The National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) held its annual fall Board of Directors meeting in Charleston, S.C. last weekend – a decision the organization is likely regretting after several controversial pictures from one of the meeting’s sponsored events began surfacing on the internet.
One of the pictures shows S.C. Senate President Glenn McConnell - who FITS readers will recall enjoys dressing up as a Confederate General – posing in his Rebel garb with a pair of African-Americans dressed in, um, “antebellum” attire.
The event in question – dubbed “The Southern Experience” – was held last Friday evening at the Country Club of Charleston. Hosted by the South Carolina Federation of Republican Women, it was included on the national conference’s official itinerary.
In addition to McConnell, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford attended (and spoke at) the event – although it was not listed on his weekly public schedule. S.C. Republican Attorney General nominee Alan Wilson also attended.
Invited speakers to the NFRW conference included U.S. House Majority Leader John Boehner, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, RNC Chairman Michael Steele, Rep. Joe Wilson, House Speaker Bobby Harrell, former U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins and GOP gubernatorial nominee Nikki Haley.
Well see now we have all been wrong about Republicans being essentially racist.
They openly welcome the African America community into their fold. Just so long as they dress like plantation workers and don't get all "uppity."
So now, after seeing these pictures, is it ANY wonder these Republicans are not exactly embracing the Obama presidency? After all it is strikingly obvious, looking through the southern conservative prism, that HE does not know his place. Now does he?
If you are interested in reading more about his gathering I suggest you click the link to FitsNews at the top of the page.
In my estimation, the people of color should have their Negro Card pulled.
ReplyDeleteSorry! Vain attempt at levity.
To the point. When I was a kid,in grammar school, '54-62, they would put on a minstrel show every year.
Until I was in high school, I never understood just how degrading for blacks,it actually was. And it was a Catholic school!!!! Not that should make a big difference, but you'd think!!!!
For those that don't know what a minstrel show was like, with the black faced side men, take a look;
http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1DVCB_enUS335US381&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=hannity+manipulates+the+news#sclient=psy&hl=en&rlz=1C1DVCB_enUS335US381&tbs=vid%3A1&q=minstrel+show+blackface&aq=1&aqi=g5&aql=&oq=minstrel+show&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=8ff235188d4bd732
I recommend Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States". Deja Vu all over again!
ReplyDeleteOMG! Who are the African American's in these pictures and WHY would they do this??
ReplyDeleteBARF!! This is terrible!
ReplyDeleteand the repubs cant understand why people of color don't support them. Duh!!!
ReplyDeleteI literally have no words for this.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, why would any African American go along with this shit?
ReplyDelete"Antebellum" is part of the Southern experience. It is after all part of their history, and we shouldn't be trying to erase it. HOWEVER, re-enacting it at a political gathering is just.....wow! Inappropriate doesn't even begin to describe it. But what I really don't get are the African-Americans who were willing to dress up and go along with this. And why on God's green earth would any black person want to affiliate himself/herself with the Republican party?
ReplyDeleteLawzy Miss Scarlett, I don't know nothin' 'bout fiscal responsibility.
ReplyDeleteI travel to a lot of historic sites when I'm down in the US and there -are- African-Americans do recreate slavery and plantation life in a respectful way as a means of reclaiming their own history and not allowing it to be swept aside as inconvenient to the romanticized picture of the past.
ReplyDeleteBut at a Republican event, without context or explanation for the pictures thrown up on the internet - that's just asking for the sort of repulsed reaction most sane people feel looking at pics like this. Appalling judgment, but the GOP specialize in shameless stupidity these days.
Never thought I would ever see an African-American dress up as slaves or freed slaves!
ReplyDeleteGosh, it must have made those white Southern politicians feel right at home. Bet some of them were making fun of the whole event behind the backs of the blacks who went along with this.
Everyone - of whatever race - should be embarrassed. Have they no shame? This is how comfortable the Republicans and Tea Party people feel in exposing their racism.
I lived in Charleston. It is not, I repeat, part of the "New South" in attitude. It clings to its racist, plantation mentality with pride.
The Speakers scheduled for the "Southern Experience" would be quite at home in the antebellum South. I hope everyone notes and remembers who those people were.
They are guilty of perpetuating the exploitation of people of color.
I bet anyone with any status at the event was white, white, white.
South Carolina - a backwater and embarrassment.
Arrrrgggghhh. I feel nauseous.
ReplyDeleteThe Republican Party keeps slipping deeper into the slime and mire. Just when I think they can't go any lower, surprise! They do.
OMG...
ReplyDeleteThis is like a Catholic priest dressing like Michael Jackson for Halloween.
doo dah, doo dah
ReplyDeleteDo the AA's in that picture think this is funny? Cute? OK? WTF. I wish I had a time machine to send those idiots back to slave days for real. Then I'd like a photo of their smiling faces. Geezez, how degrading.
ReplyDeleteI guess this shows just how bad the economy is when black people have to stoop to playing slaves at a Republican gathering, which I'm quite sure had some of the attendees longing for "the good ol' days" and they want to run the country again??? YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWTF is wrong with these people? I am too at a loss for words.
ReplyDeleteEveryone looks pretty happy in those pics. Libs are sooo touchy. Playacting is fun and common as long as the parties dont feel demeaned
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, perhaps we are missing the context, but the photos are horrifying to this (transplanted) Southerner. Um...I just really don't know what to say.
ReplyDeleteBut, on a lighter note, Gryphen, re: Sanford..."not on his weekly schedule". Ha ha
Please please please tell me this is satire, and photoshopped.
ReplyDeleteI, too, remember minstrel shows held in our local church in the 50s.
ReplyDeleteAdd to that recollection, into the early-mid 60s, the University of Vermont (UVM) fraternities would compete in what is known as a cakewalk. The frat boys dressed as minstrels, not only their high-stepping walk was judged but their dress as well.
We were so insensitive to others ethnicity. There is no excuse in today's diverse world for this lack of sensitivity.
Lord have mercy. I live in SC, am a liberal attorney, and am constantly embarrassed.
ReplyDeleteLet's assume the African Americans in the photo are actual Republicans and members of that country club or else we are the ones stereotyping.
ReplyDeleteLordy, Lordy... I 'aint shocked 'bout them GOPers, no sir, I ain't.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought it was some Civil War mega-reenactment, but then I saw who was hosting it. And the two people playing the "slaves" look so kind and affable in going along with this degrading crapola. This little bit of theater, more than anything, is the ultimate wet dream of the NeoCon Party. Besides Scarah, Chrissie and an all-encompassing war, of course.
ReplyDeleteJust amazing that not only is this still happening today, but aome A-A people are willing to participate. How much were they compensated to be "humiliated"? Did they need the money that bad? If so, that's a shame.
ReplyDeleteI just can't get my head around this. It says that
ReplyDeleteRNC Chairman Michael Steele was among the invitees.
Did he watch this travesty?
I am black, and I imagine those people were hired to play a part. They are not thinking of how it looks, they want the paycheck.
ReplyDeleteI am just stunned at the pictures. How do people think this is OK in 2010? Do they really want to go back to slave times?
I am waiting for the 'if anyone was offended, we are sorry' line.
How degrading to the actors. After collecting their paychecks, are they going home and cringing and telling their families that something very terrible is happening?
ReplyDeleteI thought that my generation would have ended this. I grew up hearing comments about blacks being said that were not nice that I KNEW were not OK and never said. I, along with my friends in the late 1980's, were appalled when a white kid called a black kid the N word.
I thought we'd gotten rid of this and stamped it out. Racism was not OK-- when given a chance, blacks have become talented leaders, teachers and moved into every echelon of society.
How does our ex guv pulling women down help the cause? I feel like she sold her soul-- if she didn't, someone else would have. She is becoming a mockery of women with her faked pregnancy and boob job. Where do we get off the slippery slope that we are sliding down?
I'll hazard a guess that many Immoral Minority commenters don't have regular social contact with African Americans. Probably don't have black neighbors and probably don't really know the nice black guy at work who tries to put everyone at ease when he walks into the conference room.
ReplyDeleteJust as some (many) white folks can be racist, ignorant, and dangerous, like Sarah Palin and her ilk, some black folks can be deluded and self-hating.
ot, but a great article by bob cesca thanking sarah for the senat set she most likely gave us in backing o'donnell.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/thanks-sarah-palin-for-th_b_718392.html
kidshalleen @9:25 am, just out of curiousity, what region of the us were you in grammar school?
ReplyDeletethose minstrel shows, beyond offensive are bad entertainment. the people look hideous and appear robotic. how could anyone have ever thought that was good entertainment.
you mist have had some racist nuns teaching at your school. catholic school was generally lame for me in comparison, but my dad has some stories aw well!
And of course, deluded and self-hating has nothing to do with growing up black in this country. Uh huh.
ReplyDeleteAs an African-American woman, this spectacle filled me with disgust and puzzlement at why ANY African-American would want to take part in this farce. It's obvious that these folks posing as southern generals or southern bells get some kind of emotional satisfaction out of reenacting the antebellum South. They are romanticizing one of the ugliest, most sordid chapters in American history.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I cannot begin to fathom any satisfaction these black men and women get out of being in clearly subordinate roles. Not even a sizable paycheck would be enough for me to undergo even one second of this travesty. It's utterly sickening!
I'm Asian, but my father (step), the only father I've ever known was AA. (he passed away ten years ago). He was a wonderful, amazing, sweetheart of a man/father, indescribable. He had sooo many friends; everyone loved him. My younger siblings are half, and many of my parent's friends were AA, as well as my playmates. We also had many many white friends. I know none of our white friends would have wanted to re-enact any kind of scenario like this! This is a "Southern Experience" show... like re-enactments of the "Wild West" with cowboys and Indians... which I don't like/understand either...All of this glorifies man's inhumanity to man, and should just stay in books. IMO
ReplyDeleteThat's a WOMAN!!! No way.
ReplyDeleteI have to assume that these black minstrels are being PAID to perform, and in this economy, they'll take any gig they can get and smile for the cameras.
ReplyDeleteI wondered when seeing the prizes on the table behind (gift baskets, etc.) if the slaves were going to be raffled off as well.
I guess this is what passes for a sense of humor in SC.
ReplyDeleteDisturbing.
And I have such pleasant memories of living in Charleston as a child.
Duke University fraternity's still have events called Old South where everyone dresses up, just like this, the civil war is alive and well in the south
ReplyDeleteIt's me, the liberal SC attorney again. We're not all clinging to our racist past. Charleston has a very modern, sophisticated side if you get out of the tourist traps. It has world-class restaurants and hotels, and living downtown is a very European way of life. A Charleston chef has won the James Beard Award for best southeastern chef the past 3 years in a row. Spoleto Festival USA is regarded as one of the best international arts festivals in the country. Charleston was voted the #2 most desirable destination by Conde Nast Traveler magazine readers last year.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there are pockets of re-enactments and memorials glorifying the past, the Civil War, etc, there is also now a Slave Market Museum that very painfully honestly describes the horrible acts committed there in the past.
So, let's not do the same ignorant generalizing and stereotyping that we criticize the republicans for.