Critics: Frist vetoed roll call (on lynching apology)

[Charlie Brown]

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/0605/15natlynch.html

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) refused repeated requests for a roll call vote that would have put senators on the record on a resolution apologizing for past failures to pass anti-lynching laws, officials involved in the negotiations said Tuesday.

And there was disagreement Tuesday over whether Saxby Chambliss, one of Georgia's two Republican senators, had supported the measure when it was approved Monday night.

Bob Stevenson, Frist's chief spokesman, said Tuesday evening the procedure the majority leader established was "requested by the sponsors."

The chief sponsors of the resolution, Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and George Allen (R-Va.), disputed that assertion.

Landrieu said Monday before the resolution was adopted she would have preferred a roll call vote but had to accept the conditions set by Senate leaders.

When Stevenson was informed of Landrieu's statement, he amended his comments to say "at least one of the sponsors" had requested adoption on a voice vote and in combination with a resolution related to Black History Month.

Allen press secretary David Snepp took issue with Stevenson. "I don't know why Bob Stevenson would characterize it that way," he said.

[Erika]

1. Frist appears not to like Blacks and Cats

So what's new about the Southern GOP?

[malmapus]

38. Wow, black cats must be doubly screwed!...eom

..

[IndianaGreen]

44. Frist probably thinks that Blacks and cats have the same value

For those that don't know much about Frist, this Doctor Mengele in the making used to go to pet shops to buy kittens to perform horrific experiments on them. A Nazi by any other name!

[struggle4progress]

47. Frist appears not to like being on record. eom

[Endangered Specie]

2. and we thought Trent Lott was bad...

sheesh :mad: :eyes: :banghead:

[Conker]

33. What was it Trent Lott did again?

I knew he did something, but I forgot.

[Name removed]

43. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[struggle4progress]

48. Ya know any other songs?

:hi:

[ElectroPrincess]

3. Yes, they (Right Wing Republicans) wink and THEN - they nod ...

I can hardly believe George Allen (R-VA) was one of the co-sponsors of this bill. If he thinks that he has a chance at President or Vice President, he's lost is rabid right winger mind.

[mcctatas]

4. They should have combined it with something the Repubs can really get

behind like, oh I don't know "the nuke a gay whale for Christ"resoulution...of course then the Dems's wouldn't have signed and the dark lord Bill Frist could say..."See Democrats are pro-lynching"...assholes!:rant:

[AuntiBush]

5. Not much has changed w/the South Republican mentality.

Know many... those that hold the bible in 1 hand, hold plenty of prejudicial hypocrisy in the other.

[ruggerson]

6. In 2005, they can't have a roll call vote on why lynching was bad?

What country do these idiots live in? What planet are they on?

Count me as HAPPY AS A FUCKING CLAM that I was not brought up in the South, I think their culture sucks, I think they have brought our country nothing but misery for hundreds of years. Sorry, yes, I am a bigot. I like individual southernors. I despise the "culture" of the South.

[ArchTeryx]

19. Culture fortunately isn't monolithic.

It may dominate their politics, but two of my closest friends are Southerners, one a Christian, one an atheist (imagine being an atheist in the Bible Belt!) and both of them absolutely despise the right wing hypocracy that continually eminates from their politicians. As genteel as the South without any of the nasty, narrow-minded prejudice.

They, as far as I'm concerned, should be the real face of the South. If only some like them could get elected!

[ceusi]

40. The 15 no signers are a current threat

IMHO. The resolution addressed historical lynchings. The failure of the 15 senators to condemn the practice is a current horror. Senator Cornyn (TX)(did I spell that right?) was one of the repubs who attacked judges. Now he can't stand up and attack lynchings? Why, does he intend to recommend lynchings?

We have attacks against gays, judges, Howard Dean, foreign reporters in Iraq, government whistleblowers.... Do these 15 white republicans see lynchings as viable political dialog?

I am so appalled about this vote - more than Jimmy-Jeff, DSM, WMD - because this seems to me to be the ultimate neocon agenda. If they can't bully us or legislate against us, then they can still string us up.

This was actually a sick joke I used a few times after the Nov. election "I think things are awful, but at least we haven't gone back to lynchings. We need to keep a perspective." What perspective would the folks at Gitmo and Abu Graib have?

I see this vote in a huge current, non-racial context. And that is not meant to in any way take from the historical horror and significance in any way. We live here and now. What does this vote mean to us today and what are we able to do today to create justice and fairness for minority populations today? Sick, twisted people appear to imply lynching is a viable option and nothing to apologize for.

[struggle4progress]

53. "Yeas and nays" aren't up to Frist: Constitution Article 1 Section 5.

[lebkuchen]

7. Frist probably sends 1930s lynching postcards as Christmas greetings

a practice he borrowed from Trent "hang 'em high" Lott.

[BronxBoy]

34. I knew Lott was bad....

but did he really do send out Lynching xmas greetings?

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. You can't blame the guy...

He needs to keep his kkk/nazi support base happy.

[confludemocrat]

9. We had Civil Rights training today

Our trainer, when I asked her about her omission of the 1965 Voting Rights Act (you know, no more "literacy tests", poll taxes, killing of those seeking to register) in her Powerpoint listing of key rights legislation called it "controversial". (Bush has refused to endorse its unconditional renewal).

And now this described above.

That's where we are today. Unbelievable.

So when big-name "moderate" Demos vote for torturers, abusers, and make compromises that let in appeals court judges like the latest Bush crop and attack those who rightly point out the racism of the GOP and such DINO-like Demos get criticized, those who call this criticism "eating our own" can KISS MY ASS.

And I hope on the contrary to someone in another thread who hopes we won't wish Fred Phelps death or harm that harm or death comes to Fred Phelps because the world would be a better place.

[redwitch]

16. where are you?

the voting rights act controversial??? what is the training for?

[confludemocrat]

27. Federal employee, in a mountain state

New Civil Rights regional person hired by the good ole boy regional boss came on her first trip to our work site. I wrote this person off as a worthless dumbass. I used to do minority recruiting for my agency, stopped that three years ago when they pulled shenanigans with a Civil Rights compliance survey and the followup investigation.

Civil Rights is a disaster in the Federal gvt and they want to have homeland security workrules apply everywhere. God, I hate these people, almost forgot to say that with aplogies to Mike Malloy.

[Ian David]

20. If we can't wish Phelps dead, can we start donations for his monument?

I was thinking of a "Fred Phelps in Hell" monument, just like the one he wants for Matthew Shepherd.

[magellan]

10. Repugs are compulsive regressive (nt)

[Daphne08]

11. This is scandalous.

Frist is a damn hypocrite... as are those rednecks who refused to stand with Landrieu... and I was born and raised in redneck country (I don't live there now)!

I feel ashamed. I really do.

[bklyncowgirl]

12. What's the matter--isn't this a matter of principle.

I thought these guys were proud of their Southern Heritage and States Rights stands.

This would be a chance for them to stand up and be counted.

As for Frist, he's a cat killing slime bucket.

[BR_Parkway]

13. And how many of the White Sheet 15 who won't sign on were on the floor

last 2 weeks, crying about how the filabuster was holding up the promotion of "a sharecropper's daughter" who deserved this promotion in the court system?

F*ckin Hypocrites

[salin]

14. Money quote about senators, from the wife for a former (gop) senator

(and defense secretary): "America is home of the brave, but I'm afraid there may be a few cowards who have to cower to their very narrow-minded and backward, hateful constituency," Cohen told ABC News. "They're hiding out, and it's reminiscent of a pattern of hiding out under a hood, in the night, riding past, scaring people."

The wife former Defense Secretary and Senator (GOP) from Maine William Cohen is a key player in the organization pushing for the appology/resolution. Strong, strong words. And frankly, appropriate.

[Orion The Hunter]

17. RE: Mrs Cohen Quote

Great quote Salin - where did you find that at?

[salin]

49. at the end of the linked article.

[Massachusetts]

15. "Critics: Frist vetoed roll call (on lynching apology)"

Bubba Frist was always kind of rambunctious as a boy, huntin Cats, Vermin and Other things.

[DirtyDawg]

18. Frist's afraid of the Oneida constituency...

...and if you don't know the story of Oneida, TN, it's pretty ugly...and typical. Not certain how many might have actually been 'strung up' - most made a run for it, which is what the city fathers had in mind all along. What I do know is that the phrase 'N****r, don't let the sun set on you in Oneida' has been, and probably still is, laughed about for decades and decades. They're proud of it. As for the rest of Tennessee, seems that if you didn't actually hold a rope, or know for sure that one of your forefathers did, then you don't figure you owe anybody an apology for anything. I suppose that's the motivation that prompted the rest of those Senatorial stalwarts to withhold their support. Or maybe it could be they feel that if this keeps up, and with the list of those that we would likely owe apologies to is so long, thats all the Senate would be doing (e.g., Trail of Tears, slave trade, various massacres, Guantanamo Bay Gulag, etc., etc., etc.).

Is this 'still' a great country, or what?

[AspenRose]

21. Oneida sounds an awful lot like Vidor, Texas

:argh:

[chomskysright]

39. same is true of Forsyth, GA: N-----: don't let the sun set on you HERE

not so very long ago those signs were up, tacked on the trees as you entered the county on lonely country roads that black people were terrified to be on.

just outside Atlanta, going North: near Gainesville, GA which seems to be the bedrock of white bubba bully rednecks.

Gainesville: chicken capitol of the world.

SQWAK SQWAK SQWAK

COWARDS every one of them.

[reality based]

22. The Republican Party continues to promote Neo-Confederate

and Northern Doughface politicians backed by Christo-Fascist religious leaders who in an unguarded moment would probably tell you that "the Bible doesn't condemn slavery." It seems we have returned to pre Civil War mentality described by Walt Whitman

WE are all docile dough-faces,
They knead us with the fist,
They, the dashing southern lords,
We labor as they list;
For them we speak—or hold our tongues,
For them we turn and twist.

[usregimechange]

23. Who were the 15 Republicans?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

35. This from Daily Kos...

http://www.dailykos.com/

STILL HAVEN'T COSPONSORED

Lamar Alexander (R-TN) - [phone]
Robert Bennett (R-UT) - [phone]
Thad Cochran (R-MS) - [phone]
John Cornyn (R-TX) - [phone]
Michael Crapo (R-ID) - [phone]
Michael Enzi (R-WY) - [phone]
Chuck Grassley (R-IA) - [phone]
Judd Gregg (R-NH) - [phone]
Orrin Hatch (R-UT) - [phone]
Kay Hutchison (R-TX) - [phone]
Jon Kyl (R-AZ) - [phone]
Trent Lott (R-MS) - [phone]
Richard Shelby (R-AL) - [phone]
John Sununu (R-NH) - [phone]
Craig Thomas (R-WY) - [phone]

LATEST TWO WHO NOW HAVE COSPONSORED

George Voinovich (R-OH)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

[central scrutinizer]

37. current list of sponsors from congress.gov

Kos' list doesn't agree with the official list. It has 15 non-signers but congress.gov has 17 non-signers. For example, it doesn't list Gordon Smith (Rubberstamp, Oregon) as a non-signer

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SE00039:@@@P

83 co-signers listed (no list of non-signers - you would have to do that yourself by comparing with the list of all 100 Senators)

[WorseBeforeBetter]

50. I believe that list is from Monday...

"Latest Major Action: 6/13/2005 Passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent."

This from Salon:

"Despite Monday's maneuverings, Daily Kos points out that senators can co-sponsor legislation after it is voted on, which means that the handful of hold-outs could still add their names to the resolution."

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/index.html

I suppose more names will be added to the resolution as they are shamed in to it.

[recovering democrat]

24. Help! question about resolution

Received this email reply from Sen. Isakson of GA. Before the final list was out, we sent messages to Isakson and Chambliss asking if they had or had not co-sponsored this resolution. I am quoting the content from Isakson's reply.
Can anyone explain to me what he is talking about or wny he chose to frame his answer in this way?????????????

Thank you for contacting my office regarding anti-lynching legislation. I appreciate your thoughts and the opportunity to respond to you.

The unanimous consent passing by the Senate of the anti-lynching resolution acknowledges that the institution failed to address anti-lynching legislation recommended by seven presidents and passed by the House of Representatives. As an institution the resolution apologized for the use of the filibuster to stop action and avoid voting to end this horrible practice.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator

I am becoming more and more confused with the way this whole subject is characterized by Republicans, in general.

[Norquist Nemesis]

25. Sounds to me that

his explanation is an apology for filibustering...something they've been harping about for quite some time now and were prepared to do nuclear most recently. As to the lynching vote...meh, it's in the past. Fergetaboutit!

Looking to the future, they can claim they voted to condemn the practice of filibustering. At least that's my take on it.

[recovering democrat]

26. Just another twist and turn

I read the full resolution carefully and his explanation requires some serious extra-sensory perception to realize that what was really behind the sentiments of all these senators was to condemn filibustering.

It is especially confusing that since that seems to be one Republican senator's spin on this resolution, why the hell would Frist and the Republicans who failed to support it have any objection to it, since they can twist it to this purpose!

[Norquist Nemesis]

29. You are probably more informed than he is

seeing that you read it. (He likely did not.)

I'm just guessing here, but it also sounds like he's desperately trying to have his feet firmly on both sides of the fence in his reply to you, his constituent.

[JitterbugPerfume]

28. Strange Fruit

Billie Holiday


haunting

I wish every radio-TV station would play it over and over, to shame those who opposed this resolution

[recovering democrat]

31. Great idea - the lyrics are awesome!

STRANGE FRUIT
Southern trees bear a strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black body swinging in the southern breeze
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
Pastoral scene of the gallant south
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth
Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh
And the sudden smell of burning flesh!
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
For the sun to rot, for a tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop.
-- Music and lyrics by Lewis Allan, copyright 1940

Glad you reminded me of this wonderful Billie Holiday song - hadn't thought of it in a long time. Thanks.

[DirtyDawg]

30. Johnny has basically sold his soul...

...at one time a man of seemingly unlimited compassion and goodness. An even-handed, level-headed, moderate Republican that I was proud to cast my 'yellow dog' vote for...never again. In fact, so long as I live I'll never vote for another one. Then he went to Washington and fell under the influence and pressures of the Tom Delay's and the Dennis Hasterts and the White House and got a taste of the wealth and power that being in on the rape and pillage of the national treasury and the country's soul...and must have liked the flavor. Never would have thought him capable of it.

Woodward/Bernstein and the Washington Post coined the 'non-denial, denial' reference...what you have here is the 'non-admission, admission'...or the 'non-apology, apology'. At least Isakson had the foresight to sign on early with his obfuscated reply, apparently prepared well in advance. Chambliss, GA's other one, had to scramble at the last minute to keep his name off the list - must be torn as to how big of a racist once can openly be and still get elected here. Then again, it is Georgia so I don't know what the man was worried about.

[recovering democrat]

32. Signed it June 13

From what I saw, both Chambliss and Isakson signed on June 13; they were on the original list of those who had not signed as co-sponsors which was why I sent them my e-mails asking them about this subject.

I guess they had to wait to figure out a way to play it on both sides, and that is exactly what they are both doing!

by the way, I at least got this silly reply from Isakson. I have gotten two press release messages from Chambliss office letting me know what he is going ot be doing in the next week - but have not received any reply to my e-mail on this subject! Typical.

[DanCa]

36. If there is a red god

I hope he makes an appearance tonight surrounded by three ghosts and haunt frist. And they have the gall to call me and my fellow greens and democrats non christain. Well Frist all I know is that your going to be damned to the fires of hell well ill be with the company of baby jesus. The blue god rocks this red god is a sick strange creature.

[indepat]

41. Tennesseans have two sweeties: M(y) F(riends) Frist and Alexander

[wallwriter]

42. Howard Dean was right about this party.

Again.

[struggle4progress]

46. Hidey Hidey Hidey Hi. eom

[Don_1967]

51. SENATORS

Any Senator should be proud to go on the record for this resolution,unless they are afraid of offending any racist.

[UrbScotty]

52. Don't worry Bill. We're talking human lynching, not cat killing. (nt)