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by Johnny Norris

 

After our legislature finally enacted a pitifully inadequate General Fund budget and as we collectively observe the national implosion of the Republican Party with all the fascination of a movie audience watching a slow-motion train wreck, I have a few things to say about conservative  ideology and how it contributes to the crippling of Alabama.

 

White Alabamians by and large self-identify as politically conservative. White Alabamians like me who self-identify as liberal are rare. Hell, I think most of them are friends of mine on Facebook.

But what does it mean to be conservative in Alabama?

 

There are three answers to that question, depending on how deeply you look at it. At the most surface level, the level in the heads of most Alabamians when they self-identify as conservative, the notion of being conservative embraces such ideals as self-reliance, personal responsibility, and fiscal good sense. At this level, Alabama conservatism finds its roots in the ideals of the 19th century Jacksonian Democrats, who proclaimed themselves to be self-reliant frontiersmen who disdained dependence on government or any other large institution.

 

Also at the surface level, you have a few specific policy positions that are generally associated with conservative ideology. Conservatives do not believe in spending money on a social safety net, believing instead that poor people should “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” rather than relying on “government handouts.” Conservatives are hawkish, supporting America’s use of military force in most contexts. Conservatives do not believe in criminal rehabilitation or addressing the social and economic roots of criminal behavior. The conservative answer to crime is more jail time.

Conservatives also have well-defined views about social issues. To be conservative is to be against a woman’s right to choose an abortion, against equality of gays and lesbians, and in favor of liberal or no restrictions on firearms.

 

A deeper, second level of being conservative in Alabama has to do with race. Many self-professed Alabama conservatives will deny it, but it cannot be seriously questioned that conservative ideology in Alabama includes strong streaks of racism.

 

Accusations of racism are almost always met with denial and indignation, so let’s talk honestly about racism in our state. I came of age in the 1980’s, not so long ago, and until I became friends with a black classmate in the seventh grade in Talladega I was myself an unthinking racist who never questioned the discriminatory ideas handed down to me from the previous generations of central Alabama family and friends. I am ashamed to admit that I often used the word ****** to describe African-Americans, just as my family and white friends did. It was how I was raised. Sadly, I was far from alone in being taught to think this way about blacks in Alabama.

 

Later, I went to law school and went to work for a large, and largely white, corporate defense law firm here in Birmingham. This was a bastion of Alabama conservatism, and it took a long time before the white lawyers with whom I worked learned that I was not part of their little racist club, and would not tolerate casual racist comments and jokes in my presence. Again, I am sad to report that this “club” of white conservative lawyers constituted the majority of defense lawyers with whom I dealt in my first 10 years of law practice.

 

So spare me protestations that Alabamians have changed and that racism is in the past. I know better, and so do you. To steal a quote from George Wallace himself, anyone who thinks racism is dead in Alabama should have their head bored for a hollow horn. Racism drove thousands of Alabamians to go see Donald Trump give a campaign speech just a few weeks ago after he labelled Mexican immigrants as murderers and rapists. Racism is behind opposition to social programs like food stamps and aid to families with dependent children, because such programs are seen as primarily benefiting “them.” Racism is why our Republican-led government passed stringent voter identification laws and then shuttered every single facility for getting new driver’s licenses in every single majority-black Alabama county.

 

Racism is why conservatives care nothing about public education except in affluent white suburban areas.

 

There is an even darker third level to understanding Alabama conservatism, a level working-class Alabama conservatives do not grasp at all. That is the level of what Alabama’s conservative government actually does, and what it does is to place most of the tax burden on the very working-class folks that most ardently support them, refuse to so much as consider imposing fair and equitable taxes on large corporate land-owners, and struggle to provide even minimally adequate state governmental services.

 

These facts (and they are facts) are familiar to anyone who has read my blog, but unfortunately that is a tiny fraction of the Alabama electorate.

 

The great political scam pulled by conservatives on white Alabama voters is, first, to openly appeal to the first level of conservatism. Candidates for Alabama office hawk their opposition to legal abortions and gay marriage, advocate ever-longer jail terms for convicted criminals, and oppose any reasonable restrictions for firearms. This openly appeals to the conservative base.

 

Second, Alabama conservatives make more subtle, often coded, appeals to Alabama white racism. Lately, the easiest code word for racism has been the word “Obama.” If Obama is associated with it, the implicit message goes, it has to be something that favors blacks to the detriment of whites. In the 80’s and 90’s the code words included the phrase “welfare queens,” which was understood to be “blacks on welfare.” In the recent ongoing debate over white police officers using deadly force in their encounters with black citizens, the code word has been the word “thug.”

 

These two appeals, to open and acknowledged conservative ideals and coded (and thus deniable) appeals to white racism, serve to distract the electorate from what our government is really doing.

Which is making sure rich people and corporations pay next to nothing in taxes while the poor and working classes shoulder an immoral share of the tax burden.

 

Which is crippling our state, trapping us in a third world economy, a third-rate infrastructure, a pitiful public education system, inadequate health care for the poor and mentally ill, and overcrowded prisons.

 

So next time you describe yourself as a conservative, ask yourself what you mean by that.

Unfortunately, most Alabama white conservatives think they are for one thing when in fact they have been sold a bill of goods by elected officials who don’t give the first **** about this state, or its people, as long as corrupt corporate money keeps lining their pockets.

 

And if you think for one second that corrupt money is not what lures our elected officials to office, look at those embarrassing emails Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard sent to former governor Bob Riley. The only difference between Hubbard and the rest of the clowns is that he got caught and his emails publicized.

 

To be conservative in Alabama is to be in favor of corrupt  government and always hoping that Mississippi, rather than Alabama, is number 50 on the latest ranking concerning education or the economy. To be conservative in Alabama means that being last  or next to last in everything is okay.

 

Alabama needs progress, and its conservative ideology, embodied in the 1901 Constitution, stands in the way of any progress.

 

That’s what it means to be conservative in Alabama.

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Thanks for the link to your fine blog, a blog that all the "conservatives" on this forum ought to follow in order to get their eyes opened beyond the tiny slit-like apertures through which they permit entry only to that which nourishes their preconceived, spoon-fed notions.

 

Hubbard is truly a scheming, avaricious weasel whose tenure as Speaker will help firmly anchor Alabama government to its much-deserved ranking as the worst state government in the nation.

Originally Posted by Mr. Hooberbloob:

If we could just somehow get all democrats to move out of Alabama.  Crime would decrease 99.9% and the unemployment rate would be less than 1%.  Taxes could be greatly lowered and quality of life increased.  Unfortunately, the critters we are forced to support keep dragging us down.

_____

And you have been smoking and snorting WHAT?

Originally Posted by Mr. Hooberbloob:

If we could just somehow get all democrats to move out of Alabama.  Crime would decrease 99.9% and the unemployment rate would be less than 1%.  Taxes could be greatly lowered and quality of life increased.  Unfortunately, the critters we are forced to support keep dragging us down.

HA! Stand up comedian?

Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by Mr. Hooberbloob:

If we could just somehow get all democrats to move out of Alabama.  Crime would decrease 99.9% and the unemployment rate would be less than 1%.  Taxes could be greatly lowered and quality of life increased.  Unfortunately, the critters we are forced to support keep dragging us down.

_____

And you have been smoking and snorting WHAT?


Common sense, you should give it a try sometimes.  Wait, you're a democrat, never mind.

Last edited by Mr. Hooberbloob
Originally Posted by BoldTruth:
Originally Posted by Mr. Hooberbloob:

If we could just somehow get all democrats to move out of Alabama.  Crime would decrease 99.9% and the unemployment rate would be less than 1%.  Taxes could be greatly lowered and quality of life increased.  Unfortunately, the critters we are forced to support keep dragging us down.

HA! Stand up comedian?


It's actually pretty sad that everything I've said is true.  Your kind should strive to come up to our level, because we refuse to sink to yours.

As often happens, Bold Truth provided a careful, detailed analysis of  the current brand of conservatism in Alabama and its effects on this incompetently governed  state.  And as is common, the wingers, represented by HooberBOOB, provided nothing  of any substance or analytical depth

in response, preferring instead to just babble and blurt undocumented, unexplicated, opinionated insult.

Originally Posted by Contendahh:

As often happens, Bold Truth provided a careful, detailed analysis of  the current brand of conservatism in Alabama and its effects on this incompetently governed  state.  And as is common, the wingers, represented by HooberBOOB, provided nothing  of any substance or analytical depth

in response, preferring instead to just babble and blurt undocumented, unexplicated, opinionated insult.


What he offered was a biased left wing pile of manure and you couldn't wait to belly up to the feeding trough and consume as much of it as possible.

The truth of the matter is our left winger democrats suck the life out of everything they exist around, including Alabama.

Originally Posted by Contendahh:

Thanks for the link to your fine blog, a blog that all the "conservatives" on this forum ought to follow in order to get their eyes opened beyond the tiny slit-like apertures through which they permit entry only to that which nourishes their preconceived, spoon-fed notions.

 

Hubbard is truly a scheming, avaricious weasel whose tenure as Speaker will help firmly anchor Alabama government to its much-deserved ranking as the worst state government in the nation.

Patting yourself on the back, again?

Stop posting as bold and commenting as Contendah. 

You really are a dingbat.

Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:

Thanks for the link to your fine blog, a blog that all the "conservatives" on this forum ought to follow in order to get their eyes opened beyond the tiny slit-like apertures through which they permit entry only to that which nourishes their preconceived, spoon-fed notions.

 

Hubbard is truly a scheming, avaricious weasel whose tenure as Speaker will help firmly anchor Alabama government to its much-deserved ranking as the worst state government in the nation.

Patting yourself on the back, again?

Stop posting as bold and commenting as Contendah. 

You really are a dingbat.

____

It is YOU who are a member of the species Dingbattus americanus, subspecies wingnutti

 

Although I share many views with Bold Truth, I am not he and he is not me.  If you wish to go on believing differently, that will not surprise me, since you have a consistent track record of avoiding the truth.

 

As for supporters of racism in Alabama, I remember Democrats holding the fiery cross record for that. MLK Jr was a Republican.  As for pointing out the high number of rapists among illegal crossing our borders as being racist,  How about that it is just the truth as even HuffPo admitted.

 

"As the number of Central American women and girls crossing into the U.S. continues to spike, so is the staggering amount of sexual violence waged against these migrants who are in search of a better life.

 

According to a stunning Fusion investigation, 80 percent of women and girls crossing into the U.S. by way of Mexico are raped during their journey. That’s up from a previous estimate of 60 percent, according to an Amnesty International report."

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...-rape_n_5806972.html

 

I suggest our barely computer literate liberals stretch their skills as search the term "rape tree."

 

  It ain't bragging if you can do what you claim.  Nor, is a statement racist if its the truth.

Originally Posted by direstraits:

As for supporters of racism in Alabama, I remember Democrats holding the fiery cross record for that. MLK Jr was a Republican.  As for pointing out the high number of rapists among illegal crossing our borders as being racist,  How about that it is just the truth as even HuffPo admitted.

 

"As the number of Central American women and girls crossing into the U.S. continues to spike, so is the staggering amount of sexual violence waged against these migrants who are in search of a better life.

 

According to a stunning Fusion investigation, 80 percent of women and girls crossing into the U.S. by way of Mexico are raped during their journey. That’s up from a previous estimate of 60 percent, according to an Amnesty International report."

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...-rape_n_5806972.html

 

I suggest our barely computer literate liberals stretch their skills as search the term "rape tree."

 

  It ain't bragging if you can do what you claim.  Nor, is a statement racist if its the truth.

_____

Your own computer literacy could stand a boost. The article you posted included this:

 

 "A staggering 80 percent of Central American girls and women crossing Mexico en route to the United States are raped along the way, according to directors of migrant shelters interviewed by Fusion."

 

You conflate that statistic onrapes occurring in Mexico with the well-known Trumpism that "they're rapists," which isnot a reference to the rapes reported as occurring among women "crossing Mexico en route to the United States,"but is an element of Trump's panic-mongering warning about the various kinds of problems immigrants allegedly bring with them into the U.S.   Stretch your own skills, dire, especially those that require intelligent and factual analysis.

Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by direstraits:

As for supporters of racism in Alabama, I remember Democrats holding the fiery cross record for that. MLK Jr was a Republican.  As for pointing out the high number of rapists among illegal crossing our borders as being racist,  How about that it is just the truth as even HuffPo admitted.

 

"As the number of Central American women and girls crossing into the U.S. continues to spike, so is the staggering amount of sexual violence waged against these migrants who are in search of a better life.

 

According to a stunning Fusion investigation, 80 percent of women and girls crossing into the U.S. by way of Mexico are raped during their journey. That’s up from a previous estimate of 60 percent, according to an Amnesty International report."

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...-rape_n_5806972.html

 

I suggest our barely computer literate liberals stretch their skills as search the term "rape tree."

 

  It ain't bragging if you can do what you claim.  Nor, is a statement racist if its the truth.

_____

Your own computer literacy could stand a boost. The article you posted included this:

 

 "A staggering 80 percent of Central American girls and women crossing Mexico en route to the United States are raped along the way, according to directors of migrant shelters interviewed by Fusion."

 

You conflate that statistic onrapes occurring in Mexico with the well-known Trumpism that "they're rapists," which isnot a reference to the rapes reported as occurring among women "crossing Mexico en route to the United States,"but is an element of Trump's panic-mongering warning about the various kinds of problems immigrants allegedly bring with them into the U.S.   Stretch your own skills, dire, especially those that require intelligent and factual analysis.

______________________________________________________------

The rapists are the coyotes and fellow male illegals. who continue into the US.  The rape trees are found near both sides of the border. Contenduhh, obfuscating, as usual. 

 

Originally Posted by direstraits:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by direstraits:

As for supporters of racism in Alabama, I remember Democrats holding the fiery cross record for that. MLK Jr was a Republican.  As for pointing out the high number of rapists among illegal crossing our borders as being racist,  How about that it is just the truth as even HuffPo admitted.

 

"As the number of Central American women and girls crossing into the U.S. continues to spike, so is the staggering amount of sexual violence waged against these migrants who are in search of a better life.

 

According to a stunning Fusion investigation, 80 percent of women and girls crossing into the U.S. by way of Mexico are raped during their journey. That’s up from a previous estimate of 60 percent, according to an Amnesty International report."

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...-rape_n_5806972.html

 

I suggest our barely computer literate liberals stretch their skills as search the term "rape tree."

 

  It ain't bragging if you can do what you claim.  Nor, is a statement racist if its the truth.

_____

Your own computer literacy could stand a boost. The article you posted included this:

 

 "A staggering 80 percent of Central American girls and women crossing Mexico en route to the United States are raped along the way, according to directors of migrant shelters interviewed by Fusion."

 

You conflate that statistic onrapes occurring in Mexico with the well-known Trumpism that "they're rapists," which isnot a reference to the rapes reported as occurring among women "crossing Mexico en route to the United States,"but is an element of Trump's panic-mongering warning about the various kinds of problems immigrants allegedly bring with them into the U.S.   Stretch your own skills, dire, especially those that require intelligent and factual analysis.

______________________________________________________------

The rapists are the coyotes and fellow male illegals. who continue into the US.  The rape trees are found near both sides of the border. Contenduhh, obfuscating, as usual. 

 ___

What is it about "80 percent of women and girls raped during their journey" that you don't understand?

You posted this:  

 

"As for pointing out the high number of rapists among illegal crossing our borders as being racist,  How about that it is just the truth as even HuffPo admitted."

 

Huffpo admitted no such thing. Their reference was solely to rapes committed in Mexico while immigrants were on the way to the U.S., not already here.  If you are looking for something to support your Trumpian contentions, you need to find something that actually makes your case, which this Huffpo article most certainly does not.

 
Originally Posted by BoldTruth:
Originally Posted by Mr. Hooberbloob:

I'll remember to revive this post if Dr. Ben Carson gets the Republican spot and wins in Bama.  The dims will be clawing their eyes out when a 100% black man gets elected. 

Repubs will never elect a black man or a woman.

______________________________________________________________

I could certainly vote for Dr. Carson over a number of the Republican candidates and all the Democrats running.

 
 
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by direstraits:

As for supporters of racism in Alabama, I remember Democrats holding the fiery cross record for that. MLK Jr was a Republican.  As for pointing out the high number of rapists among illegal crossing our borders as being racist,  How about that it is just the truth as even HuffPo admitted.

 

"As the number of Central American women and girls crossing into the U.S. continues to spike, so is the staggering amount of sexual violence waged against these migrants who are in search of a better life.

 

According to a stunning Fusion investigation, 80 percent of women and girls crossing into the U.S. by way of Mexico are raped during their journey. That’s up from a previous estimate of 60 percent, according to an Amnesty International report."

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...-rape_n_5806972.html

 

I suggest our barely computer literate liberals stretch their skills as search the term "rape tree."

 

  It ain't bragging if you can do what you claim.  Nor, is a statement racist if its the truth.

_____

Your own computer literacy could stand a boost. The article you posted included this:

 

 "A staggering 80 percent of Central American girls and women crossing Mexico en route to the United States are raped along the way, according to directors of migrant shelters interviewed by Fusion."

 

You conflate that statistic onrapes occurring in Mexico with the well-known Trumpism that "they're rapists," which isnot a reference to the rapes reported as occurring among women "crossing Mexico en route to the United States,"but is an element of Trump's panic-mongering warning about the various kinds of problems immigrants allegedly bring with them into the U.S.   Stretch your own skills, dire, especially those that require intelligent and factual analysis.

_____________________________________________________________

 

From the article,

"Rape can be perpetrated by anyone along the way, including guides, fellow migrants, bandits or government officials, according to Fusion"

 

The guides, fellow illegals and bandits come into this nation.  Some of the guides and bandits return, others maintain small permanent bases on this side of the border.

 

Originally Posted by Contendahh:

And as is common, the wingers, represented by HooberBOOB, provided nothing  of any substance or analytical depth in response, preferring instead to just babble and blurt undocumented, unexplicated, opinionated insult.

 

________________

Aren't you the same guy who said the following about Bobby Jindal:

"The pathetic beady-eyed little weasel Bobby Jindal"

 

And you are calling someone out about opinionated insults?!? Hypocrite much?

 

Originally Posted by JDawg:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:

And as is common, the wingers, represented by HooberBOOB, provided nothing  of any substance or analytical depth in response, preferring instead to just babble and blurt undocumented, unexplicated, opinionated insult.

 

________________

Aren't you the same guy who said the following about Bobby Jindal:

"The pathetic beady-eyed little weasel Bobby Jindal"

 

And you are calling someone out about opinionated insults?!? Hypocrite much?

 ___

Indeed I am one and the same, but if you would intelligently review the body of my commentary on this forum, you would see that such comments are very few and far between and that the vast majority of my comments are anything but "undocumented, unexplicated, opinionated, or insulting.  And you will not find me using such scatological terminology as Best so often uses or such utterly silly, disordered, and childish ad hominem attacks as dominate  many of the inchoate contributions of Jack Flash. In other words, my occasional forays into the realm of insult are not "common," (see my post above).  .Thus there is no hypocrisy involved.

 

Originally Posted by direstraits:
 
 
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by direstraits:

As for supporters of racism in Alabama, I remember Democrats holding the fiery cross record for that. MLK Jr was a Republican.  As for pointing out the high number of rapists among illegal crossing our borders as being racist,  How about that it is just the truth as even HuffPo admitted.

 

"As the number of Central American women and girls crossing into the U.S. continues to spike, so is the staggering amount of sexual violence waged against these migrants who are in search of a better life.

 

According to a stunning Fusion investigation, 80 percent of women and girls crossing into the U.S. by way of Mexico are raped during their journey. That’s up from a previous estimate of 60 percent, according to an Amnesty International report."

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...-rape_n_5806972.html

 

I suggest our barely computer literate liberals stretch their skills as search the term "rape tree."

 

  It ain't bragging if you can do what you claim.  Nor, is a statement racist if its the truth.

_____

Your own computer literacy could stand a boost. The article you posted included this:

 

 "A staggering 80 percent of Central American girls and women crossing Mexico en route to the United States are raped along the way, according to directors of migrant shelters interviewed by Fusion."

 

You conflate that statistic onrapes occurring in Mexico with the well-known Trumpism that "they're rapists," which isnot a reference to the rapes reported as occurring among women "crossing Mexico en route to the United States,"but is an element of Trump's panic-mongering warning about the various kinds of problems immigrants allegedly bring with them into the U.S.   Stretch your own skills, dire, especially those that require intelligent and factual analysis.

_____________________________________________________________

 

From the article,

"Rape can be perpetrated by anyone along the way, including guides, fellow migrants, bandits or government officials, according to Fusion"

 

The guides, fellow illegals and bandits come into this nation.  Some of the guides and bandits return, others maintain small permanent bases on this side of the border.

 ____

So you say, but without any documentation or source citation.  The article under discussion said nothing of the kind, though dire relied upon it as if it had.  The rape incidents to which the Huffpo article referred all occurred in MEXICO.  That is the name of the country immediately south of the U.S. Mexico is not the U.S.  Got it, now?

 

Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by direstraits:
 
 
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by direstraits:

As for supporters of racism in Alabama, I remember Democrats holding the fiery cross record for that. MLK Jr was a Republican.  As for pointing out the high number of rapists among illegal crossing our borders as being racist,  How about that it is just the truth as even HuffPo admitted.

 

"As the number of Central American women and girls crossing into the U.S. continues to spike, so is the staggering amount of sexual violence waged against these migrants who are in search of a better life.

 

According to a stunning Fusion investigation, 80 percent of women and girls crossing into the U.S. by way of Mexico are raped during their journey. That’s up from a previous estimate of 60 percent, according to an Amnesty International report."

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...-rape_n_5806972.html

 

I suggest our barely computer literate liberals stretch their skills as search the term "rape tree."

 

  It ain't bragging if you can do what you claim.  Nor, is a statement racist if its the truth.

_____

Your own computer literacy could stand a boost. The article you posted included this:

 

 "A staggering 80 percent of Central American girls and women crossing Mexico en route to the United States are raped along the way, according to directors of migrant shelters interviewed by Fusion."

 

You conflate that statistic onrapes occurring in Mexico with the well-known Trumpism that "they're rapists," which isnot a reference to the rapes reported as occurring among women "crossing Mexico en route to the United States,"but is an element of Trump's panic-mongering warning about the various kinds of problems immigrants allegedly bring with them into the U.S.   Stretch your own skills, dire, especially those that require intelligent and factual analysis.

_____________________________________________________________

 

From the article,

"Rape can be perpetrated by anyone along the way, including guides, fellow migrants, bandits or government officials, according to Fusion"

 

The guides, fellow illegals and bandits come into this nation.  Some of the guides and bandits return, others maintain small permanent bases on this side of the border.

 ____

So you say, but without any documentation or source citation.  The article under discussion said nothing of the kind, though dire relied upon it as if it had.  The rape incidents to which the Huffpo article referred all occurred in MEXICO.  That is the name of the country immediately south of the U.S. Mexico is not the U.S.  Got it, now?

__________________________________________________________

As I stated, the rape trees are found on both sides of the border.  To assume illegal travelers are not coming into the US defies common sense. But, so do you.  Of course, the guides come as well.  That the drug smugglers have small camps this side of the border, usually in national parks is well documented, as well.

 

 

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