifies the Republican Party as being too tolerant of racism, or sexism, or homophobia, or xenophobia, or any other bigotry, the same people who can rarely be bothered to speak against any of those start the chorus of “OH THAT’S MEAN” and “OH APOLOGIZE” because while racism may be bad, the horror of labeling a person a racist is so very, very much worse.

  8. Mel Avatar
    Mel

    The “fringe” moves the middle.

  9. Baker Avatar
    Baker

    “Trying to equate all Republicans with the KKK is like trying to equate all Democrats with members of the ALF or PETA.”

    Amen. Except I’d say trying to equate them with the KKK is like trying to equate all Dems with the Black Panthers (the later years) or the Weather Underground.

  10. JasonC Avatar
    JasonC

    If Senator Brown was actually talking about sex with his comment I have a forest in Houston County I will sell you.

  11. BEZERKO Avatar
    BEZERKO

    Racism was at the core of the GOP strategy for the 2010 campaign, it was its lifeblood. It worked because there was no response to it. Were they burning crosses in anyone’s yard? No. Were they using the history of racial tensions in the south, appealing to our darker angels? Yes. Another thing, a stupid comment gets repeated over and over in the blogs, papers and on television. The question gets repeated over and over. Did he compare the GOP with the KKK? Now I’m asking, Was his comment effective? Yes. That’s what’s wrong with our political discourse.

  12. JMPrince Avatar
    JMPrince

    Needed: Better rants in the new year. Not much more coherent, but more agreeable perhaps:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-shmuley-boteach/american-malaise_b_803504.html
    JMP

  13. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    Who the f’ is Lester Mattox? Aren’t you some bigwig in the Georgia Republican Party?

  14. GAPolitico Avatar
    GAPolitico

    The comments were stupid. Trying to equate all Republicans with the KKK is like trying to equate all Democrats with members of the ALF or PETA.

    The fact that you are even saying things like “their fringe” and “our fringe” is ridiculous. Brown said something stupid and should apologize. It’s that simple. When their fringe says something stupid, they should apologize.

  15. griftdrift Avatar
    griftdrift

    The comments were stupid.

    And defense of them is stupid.

    I’m with Travis.

    http://www.reportingforhire.com/2010/12/words-are-important-and-some-really-so.html

  16. theodore herrera Avatar
    theodore herrera

    Bezerko neil boortz is not a republican or conservative of anykind…he calls himself a libertarian.As a conservative I like some libertarian ideas but libertarians…they r a zoo of whackos………I. cannot have respect for switchers unless they quit and then run under their new party….like him or not at least phil graham of texas did that.people have a right to expect if the vote dem they get a dem or if they vote rep they get a rep…..no lables middle of the road is just silly

  17. MelGX Avatar
    MelGX

    Given what passes for political discouse these days (Obama is a secret Muslim and so on), Brown’s comments don’t seem all that out of line. This is the South after all. Here is the place where black people couldn’t vote when Robert Brown was born.

  18. BEZERKO Avatar
    BEZERKO

    I’m not a fan of party switchers either, I’m with you there, and Lester Maddox stuff? Seriously? Know who used to write speeches for Lester Maddox? Neil Boortz, and I don’t think he is part of our base.

    Our problem is not with party switchers or any element of the base of our party. We have no cognitive policy. That’s our problem. So we let them define the terms of the debate as well as our selves. You guys had a good run shooting fish in a barrell the past few decades defining US as well as yourselves. Now it’s our time to figure out who we are and define who you are (I mean the conservative movement and Republicans in general). Political opportunist elitist snobs who want the little people to pay their tab.

  19. theodore herrera Avatar
    theodore herrera

    The GOP of today is way better than the Lester Mattox dems of only a few years ago.I would also point out the long history of the dem party and the klan.I hope that you progressives remember to clean out the dem party 1st than point the finger at the gop……..that being said I understand Sen Browns anger at Party SWitchers…..we on my side have had the Arlen specters and charlie crist brigades……and I could not write on here how I feel about those traitors!

  20. BEZERKO Avatar
    BEZERKO

    I don’t know anything about Senator Brown, so my comments are directed only toward the comments in question. Were the comments stupid? Maybe clumsy, but stupid? I guess they’re stupid compared to “The American President Americans have been waiting for.” The birthers? Hello? Maybe it is stupid, if you think about it in a covert vs overt way. Covert is always the better political strategy. What’s stupid was letting that political garbage rot in the collective political subconscious without a response. What’s stupid is allowing them to dare to say they have respect for life and even calling themselves the party of life. Their policies have killed more babies AND adults than anything we’ve ever supported.

  21. Raquel Avatar
    Raquel

    Jules, as reprehensible as the statements against President Obama were, at least they served the strategic purpose of firing up the ignorant Republican base in Georgia and possibly adding some votes for the other side. Brown’s statements won’t even do that. Folks who know that most racist are Republicans already vote Democratic. We gain nothing from his rant, just as we’ve gained nothing from Brown’s leadership in general.

  22. Raquel Avatar
    Raquel

    Will Senator Brown’s statement bring the Senate Democratic Caucus any closer to regaining the majority? No.

    Will Senator Brown’s statement advance the legislative priorities of the Senate Democratic Caucus or the priorities of Georgia families? No.

    Will Senator Brown’s statement bring any additional voters to the Democratic Party of Georgia? No.

    Of course he should apologize. Is he really the best leader Senate Democrats can come up with?

  23. Jules Avatar
    Jules

    Damn, where are my videos of the 2009 session and all the crappy things that were said from the house floor about newly inaugurated President Obama? Or the so called preachers of the day that told anyone who believed in privacy or equality we were going to hell…

    I can’t comment on what Sen. Brown’s motives are,maybe he was just plain over it or something else was said that wasn’t in the main stream media dialog. Who knows, but seems to me this really shouldn’t surprise anyone.

    Once again, instead of having an actual conversation about race-we’re pointing fingers and acting oh so *shocked*, really… anyone is shocked?

    Not in the least.

  24. Amominous Avatar
    Amominous

    I’m going anon with this comment.

    I dislike Robert Brown immensely, and he seems to have an issue with tact and courtesy, even to his allies. There was one instance, for example, in which I was in a room with other students, invited by the Senate Caucus, delivering remarks to Democratic legislators, including Nan Orrock, Gail Buckner, and Robert Brown. While everyone else was polite and inquisitive to a group of college students discussing budget cuts, Robert Brown could not have cared less, even gesturing rudely to his aide that he wanted us to wrap it up– in plain sight of his invited guests.

    We could also discuss his horrible inability to recruit candidates or retain his leadership within his own party, too, but that’s a little off the topic of his lack of tact.

    We can talk about how more racists than not vote Republican. I haven’t seen a recent poll, but in this day and age, based off of both experience and political science, I’d say that’s a predetermined fact. Whatever Brown meant by his comments doesn’t matter, because his words seemed like he was crying racism. And that’s a word that should not be used lightly, especially by a public official, much less a leader of public officials.

    Robert Brown does need to issue an apology, in my opinion, because what he said was tactless and, if referring to the “racist Right,” wasn’t really based in anything that the GOP had done (yet). Cry racism when they bring up a racially-charged bill, fine, but now? I just think that we can defend far better Democrats that make far better decisions on a regular basis. I know Robert Brown isn’t that guy, and he hasn’t been much of anything for some time now.

  25. Delicate Flower Avatar
    Delicate Flower

    Yes.

    “Seriously, how many of these self described “Christians” do you think vote Democratic?”

    Funny you should say that. The Grand Wizard in Alabama still shows up to their JJ Dinner (now that they’re in the minority I doubt he will) and makes no secret about who he is. I think the same thing happened in MS. Also in AL, the have (or had, again not sure what’s changed since Nov) the ADP and then like the ADCommittee. One was for whites, the other, for non-whites.

  26. griftdrift Avatar
    griftdrift

    Seriously stupid

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