Hail to the Chief! Rarely have I been proud of George W. Bush. He may be one of the worst presidents in the history of our nation. However, I give him props today for the strong condemnation that he gave to those who bring nooses into the workplace or those that joke about lynching. President Bush noted that some Americans may be losing sight of the suffering that Blacks have endured across the nation as a result of nooses and lynching.
"The era of rampant lynching is a shameful chapter in American history," Bush said in an event marking Black history month. "The noose is not a symbol of prairie justice, but of gross injustice," the president said. "Displaying one is not a harmless prank, and lynching is not a word to be mentioned in jest."
As
a civil society, Americans should agree that noose displays and lynching jokes are "deeply offensive," Bush said. "They are wrong. And they have no place in America today."
For decades, the noose was a symbolic part of a campaign of violence, fear and intimidation against Blacks, the president said. Sometimes, he added, it was orchestrated by the law enforcement officers charged with protecting them. Bush also said the noose was a tool for intimidation and killing that conveyed a sense of powerlessness to millions of Blacks throughout the country.
"Fathers were dragged from their homes in the dark of night before the eyes of their terrified children," he said. "Summary executions were held by torchlight in front of hateful crowds. In many cases, law enforcement officers responsible for protecting the victims were complicit in their deaths."
George Bush showed me today that he had the potential to be a compassionate conservative. I'm sorry that the type of insight and compassion that he showed in his remarks today have been absent over the past seven years of his presidency.
Today, the drumbeats are for President Bush. What say u?
"The era of rampant lynching is a shameful chapter in American history," Bush said in an event marking Black history month. "The noose is not a symbol of prairie justice, but of gross injustice," the president said. "Displaying one is not a harmless prank, and lynching is not a word to be mentioned in jest."
As
a civil society, Americans should agree that noose displays and lynching jokes are "deeply offensive," Bush said. "They are wrong. And they have no place in America today."For decades, the noose was a symbolic part of a campaign of violence, fear and intimidation against Blacks, the president said. Sometimes, he added, it was orchestrated by the law enforcement officers charged with protecting them. Bush also said the noose was a tool for intimidation and killing that conveyed a sense of powerlessness to millions of Blacks throughout the country.
"Fathers were dragged from their homes in the dark of night before the eyes of their terrified children," he said. "Summary executions were held by torchlight in front of hateful crowds. In many cases, law enforcement officers responsible for protecting the victims were complicit in their deaths."
George Bush showed me today that he had the potential to be a compassionate conservative. I'm sorry that the type of insight and compassion that he showed in his remarks today have been absent over the past seven years of his presidency.
Today, the drumbeats are for President Bush. What say u?
18 comments:
I saw your answers to Vanessa's 20 questions today and continue to be amazed by your undying support of my efforts with Modern Musings.
You know, I sometimes wish I didn't know what I know. I do try to remain uncynical but it is often hard. I guess that is why I am trying to flip the switch through activism.
I cannot echo the drumbeats for Bush, I can't.
Why didn't he speak out from the get go?
Why did he wait until Black History Month to say the right thing regarding the degenerative displays of nooses that you have so diligently brought to the forefront of the discussion here at the Village.
Should we applaud the truth when told as if an amazing breakthrough of thought and feeling has occurred?
The truth is such a rare thing these days that we are elated when it is spread. The truth needs to be seen as elementary not an oddity.
We must think beyond the actions and words of those in power, there is always a motive of operations.
Was this an enlightened response of Bush or an adviser?
His statements are so overdue but what late fees is he willing to pay?
I want more truth from Bush that's why I strongly support impeachment but I am afraid that there will be no applause when all truths are told, only shock and awe.
Much love my dearest friend
Danielle
All George Bush has to do now is prosecuted noose-makers as hate criminals. Condemnation is one thing. Enforcement of hate crime laws is another.
Danielle - You earned my undying support based on the guidance you gave me as an Original Villager!
You point out a great point about the expectations for truth from George Bush being so low that I get happy when I hear something new or true from him.
(sigh) ... u busted my bubble of Bush happiness...
Eddie - Excellent point. Unlikely to occur...
EV: What say you?
NAY! Too convenient that now that he doesn't need the racist white conservative vote (PARTICULARLY in the PRAIRE COUNTRY) that he comes out against lynching and nooses as symbols of hate. He should have said that 8 and 1/2 years ago on the campaign trail.
Maybe then he wouldn't have been elected.
Kismet - I sense that I was a bit more elated about hearing our president denounce nooses and lynching than many others that are sitting under the baobob tree with me. A sign that Bush truly doesn't have any wiggle room for his reputation or his legacy...
Bush gets no soul clap from this black man. Too little to late. Where was George W. Bush 9 months ago? 7 years ago? 9 Years ago? He is not "my President" He stole two elections.
No hail to the chief here. A man that tortures other man deserves no hail to the chief from this black man.
AAPP
Villager, I wonder why George W. Bush had to wait until Black History Month to denounce nooses, when the federally government reported recently that there was a 7% increase in hate crimes between 2005 and 2006? Does he have to wait until Black History Month to care about Black people's concerns, and when is he actually going to DO something about the problem? Something like redirecting the priorities of the US Justice Department and re-staffing the Civil Rights Division that has been systematically destroyed during the Bush Administration?
Maybe if Hurricane Katrina had happened during Black History Month, then Bush would have given a speech about it earlier. The problem is that speeches don't change anything policies change things. Just as a speech wouldn't have saved the victims of Hurricane Katrina, one speech during Black History Month isn't going to take the place of actual prosecution of hate crimes and workplace discrimination acts like noose hanging.
Villager, he's just trying to save black people long after a crisis already happened. He did it before and he's doing it now. NO soulclap from me!
AAPP, Francis, Deidra - I overstand what each of you are saying. However, at the end of the day ... it is a good day when the President uses his bully pulpit to say the right thing. Could/should he have done it sooner. No doubt. Should he follow-up with action by his Justice Department. No doubt.
But, for today ... the guy did the right thing. I give him credit for it today ... without losing the fact that he remains probably the worst president of the 43 that have sat in the Oval Office over the past 230+ years...
Villager,
I am glad that your Bush bubble got popped!
This statement by W, is a day late and definitely enforcement short in reality.
Now, he wants to talk about the nooses and the historical facts about lynching~during Black History Month. Oh please, give us a real leader in the near future!
I have more respect for people who uphold their beliefs than for those who shift to meet the event.
Bush has not directly spoke to AA's in the past 7 years. And when he has directed a message towards us, I have not been too pleased with the content.
So he gets no good to go card from on this subject. It is apowerless and the $$$ is at the moment.
Lady D - I respect your thoughts and opinion.
If the choice is continued silence from the POTUS or his statement from yesterday ... my choice is the statement he made yesterday. His continued silence would serve no good purpose either...
Okay Villager I will commend him for that one day BUT for some reason it still come off as iffy to me. Like I don't believe it, like it's fake. I guess that's why you have to be real from the beginning. I know people change Village but damn lol.
ahhhh - words of compassion from bush for black history month - not impressed.
Deidra & Traveler - I appreciate your village voice on this Bush statement...
Ahhh yes, Black History Month... The moment when we all bask in our obligatory blackness... even the President dabbled. He should have made the comments while sitting next to Armstrong Williams and sharing some Sweet Potato Pie; at least then it would have the consistancy of also looking contrived.
Sorry Wayne, I can't go with you on this one... Not even for the day.
Kevin - Understood. btw, I'm disappointed in NAACP and Julian Bon for this latest gambit to support Team Clinton. Why would he do such a thing?
Brother Wayne, when I read about Chairman Bond's comments, I was outraged and I am an NAACP Branch President.
So I picked up my phone and started calling members of the board and staff to try and understand what in the world was going on. Now to be clear, I am not speaking on behalf of Chairman Bond or anyone else, but I will share with you what I was told.
The position Bond espoused was not that the delegations should be seated in accordance with the results of the 'primaries'. But rather the people of Michigan and Florida should be given some opportunity to vote and indicate their choice, whether that be through a new primary or caucus or some other means. Bond did not talk about what methods would be used, but from what I have heard, his intent was to push the DNC chair to take some kind of action to resolve this prior to the convention.
Since they had been stripped by the DNC, technically no election took place in either State. Bond's push was that some mechanism be selected for determining the will of the residents of MI and FL.
Within the last 15 minutes, Bond has issued a 'clarifying' statement to the National Board and Staff. I've just read it and it essentially confirms what I'd already heard. I'm still waiting on word from the Muckedy-Mucks about whether or not the letter can go public or if he's going to make some other public statement...
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