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Subscribe to RSSAfter coming under fire yesterday for his remarks about the civil rights movement, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour has issued a statement to clarify his recollections of "Citizens Council" groups and segregation in the South.
Barbour said that the council groups were "indefensible" and called segregation "a difficult and painful era for Mississippi."
Here's Barbour's full statement:
“When asked why my hometown in Mississippi did not suffer the same racial violence when I was a young man that accompanied other towns’ integration efforts, I accurately said the community leadership wouldn’t tolerate it and helped prevent violence there. My point was my town rejected the Ku Klux Klan, but nobody should construe that to mean I think the town leadership were saints, either. Their vehicle, called the ‘Citizens Council,’ is totally indefensible, as is segregation. It was a difficult and painful era for Mississippi, the rest of the country, and especially African Americans who were persecuted in that time.”
In the article in the Weekly Standard released yesterday, Barbour described a distinction in his hometown between the "Citizens Council" organization and the Klu Klux Klan. "Where I come from it was an organization of town leaders," he said. "In Yazoo City they passed a resolution that said anybody who started a chapter of the Klan would get their ass run out of town. If you had a job, you’d lose it. If you had a store, they’d see nobody shopped there. We didn’t have a problem with the Klan in Yazoo City.”
Speaking about the height of the civil rights movement in the piece, Barbour said, "I just don’t remember it as being that bad."
The comments drew skewering from historians, who noted that the Citizens Councils were anti-integration entities founded in opposition to the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.
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haley barbour wants to fire michael steele
WOW what a discussion.. here is the challenge I see. When people have been in office every word is judged by someone. People raised with one perspective, often hold tight to that one perspective as the TRUTH.
However, people in public office need to consider the overall constitution which requires equal rights under the law. Therefore when one has personal beliefs that limit those rites, they ought not impose those onto citizens in a free, democratic society. Everyone has personal opinions that may not be popular or socially congruent with history or the current growing social movement in the country. Our politicians have a responsibility to lead toward the future, not hold back the country because of fear and imposing values that do not reflect the national changes.
Naming Haley Barbour racist is a label that emotionally charges the issue and only alienates people from a rational discussion. Honestly, most of us who are white or of a dominant group have some form of ‘izm’ by being raised in this culture. It takes a long time to get eyes open and seek balance in ones views.
My hope is that rather than labeling, we simply work toward understanding that we can not afford to accept oppression of any group. With ongoing exposure to alternative thinking, and the stories of people who are productive and strong contributing citizens, the ‘izims’ will change, but I do not believe name calling and fighting will not change it.
Please do not misinterpret me, I DON NOT LIKE what this governor said or is possibly promoting by his statements. We need to hold each other accountable for our actions, or we will not reach equality for all in our country. In fact I am not sure equality for all will ever happen, but it will not - if we do not callout those times we each make statements that are derogatory or inappropriate.
jc watts says repubs have not really tried to reach out to black voters like they should
large numbers of whites think blacks are doing as well or better than them financially
repeated studies in missouri show that police there do racially profile.
glenn beck says obama's speeches are like the planet of the apes
the texas school board says that slavery is "north atlantic triangular trade"
So he's revising his revisionist statements? In light of his other statements about segregation, civil rights and how it all "went down" he doesn't believe at all in what he is now saying; he's simply following the directions of his handlers who obviously told him his bigotry is showing too much
bigotry is a vote getter in mississippi, but not so much nationwide
rush limbaugh says that watching the nfl is like watching the bloods against the crypts
It wasn't that bad, for him; however, wasn't a black man either. I am always astounded how people speak of something they have NEVER lived.
yap, it's pretty much a matter of perspective
bigotry is a vote getter in mississippi, but not so much nationwide
Sounds to me that the real racists are throwing the racists words and accusationa around again, this time at a really good man. There is a growing disgust of these folks who love to hate more than they love to love. I wouldn't think that wallowing in vicitmhood would be that much fun after all these years, but it must be. Peace between the different races had grown into something to be proud of, but it sure has regressed with all the whinning from those who want to stir the fire, to be offended, especially since Obama was elected.
I beg to differ: the real racists are those who exhibit racism in word and deed. If Mr. Barbour is able to so blithly dismiss or gloss over a painful part our nation's history he sets himself up as someone who was so immersed in what was considered "normal" that he still can't see the wrong of it all. Blatant or latent, racism is wrong. Mr Barbour needs to come to terms with himself and make amens for what seems to be a glaring flaw in his character.
So, can we all agree that Barbour is a closet racist? And, might I add, that all of those that have posted comments trying to deflect the issue, are likely to be racist as well. Of course, they just won't come out and say as much. The only thing that holds them back is that the world has changed around them, and, thus, cannot get away with discrimination without paying a price. But, let's make no mistake about it, we all know on which part of the Segregation issue the Teabaggers and the I-one-my-country-back crowd would have been had they lived in the 1940's and 50's. And, this is not from a Liberal, this is from A Socialist!
P.S. Got it? A Socialist and proud of it!
joe miller got medicaid.
It's always going to be an argument about repubs vs dems. (There are racist creeps in both parties) Or the "white redneck south" vs the "tolerant north" (again creeps in both places). Look, if you don't like it, that's your buisness. Don't come to the south (we don't want you here to start fights) and vote for your democratic party. Just remember, nobody is golden. We all have skeletons hiding in our closets.
many folks are openly racist on the net thanks to their anonymity here
glenn beck has an associate who speaks at neonazi meetings.
I am from this era, and while going to school I ask my dad why my friend went to a different school than me and he replied the government has it that way and he said that it was wrong ,everybody is the same in the eyes of God. With that i say all people from the south are not racist.
So sick of bigots and the followers. Words truly are wasted on them as their view of the world is narrow and tainted by hatred.
they use racist ads in the south more often during campaign season
glenn beck says that slavery did not begin with bad intentions
rush limbaugh says obama is tanking the economy to get back at white people
palin is critical of michelle obama's campaign against childhood obesity
What Gov. Barbour REALLY meant to say in his statement is that he really shouldnt have said what he said PUBLICALLY! What he said about civil rights, his defense of the White Citizens Council and his dalliances with the Council for Conservative Citizens ( WCC's new name) leaves njo doubt as to where he stands. The Trent Lott story all over again!!
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