we're post racial, right?

[basilosaurus]

I heard this in passing on an npr story on the voter id laws, and I literally dropped my jaw. I assume it's all race based, but I tend to also think that in 2012, people are more euphemistic than referencing watermelons.

"Race permeates all political aspects in South Carolina, much to everybody's annoyance and chagrin," says Scott Huffmon, a political scientist at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C.

Huffmon says the introduction in court of an email exchange between a resident and one of the law's key sponsors, State Rep. Alan Clemmons, has only added fuel to the fire. The resident told Clemmons that he didn't believe that poor blacks and the elderly couldn't get photo ID and that, if they were offered $100 to show one, they'd be, "like a swarm of bees going after a watermelon." To that, Clemmons responded, "Amen ... thank you for your support of voter ID."

Says Huffmon: "And so, that led people to believe that, whether it was openly spoken of or not, there was a racial dimension to this and that the law was being passed with ulterior motives."

Clemmons said in court that his email response was "poorly considered." He and other state lawmakers testified that their intention was to prevent voter fraud, although that's not been a problem in the state. They denied they were trying to suppress the votes of black residents, who are less likely to have the required ID.

[laurenpetro]

what he meant to say was "like a swarm of bees going after grape soda."

much better.

WTF?

[iammalcolmx]

Damn

[marie427]

We have a black POTUS. Racism is over. Move along folks, nothing to see here.

[Deleted]

Sept 11, 2012 15:53:32 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Huffmon says the introduction in court of an email exchange between a resident and one of the law's key sponsors, State Rep. Alan Clemmons, has only added fuel to the fire. The resident told Clemmons that he didn't believe that poor blacks and the elderly couldn't get photo ID and that, if they were offered $100 to show one, they'd be, "like a swarm of bees going after a watermelon." To that, Clemmons responded, "Amen ... thank you for your support of voter ID."

Says Huffmon: "And so, that led people to believe that, whether it was openly spoken of or not, there was a racial dimension to this and that the law was being passed with ulterior motives."

You guys do realize that it was a resident who made this statement and not the bill sponsor, right?

The bill sponsor should have said "shut up, you racist fuck" but politicians never do that, do they? "Thanks for your support" is like "Bless his heart" in regards to ugly babies..

[marie427]

Sept 11, 2012 17:38:27 GMT -5 sandsonik said:

Sept 11, 2012 15:53:32 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Huffmon says the introduction in court of an email exchange between a resident and one of the law's key sponsors, State Rep. Alan Clemmons, has only added fuel to the fire. The resident told Clemmons that he didn't believe that poor blacks and the elderly couldn't get photo ID and that, if they were offered $100 to show one, they'd be, "like a swarm of bees going after a watermelon." To that, Clemmons responded, "Amen ... thank you for your support of voter ID."

Says Huffmon: "And so, that led people to believe that, whether it was openly spoken of or not, there was a racial dimension to this and that the law was being passed with ulterior motives."

You guys do realize that it was a resident who made this statement and not the bill sponsor, right?

The bill sponsor should have said "shut up, you racist fuck" but politicians never do that, do they? "Thanks for your support" is like "Bless his heart" in regards to ugly babies..

But who says "Amen" to someone if they're disagreeing with what they're saying?

[orangeblossom]

In SC post racial, please.

[orangeblossom]

Sept 11, 2012 17:40:28 GMT -5 marie427 said:

Sept 11, 2012 17:38:27 GMT -5 sandsonik said:

You guys do realize that it was a resident who made this statement and not the bill sponsor, right?

The bill sponsor should have said "shut up, you racist fuck" but politicians never do that, do they? "Thanks for your support" is like "Bless his heart" in regards to ugly babies..

But who says "Amen" to someone if they're disagreeing with what they're saying?

This. Just because he consigned on it, doesn't make it any less offensive.

[MixedBerryJam]

I heard this, too, but thought I must have misheard. Times like that I reach for the "rewind' button that doesn't exist on my radio. I honestly thought, "No way, no one would say that. I wonder what he actually said," in my head.