Yesterday, I took a little time to watch the Senate confirmation hearing of Justice Sonia Sotomayor. I guess you really have to be either a historian of American Political History, or have lived, and be able to recall the history you have lived during your past 66 years. I have the unfortunate position of being a little of both.
Watching Republican Senators from the South, like Alabama, talk about prejudice is a bit like living through an Alice In Wonderland story. Why are these men from the deep South Republicans anyway? In 1948, when Harry Truman ran for President, all senators from the deep South were Democrats. What happened that caused them to change?
I remember watching on black and white TV as Governor George Wallace read a speech and stood in the doorway of the University of Alabama protesting the Federal Government's interference in the "right of the state" to decide who could go to a state university. The major requirement back then to go to the University of Alabama was being white. In the early 1960s, during the Kennedy administration, a black man needed the help of the Federal Government to go to class. The south had back then what they called separate, but equal. It was separate, but it was not equal. Today, when I turn on my TV and see the complexion of the University of Alabama football team, I can not help to think back to that shot in my mind of Governor Wallace standing in the door and reading his speech.
The South flipped to become Republicans over the issue of States Rights. As they, in the deep south, saw it, the state had the right to refuse a person an education at a state supported university on the basis of color or race.
Now fast forward 60 years to 2009, and now we have a Hispanic woman well qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice, but we are hearing from the white senators from the deep South that this woman might be prejudice? These senators are cards like in the story of Alice In Wonderland, "off with her head?" No, confirm her as a Supreme Court Justice now. Enough foolishness, we have a country to get back on its feet.
Stay tuned.
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4 comments:
What kind of post was that Fred? Not one person commented about it. You need to spell things out more clearly when you write about American political history. Do you think everyone that even reads your blog knows who Governor George Wallace was? You expect people to know the political history of the deep South during the Kennedy administration? That is ancient history Fred, get with it. Please.
I think the "Alice In Wonderland" reference was confusing. Next time I will use more names, numbers and dates. :-)
I don't "do" politics,and the names of American Senators are vague memories to me. Maybe that's why I have enjoyed this post. It's very interesting to read how the world changes, and how this change came about. How you remember it, because you have lived it.
Loved this one, Moneythoughts! We are contemporaries and I spent part of my formative years in the south (Chattanooga), and clearly remember separate drinking fountains, separate entrances, back-of-the-bus rules, etc. These scenes informed my liberal attitudes in adulthood.
For those of us who remember Wallace, the South, Jim Crow and all that, the "Alice in Wonderland" reference is appropriate.
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