Racist or NOT Racist?

Sometimes an old community stereotype just won't go away. Kind of like the hateful stereotypes inherent in racism that are all too often part of American society.

A WHSV/TV3 story about the juxtaposition of Halloween and the KKK in Craigsville, Virginia gets examined (at 2:00) in The Daily Show's "Racist or NOT Racist" segment that aired on November 13.

The Daily Show

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American Skin

President Barack Obama spoke eloquently as an American today. "It ain't no secret" that racism in America still exists in all but Faux News wingnut minds. Other than the president, few have spoken as poignantly as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

Silence is Golden

I spent the week prior to the election on a Sierra Club trip in the Florida Keys. Mercifully, the only TV we watched was about Sandy and my phone was silent. Reconnecting with nature, especially in an environment so different from my home turf, was totally refreshing for both body and soul.

In the weeks prior to leaving I, like everyone else in Virginia, had grown weary of the attack ads and phone calls from both sides, but especially those from Romney and his disgusting cohorts like Karl Rove. It is gratifying to know that the billionaires who tried to buy our democracy are POed at their bad investment in the man more responsible than most for dividing America.

Well, I didn't entirely escape the calls and ads. Returning home late on Sunday our voicemail was carpet bombed with a couple dozen messages - only three nonpolitical. There was Restore Our Future, the NRA, the Chamber, and an array of other more shadowy groups spewing lies and hate. Press #3 to delete. And trying to catch up on local news that evening offered more evidence of Sheldon Adelson's $53 million in what turned out to be an expensive bad investment. It is my belief that the volume, tone, lies, and hate blasting into our dens and kitchens actually helped turn the election in favor of President Barack Obama.

On election day I was again shielded from the last round of ads and calls as I counted absentee ballots for my county. It was uplifting (and exhausting) to be part of that experience - fellow citizens of both parties striving to make sure the most essential act of democracy is protected with honesty and integrity. Sure there were long lines and other problems, but Officers of Election and Electoral Boards met the challenges and made sure our voices were heard and accurately counted.

Emerging from the seclusion of this important civic duty at nearly 11:00 PM the radio told me the early signs were good. By the time I got home Ohio and the election had been called for President Obama. Surfing channels I landed on Fox just as Rove was ranting about calling Ohio too early and the fake news network sent Megyn Kelly hiking to its "decision room" to restore a tiny bit of dignity after its living-in-a-bubble pundits and polsters were just plain wrong!


Since then I've been enjoying the splendid fall weather, cleaning up leaves, and catching up around the house. Yesterday I got the opportunity to learn about banding of Saw-whet owls so it was yet another later night. A chilly hike to the ridge top to collect owls followed by lessons on aging, sexing, and understanding their lives and migration. I got home about midnight but once again nature, and the humans who spend time and energy helping to learn more and protect it, inspires.

Hazy, Lazy and HOT

Spent most of the past week out of the online loop. Let's just say the South Fork of the Shenandoah, a tent, short hikes, and cookin' over a campfire were more of a priority than the internet, politics, or other manmade distractions. Quiet reading time too - currently it is Shadow Country, a sprawling, detailed, and engaging portrait of Edgar Watson and the wild country of southwest Florida islands some 100 years ago. Continuing with more of the same today, which promises to be the first of several hot ones, that will feel even hotter since we're haven't been acclimated by many 90° days this summer.

Hits on the campfire/grill culinary scene included beer butt chicken and and an easy peach cobbler in the dutch oven. I'll leave it to you to explore beer butt chicken recipes that stroke your taste buds, but if you like moist bird on the grill, it is the way to go. Oh, many of the recipes say to "pour out 1/2 a can of beer and discard." I'd never be so wasteful!

You can find a bunch of cobbler recipes - one of the easiest and tastiest things to make in a dutch oven. I kind of made one up using ingredients from several different recipes:

• 2 30 oz. cans peaches
• 1/3 cup tapioca
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• cinnamon
• 3/4 can Sprite or 7 Up
• butter

Place oven on about 15 briquettes or coals. Dump peaches with syrup in dutch oven and stir in tapioca. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Stir soda into cake mix along with cinnamon to taste. Top with 5-6 small pats of butter. Put top on and spread 10 briquettes or coals evenly across top. Bake about 45 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Remember to clean the oven properly - no soap - dry well, lightly oil, and store with lid slightly ajar in a dry place. For stubborn baked on sugars of the cobbler, put several cups of water (never put cold water in hot oven) in oven with coals above and below and allow to steam for 20-30 minutes.

About the only news I've followed this week, perhaps because I talked with a participant, were the mobs that are trying to shout down discussion of health reform and energy legislation, such as the one Congressman Periello conducted one this week. The fellow I talked to seemed nice enough until he brought those topics came up. Then he went red hot like bacon grease poured on a campfire. Many of his arguments were just plain wrong and meant to enflame - for example, old folks will be put to death like in dictatorships.

He let slip a few things that made it clear this, like the tea parties, is more of a top-down manipulation of people's frustrations and emotions than it is any grassroots movement. In his words were anger at the economy (but no blame for Bush) and more than one hint of vile racism. Guess that's some of what the estimated $150 million the drug companies are spending in opposition will buy. Helped by GOP orchestration with an assist by Fox News. Aided and abetted by pandering narcissists like Sarah Palin.

Like that bacon grease on the fire, I predict this fellow and the current "movement" will flame out. But, as with a campfire, there will be heat long hidden by the ash, ready to reignite when the GOP and their allies toss more grease laced with lies on it. The politics of polarization and hate - I fear it will be a while before those embers finally die. Keep the water pail handy. In the meantime, back to the cool waters of the river.

Taking care with words

Several conservative editors in Virginia have taken Governor Tim Kaine to task for saying, in the wake of Obama carrying the state, "Old Virginny is dead." By the editor's accounting, the Governor is bringing up long-dead racism.

"Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" was the state song until the late 1990s when it was retired. Although written by a northern black man, James Bland, the lyrics are in the language of slaves... "Massa and Missis." We'll never know, but Bland may well have been a 19th Century Stephen Colbert, skewering racists with their own warped beliefs.

I don't think Governor Kaine had any racist intent in his choice of words. I doubt he has a racist bone in his body. But, he could have disarmed the editors and conservative critics by substituting "Virginia" for "Virginny" or by simply using the term "New Dominion" or something similar. Words matter and it is important for all of us, especially people in places of public trust whether elected or not, to use them carefully. Lesson learned, Governor?

So, when did racism vanish from Virginia? It certainly was alive and well in the 1960s - I still have a KKK flyer I pulled off a telephone pole in my hometown. Racism flourished even after Loving v. Virginia removed it from laws affecting our most intimate relationships. In spite of the huge step of Doug Wilder's election as Governor in 1989, it was still alive and well but not quite so public. By observations of the past week it is still here - one man, when seeing my Obama button outside the polls, screamed in my face, "I'll never vote for his black ass...." And judging by some letters to the editor in couple western Virginia newspapers... I won't even go there.

To anyone who believes racism is dead, I say, "none are so blind as those who will not see." But, tremendous progress has been made since the decades of Jim Crow. Many people - black, white, famous, and not-so-famous have driven stakes in the evil heart of racism in Virginia and everywhere - Mildred Loving did it. So did Doug Wilder. So too, Barack Obama. But, it isn't yet dead.

Yes, words matter. And words can evoke emotions and feelings deeply hidden in our shared heart of darkness. Be careful with words. I hope I've taken my own advice.

Pond Scum

I received this photoshopped picture in my U.S. Postal Service mailbox today. The envelope was postmarked Charlottesville, which could be many places in central Virginia or the Shenandoah Valley. Of course, the cowardly pussy who sent it didn't include a return address or sign his/her disgusting note, printed in bright red, which read:

I THOUGHT THAT

YOU AND ALL OF

YOUR NUTTY,

ANTI-AMERICAN LIBERAL

FRIENDS WOULD ENJOY THIS.

EVEN THIS JOB IS ABOVE

B.O.'S PAY GRADE!!!!!

The original of the photograph is below. It is the creative work of Ted Szukalski who has a great website of his creative and original photographs. He is appalled that his copyrighted work is now being used for obscene political purposes. Szukalski says:

It is not often that I would post the same image twice in my stories. However , this photo of the homeless man and a women has become part of dirty tricks in American presidential campaign.

Someone has doctored this image to portrait Barack Obama as the shoe shine man and Sara Palin as his customer. This altered image is being circulated via email in USA. The perpetrator of this plagiarism left my copyright notice, which contains the address of this website, thus implying it was my original work. This is quite a low act as it involuntarily involves me and my photographic work in American presidential campaign, which I honestly do not know much about nor do I follow it. I certainly do not have favourite views either for American Democrats or Republicans.

I would like to assure both senator Barack Obama and Alaska’s Governor Sarah Palin that the altered image has not been created, authorised, endorsed or distributed by me.

I'll save this in my collection of hate in the Shenandoah Valley. Along with the Obama sign spray painted with "KKK." Along with the Obama/Warner/Rasoul sign with "nigger" painted over Obama's name. Along with my phone message that shouted "nigger lover."

The Shenandoah Valley has beautiful scenery and many wonderful people. But, in our midst are a few hateful racists. People who have been encouraged by the mean-spirited McCain/Palin rhetoric. Haters that are kept at arm's length but are nevertheless encouraged by some local Republicans. Low life pond scum who have no appreciation or idea of what it means to live in a democracy.

For shame, Shenandoah Valley. You see yourself as a Christian area who loves your neighbor and treats others as you want to be treated, but at the same time some among us aid and abet racists who do these disgusting things. Or you look the other way. I'm not sure which is worse - being evil or being silent in the face of evil. 

Chicken litter

We're 10 days out on the election and both teams seems to pulling out all the stops. A random selection:

The Daily News-Republican endorsed Bob Goodlatte and took a swipe at Sam Rasoul. No surprise in either. Their endorsement could have been predicted a year ago, even a decade ago because the facts and the campaign don't really matter to the editors there. Well, maybe I'll have to eat a little (very little) crow after we find out their views on the Senate race.

Speaking of the DN-R, their letters to the editor frequently are a rehash of libelous BS, many so obvious in their intent and apparent in their stupidity that I think they actually hurt their cause. Then the editors place certain letters in shaded boxes (print edition) or designate it "letter of the day" to, I assume, give them eye appeal and seem more important. Is it just my imagination that this favored treatment is more often given to Obama-bashing letters?

The News Leader has a story about hateful and racist literature showing up in newspaper tubes in the Staunton and Waynesboro areas. Staunton Democratic chair Bob Dickerman referred to the flyers and negative robocalls as "atrocious." On the other hand, Staunton Republican chair Anne Taetzsch denied knowledge of the literature and said it didn't come from the campaign. She said, "my whole thing is the negative approach doesn't work." What? How can she say that with a straight face? After all she's in tight with Chris Saxman the Virginia McCain co-chair whose campaign has used robocalls and mailers spewing the same negative and false information. And isn't Ms. Taetzsch a big supporter of state GOP chair Jeff Frederick, whose racist comments went too far for even the McCain campaign?

On another and more positive front, former Delegate Jim Dillard, a Fairfax Republican, is making calls for Barack Obama. He does get in a jab at McCain/Palin for their negative campaign and lies, but his message is overwhelmingly one of positive support for Obama/Biden. While there has been a lot of news about national Republican figures supporting Obama, there is a groundswell of Republican support among state and local politicians as well.

And the latest counter punch in the sign wars is "You can vote for the chick, but I'm rollin' with Colin." Haven't seen one yet, but understand a few have appeared around Staunton.

Bob's ties to a racist bird

Bob Goodlatte is friends with Bobby May. Who is Bobby May? What is so bad about him?

Bobby May is the southwest Virginia GOP activist, treasurer of the Buchanan County Republican Party, and racist who wrote a disgusting and offensive article attacking Barack Obama in his local newspaper. Among the vile crap, May wrote that Obama would hire Ludacris to paint the White House black, change the national antemm into the "black national anthemm," raise taxes to "pay for Obama's inner-city political base" and replace the U.S. flag with a new one that had "a star and crescent logo."

May was a member John McCain's Virginia leadership team. The McCain campaign broke off the relationship with with him only after the story went national when the Los Angeles Times published parts of May's vitriol. A few days later, Bob McDonnell, a co-chair of McCain's Virginia leadership team, current attorney general, and a candidate for governor in 2009, also sought to distance himself from May. So far, no comment has been heard from Chris Saxman, another outspoken member of the leadership team and member of the House of Delegates from Staunton. 

Back to Bob Goodlatte. What exactly is his relationship with Bobby May? I think Bob owes us all an explanation. We do know that the Goodlatte campaign throws significant cash to Mr. May's advertising business. According to OpenSecrets.org, the Goodlatte campaign bought $7,508 from May Advertising Specialities in 2006. Was there even a campaign then? Records for campaign expenditures are not complete for 2008, but it is likely the close relationship continues.

Virginia Public Access Project records show May Advertising Specialities has been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by Republican candidates in Virginia, including over $9,000 by the Staunton delegate and almost $75,000 by the attorney general.

Ah, the ties that bind. Mr. Goodlatte, tell us more about your ties and friendship with Bobby May.

Cross-posted at We will RocDem.

Ugly ducklings in our midst

The ugly fact of racism has been raising its hate filled head in the Valley recently. A Barack Obama sign defaced by thugs in Rockingham County. Numerous reports of stolen and vandalized Obama signs in just about every locality up and down the I-81 corridor. Shots fired at an Obama sign in Augusta County. Because other signs of candidates from both parties are left standing and not vandalized, it seems pretty apparent that this goes beyond the normal theft of signs. It is the blind politics of race hate - pure and simple.

Now comes more news about prejudice, workplace intimidation, indeed, racial terrorism in the central Valley. On several occasions in 2007, Doug Mason, a black man, showed up at his job at Massanutten to be "greeted" by a noose. According to an EEOC lawsuit, L.A. Pipeline Construction Co. violated the law by subjecting a black employee to openly displayed nooses and racial slurs at an Elkton worksite. The company was aware of the problems but took no action to prevent it. The Daily News-Record has the stories here and here.

Now comes the story that many area legislators will consider amending Virginia's hate crime law so hanging of a noose is prosecuted in the same way as burning a cross. A burning cross, the most infamous symbol of the KKK, was used to intimidate blacks who spoke out, registered to vote, or in any way tried to assert their rights during the terrible Jim Crow years. A hanging noose was similarly intimidating in an era where the U.S. southern states experienced about a lynching a week. Both are well established symbols of racial hatred designed to threaten or incite violence against a fellow human being simply because of skin color.

Delegate Todd Gilbert says the noose is on par with cross burning.

Delegate Matt Lohr and Senator Mark Obenshain say they will consider amending the law to make penalties for hanging a noose similar to burning a cross. 

Senator Emmett Hanger sees no use for additional laws on this issue, believing there are sufficient remedies available.

I won't post their comments, rationale, and occasional back stepping - you can read it online at the DNR website.

Racism is a problem that begs for more than a legislative solution. In addition to changing Virginia's hate crime laws, this is an issue for the greater society - churches, schools, civic clubs, neighbor to neighbor - we all must act with conscience and conviction. Don't listen to racial jokes. Better yet, correct the "comedian" and tell him or her you find it offensive. If you hear racial slurs, tell the speaker you don't accept such language in your presence. Teach your children that racism is a great moral wrong. Teach them it is an evil to be exorcised from American life.

Teach your children well.

Ugly bird

The ugliness of racism has raised its head in the campaign. A large Obama sign near Fulks Run was defaced by vandals who painted "KKK" three times across its face. They also drew a slash across a nearby Mark Warner sign. The Daily News-Record has the full story. 

There's an informative thread on RocDem about other examples of racism that have emerged in this year's campaign. Much of it apparently coming from conservative groups, like Focus on the Family, that profess "Christian beliefs."

Guess they never read the part about loving thy neighbor . . .