Rangel: Southern GOP Still Believes In Slavery, Wins US Senate Through Racism

[big_dog]

Source: Mediaite.com & CNN

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) doubled down on his belief that southern Republicans still believe in slavery and think the Confederates won the Civil War, implying that the Democrats’ major senatorial losses came as a result of institutional racism. Several southern Democrats lost their Senate seats Tuesday night to Republican challengers, leading Rangel to suggest that voter ID laws were really just racially-charged methods of suppressing the minority vote to their favor.

“I’m just saying that it’s unfortunate America doesn’t deal with the problem of racism,” Rangel continued. “Until we fight hard to eradicate it, then we still have to be frustrated by people. They all come from the south and they all have these feelings about superiority and that’s true whether you’re picking cotton or you’re president of the United States.”

Blitzer noted that Rangel seemed to be “doubling down” on his previous remarks. “You’re not walking away from them? As you know, they caused quite a stir, raising the specter of racism out there. I want to point out to you, an African-American Republican was elected, the United States Senator in South Carolina, Tim Scott.” Rangel’s response: We’re talking about a cancer that we have in the United States of America. America knows who they are. They know how they feel. And we’re talking about dealing with them. [...] Racial superiority, unfortunately, is a disease that a handful of people have. And they were holding back the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Maybe now that Republican leadership doesn’t need them, they can go along with people who want to improve the quality of life for all Americans and not those who just look like them.

Asked by Blitzer to name names, Rangel refused, instead saying “the whole world knows who they are and certainly Americans do, and certainly [House] Speaker [John] Boehner does. I meant that they used to call themselves ‘slave-holding states.’ They’ve been frustrated with the Emancipation Proclamation. They became Republicans, then tea party people. These are the people that are trying to frustrate people from voting, changing the voting rights that we fought so hard for. And all I’m saying is, if you want to challenge the statistics, find out where the slave-holding states are, find out where the tea party is."



Read more: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rangel-to-cnn-southern-gop-still-believes-in-slavery-wins-through-racism/

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[yeoman6987]

1. 65 percent voted for Scott in South Caolina

I guess the 35 percent who didn't could be rasist. I don't know but 65 percent of the Republicans voting for him is pretty high.

[big_dog]

2. I'll name names. if 20% of the vote in Kansas was disenfranchised, how much was it somewhere else?

Sec. of State Kobach's New Rules Block 20 Percent Of Kansas Voter Registration Applications - See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/kobachs-new-rules-block-20-percent-kansas-voter-registration-applications#sthash.BX4npI1i.dpuf

[KamaAina]

3. Tim Scott represents African Americans about as well as Clarence Thomas does

[big_dog]

5. Rangles right, the GOP has just gotten better at using trojan horses like Scott and Mia Love

insulating them from racism, to further their aims, the decision in Ferguson may push this issue to the forefront very soon

[yeoman6987]

7. Not the point

They still voted for an African American.

[big_dog]

8. 20% of the voters not being able to vote is a problem

this is no different than Jim Crow, just with a nicer face

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

14. That you're a Democrat and STILL don't get it is most disappointing.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

25. Why do you think that is?

1) The only Republican on the ballot!
2) They get another useful "nigra" to show how non-racist they are.
3) Maybe it will help get more blacks to vote Republican (or so they futilely hope).
4) He's what they call a "house nigra".

Pardon the "nigra", but that's the way they talk down there!

[bravenak]

26. Thank you.

[AnalystInParadise]

35. Let it go my friend

Some people will use that racism dog whistle forever. I have just gotten used to the idea that for some anyone who disagrees with their voting preference is assuredly a racist. I tend to be more open minded about why people vote the way they do, but that is probably because I am somehow a racist also and I just don't know it.

[yeoman6987]

38. Thanks for your post!

So true. Sometimes I just get so sick of it. I think I will just read it and go on with the next reply.

[MADem]

27. Charlie is making his point a bit clumsily, but he is correct.

There used to be a lone Black GOP representative in Congress by the name of JC Watts. His father--his OWN FATHER--told him that a Black man voting for a Republican was like the chickens voting for Colonel Sanders.

JC had a smart daddy. JC should have listened to his Paw. The GOP didn't treat him very well, when all was said and done.

[steve2470]

40. yep, his dad nailed it nt

[Kingofalldems]

6. Fail.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Whites voted for him (1) to shield themselves from accusations of racism because they

knew that people like you and others here on DU will deny racism until you're blue in the face; and (2) because Uncle Toms like Scott will go along with everything they want him to do, including selling other blacks/Hispanics out.

[JustAnotherGen]

28. This somewhat - maybe 50% of them - the other 50%

But the low information ones are probably shocked to even find out he WAS black.

They saw the R and pulled the lever because you know - those blacks are always taking something from them!

Just kidding - I know he's been there as an appointment - right? But still. The people that make up their mind the day of the election and only pay attention when they have to go and 'keep the minorities from taking things from them' were probably shocked to read the paper on Wednesday morning.

And for that alone - I'm glad he's a Republican!

[radicalliberal]

39. Scott has publicly endorsed the evisceration of the Voting Rights Act, . . .

. . . which is precisely what white bigots want him to do. He's just another Clarence Thomas -- another "Uncle Tom," a traitor to his race.

Edit: Scott is also a big fan of Strom Thurmond.

[geretogo]

4. The racism in America started as soon as Columbus set his foot on the ground and I believe violence

and racism will be with us until the end of the Empire .

[big_dog]

10. the first step is just to admit that there is a problem

some in the South can't even go that far, because it would derail what they are trying to do (supress votes)

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. It is incredible, isn't it, that so many folk him on DEMOCRATIC Underground

refuse to admit racism? I can't wrap my head around it. It's so baffling. You see it right before your eyes. And many white people, regardless of party, see it. And yet, there are folk right here on a Democratic Party discussion board who just simply can't admit or accept it.

I don't understand that.

[KingCharlemagne]

36. Racism is as American as cherry pie (with apologies to H. Rap Brown) - nt

[tularetom]

9. With the exception of Landrieu, southern Democrats avoided the issue like it was poison

Lot of good it did them.

[big_dog]

11. Mary Landrieu won in the late ballots :)

when you stand up for your beliefs you win! (imagine that) Election results


LA, Senate - 100.00% reporting
Mary Landrieu 42.08%
Democrat 618,840
Bill Cassidy 40.96%
Republican 602,439
Rob Maness 13.76%
Republican 202,413

[yeoman6987]

34. I Judy heard the DCCC was pulling funding on her

Campaign. Can that be true?

[madville]

37. That's a rather poor showing for Landrieu

Considering that the republicans got 53% of the vote, it will be a tough runoff for her but turnout is pretty unpredictable at this point.

[reddread]

12. and Rangel believes in drafting free Americans for illegal wars

talks out of both sides of his loudmouth and does NOTHING to solve the problems.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

16. Red herring. What does that have to do with the topic at hand?

[RufusTFirefly]

18. Good call. +1

I took the bait. I'm glad you didn't.

[RufusTFirefly]

17. No he doesn't. His proposal is a gambit.

What Rangel believes is that the U.S. enters all sorts of military conflicts because many Americans, particularly wealthy, white Americans, have no direct connection with it. It's out of sight and out of mind. His gambit is that if we had an actual draft instead of an economic draft that we won't be so cavalier about sending troops off to risk their lives to fight for corporate interests.

Rangel's proposal is a tricky maneuver (and yes, it's a risky one), which is probably why some people obviously don't understand it.

[Shemp Howard]

20. Rufus, you beat me to it! (nt)

[Shemp Howard]

19. Rangel's draft idea is meant to PREVENT wars.

Rangel is actually making a clever move when he calls for the draft to be reinstated. How many of the neocons would vote for war if they knew their children could be pulled from their cushy civilian jobs, and sent to the front lines?

As a side note, I believe Rangel is overstating the race angle. It exists certainly, but IMHO it is not the dominate force here. Progressives need to focus more on offering middle class solutions, as difficult as that might be.

[BumRushDaShow]

21. Rangel is a Korean War vet

daring the chicken hawk neocon war hawks to put their money where their mouth is and shit or get off the pot. He knows that war is unpopular and a draft even more so, meaning the frivolous calls for engagements everywhere in the world on a whim, would cease.

[iandhr]

23. No

He believes that if there was a military draft and everyone had to serve our leaders might thinking before waiting American blood and treasure. But it has nothing to do with what is being discussed here.

[hollowdweller]

24. Wow. Way to repeat a GOP talking point.

As much as many hated the draft, it did basically give every american a stake in the US's foreign policy decisions. Now of course that the GOP has eliminated good union jobs the only option to get ahead for poor and working class people is to join the military and fight the wars for the rich.

[alp227]

22. the "slavery" part was off the rails but he's right about right wing racism.

Republicans have mastered the art of appealing to racists without looking explicitly racist. From Nixon's "law and order" dog whistle to Reagan speaking about "states' rights" in Philadelphia, MS (where the civil rights activists were murdered) to Rush Limbaugh's non stop demonization of Latino immigrants and black people to even worse crankery on WorldNetDaily...

[wolfie001]

30. $8.00 per hr is slavery...... Wage slavery. nt

[alp227]

32. he should've been more clear about it then, so people don't misunderstand him nt

[wolfie001]

29. Rangel's 100% correct!!! nt

[blkmusclmachine]

31. Hardcore racism/sexism still alive and strong in the South

~RebelFlag~

[Judi Lynn]

33. Glad someone said it. n/t

[Paladin]

41. I'm with Charlie Rangel on this.

There is nothing imaginary or trumped up about the pervasive presence of racism in the Southern GOP. The filthy comments and "jokes" I received by email about Obama in 2008 and 2012 weren't imaginary; I lost a number of friends over them. The plain fact is that a whole bunch of aging white people are furious about a black guy occupying the White House for two terms. They showed up at the mid-terms, and way too many Democrats stayed at home. And here we are.