More on Trent Lott
Not to beat this story to a pulp, but there is a really well written article in the Washington Post, discussing in a way, the history of Trent Lott's record on segregation and race issues. It also highlights some oft the most egregious comments that I hope Lott has ever made.

"In the 1980s, Lott voted against extending the Voting Rights Act and against establishing Martin Luther King Day as a federal holiday. On the Voting Rights Act, in 1981, he was one of 17 Republicans and seven Democrats, including most of the Virginia delegation, voting against extending that law, which struck down obstacles between minorities and polling places. In 1983, Lott joined 97 other House members, most of them Republicans, in opposing the King holiday, including then-Reps. Phil Gramm (R-Tex.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.). In an interview with Southern Partisan magazine, Lott explained his stance on the King holiday: "Look at the cost involved in the Martin Luther King holiday and the fact that we have not done it for a lot of other people that were more deserving."
More deserving? Who would that be, Strom Thurmond, all the Grand Marshalls of the KKK?


One of my favorite sections discusses a press release sent out by Lott's office to highlight his record to specifically include his

"legislative achievements in education, trade with Africa, economic development and community health care.
Under Lott's majority leadership, the document said, the Senate approved a Rosa Parks Congressional Medal for the woman who began the Montgomery bus boycott; similar awards to the nine black students who integrated Little Rock schools; a day honoring minority veterans of World War II; a resolution honoring Jackie Robinson; and a resolution creating a special task force to recognize the slave laborers who helped build the Capitol."

This seems to me to be someone who when questioned about being racist says, "no way, I have lots of (insert race here) friends."


Maybe Trent Lott will take a cue from Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law and resign his post.

posted by sajit @ 10:39 AM