election
A little KKK history
In today’s election climate, there’s little that the opposite sides of the political spectrum can agree on. Fortunately most do agree that the history of the KKK is filled with horrific violence, unseemly doctrine, and a racist philosophy that has no place in American culture. What most don’t seem to understand though is the political history of the KKK.
For example, most don’t know that the KKK was actually started by Democrats. Its members waged war using intimidation and violence, targeting black and white Republicans. It’s unlikely that’s taught in public schools or during Democrat party get-out-the-vote efforts. In fact, dig a little deeper and you’ll find that the very first KKK Grand Wizard once said:
“I have never voted for any man who was not a regular Democrat.
He said that because the Republican party, the party of Abraham Lincoln, was founded with a goal of fighting slavery. Many famous and influential people in the history of this nation were proud Republicans, and many were also black. Frederick Douglas, for example, said:
“I am a Republican, a black, dyed in the wool Republican, and I never intend to belong to any party than the party of freedom and progress.”
Here are a few other important points as we move through history:
- Gun control and racism have been linked for many years with the Democrats playing a big role in an effort to disarm minorities.
- Democrats wrote the Jim Crow laws that segregated the south.
- George Wallace, Democrat Governor of Alabama, famously stood in the doorway of the University of Alabama to prevent black students from enrolling. He unleashed fire hoses and police dogs on peaceful black protesters. He was clearly a staunch segregationist, stating:
“Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”
- Here’s a classy gem from Lyndon Johnson, Democrat President of the United States.
“I’ll have those (derogatory term) voting Democrat for the next 200 years.”
- Harry Truman, Democrat President of the United States, a Klansman.
- Robert Byrd, Democrat Senator from West Virginia organized a chapter of the KKK, lead that chapter and was later elected “Exalted Cyclops.” We’re not sure what that title means but it either refers to a high ranking KKK position or he had no depth perception.
The reason we got to the point today where the KKK is even being discussed in the media, in spite of its paltry and insignificant membership, is because David Duke said one thing positive about Donald Trump. By the way, Duke did not endorse Trump. In fact he said he didn’t trust Trump due to his connections with Israel.
By the way David Duke is a long time Democrat and ran for several offices as a Democrat.
Racism is a shameful mark on the history of this nation and although huge strides have been made, there’s no doubt that we have a chance to continue moving in the right direction. Maybe it’s time for the Democrats to start accepting responsibility for their own contributions to the horrific history of racism and injustice. That chance, though, is likely zero.
Election perspectives
Quite a contrast between Iraq elections of a decade ago and those today in America.
Who’s responsible for the rise of Trump?
Donald Trump is storming through the Republican primary to the surprise of just about everyone. It seems as though the worse the behavior, the bigger the following. We discussed this in an earlier post so we won’t replay that here.
But who’s to blame for Trump’s rise?
If you look at recent editorial cartoons, Frankenstein’s monster is the latest metaphor used to explain it. Just check out the examples below. The Republican establishment and Fox News appear to be popular. But we think there’s a simpler explanation.
The best explanation is to look no further than Obama. A huge segment of the population isn’t pleased with the direction this country has been taken. It’s not just the policies, it’s Obama’s childlike qualities, and we don’t mean an honest, doe-eyed innocence. We’re speaking of his callow actions as he attempts to build a legacy. A legacy that has more in common with a petulant toddler than the leader of the free world. Check out this ever expanding list:
Voter’s want something the opposite of what we currently have. Unfortunately with the pendulum having swung so far in one direction, the kinetic energy during it’s reverse course will swing us too far along an about-faced bearing. Trump is the anti-Obama, but not in a good way.
The Medium is the Message
In his 1964 book “Understanding Media: Extension of Man” Marshall McLuhan coined the term The Medium is the Message. There’s no more obvious example of this than Donald Trump’s historic rise through his careful, crass, and damn-the-torpedoes-full-steam-ahead approach to getting his coiffed hair in front of every media outlet possible.
Print, radio and television – especially television – have put Trump in his most natural environment. The actual spoken message matters little. What matters is the image, and more precisely, his image, in as many places, in as many forms and as often as possible. The more rude, boorish and lowbrow the actual message, the more the media will hover to catch every insult; the more bleeps required the better.
We’re going from a President who curtsies to every foreign leader he meets, friend or foe, to the possibility of a President Trump, who’s sure to start delicate foreign relations discussions with “pull my finger.”
The haunting of Hillary
Hillary’s quick to point out the amount of experience she brings to this campaign. To go along with that self-identified worldliness there’s an expectation that all she has to do is have her name on primary ballots and it’s a mere formality to get from there to her coronation. That experience left a legacy of trampled bodies and issues on her way to her crowning.
Trustworthiness: Bernie Sanders 91%, Hillary Clinton 5%
The good news is that the voters are starting to catch on. During the New Hampshire polling it was identified that Hillary’s trustworthiness was shockingly low compared to Bernie Sanders. From the NY Times, voters who care about honesty in a candidate said that Bernie carries the trust factor by a whopping 91% compared to Hillary’s 5%. 5%!? We’d be willing to go out on a limb and say that at least 5% of people think the moon’s made of green cheese and Elvis is there right now, living out his retirement years.
Some might call Hillary’s current troubles another example of chickens coming home to roost, but that only brings back unpleasant memories of Reverend Wright disparaging America. Instead, let’s just say that New Hampshire was Hillary’s fright night filled with ghosts of transgressions-past.
So Hillary and Bill, with your campaign faltering due to ghosts from your power hungry ambitions …. who you gonna call?
Never a tragedy wasted
In response to the deaths San Bernardino, there was a noticeable difference in how those running for the office of President responded through Twitter.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the shooting victims and their families in San Bernardino.” Ben Carson
California shooting looks very bad. Good luck to law enforcement and God bless. This is when our police are so appreciated?” Donald Trump
“Praying for the victims, their families & the San Bernardino first responders in the wake of this tragic shooting”. Jeb Bush
“My thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by the shooting in San Bernardino, especially the first responders.” John Kasich
“Horrifying news out of #San Bernadino. Enough is enough: it’s time to stand up to the @NRA and enact meaningful gun safety laws.” Martin O’Malley
“I refuse to accept this as normal. We must take action to stop gun violence now.” Hillary Clinton
“Mass shootings are becoming an almost-everyday occurre3nce in this country. This sickening and senseless gun violence must stop.” Bernie Sanders
So in summary, if you’re a Republican candidate you offer condolences, concerns for those suffering and encouragement to law enforcement. If your a Democrat candidate you’re looking for what’s in it for yourself as a vote getting tool.
If the Democrats want to do something about gun violence there are plenty of places to start but empty rhetoric only says “look at me, I’m pounding my fist to show I care.” Since their bold statements imply that they know exactly the reason behind this tragedy then we’re all anxious to hear what brilliant piece of legislation would have prevented this horrible act in California, a state that already has some of the toughest gun regulations in the country. But maybe like climate change, talking about it is enough to stem the tide of all evils.
Clinton plays the less-than-cool prom queen wannabe. Laughing inappropriately, better known as Hillary Hilarity
Ever notice how some people, being so desperate to fit in with the cool kids, suddenly display a knack for laughing at inappropriate times. Hillary seems to fall squarely in that category, a common trait for homely girls in high school trying to garner some minor level of popularity but only ending up tripping over their shoe laces and falling face first into jello salad.
But at least Hillary wouldn’t stoop so far as to resort to a wig, no matter how symbolic that would be of her phony attempts at improving her popularity or her acceptance as one of the cool kids.
Confederacy of Drones 