Anyone remember the controversy in the 1990s when Trent Lott and Bob Barr...

[Solon]

Both were exposed to having had spoken at the invitation of Council of Conservative Citizens at some of their meetings?

If anyone doesn't remember, the Council of Conservative Citizens used to be called the White Citizens Council, they are a white-supremacist and pro-segregation group. What's interesting is that both men claimed ignorance of the group's racial viewpoints, and therefore were "duped" into believe they were just normal conservative citizens, or some such. Of course, personally, I don't believe them for a second, both men knew, and they didn't care, until they were caught.

The Controversy got so bad that the chairmen of the Republican National Committee had to denounce them publicly, for their "racist and nationalist views". They have had many politicians, including even Mike Huckabee, speak at their committees and engagements. In the latter case, it was a recording, then later he said he will not go to one of their meetings, and said he has been fighting racism and anti-semitism all his life.

The thing that this group was, at one point not too long ago, was much more acceptable, at least to the point where people only disagreed with them rather than saying they were outright racists. But even then, politicians still courted them, some of the most offensive politicians we know, and frankly I don't believe any of them in their purported ignorance.

Is there any real difference between them and Rick Warren? I could address the fact that both are homophobic, but its the racism that's marginalizing the CofCC, not the homophobia. They aren't violent, they stage peaceful protests, and they dress up their racism in pretty words like "European American Rights" and "Separate but Equal". Just because a guy doesn't use the N-word publicly, or the F-word for that matter, doesn't mean they aren't a bigot.

The reason the controversy happened in the 1990s was because it was about 30 years too late, the time of the CofCC has largely passed, and their influence has waned in that time. They failed to keep segregation alive, and I must ask, did any civil rights activist of the time reach out to them to find common ground?

Is the only reason why people are so reluctant to condemn Warren is because its simply not the right era yet? Do we have to wait 30 or 40 years before we stop simply disagreeing with the guy and simply call him a homophobe?

[Jamastiene]

1. Kick

[Orsino]

2. Yes. It's not the Gay Era yet.

And our GLBT brothers and sisters understand, I believe, that they are going to be the last ones standing and waiting. Someday, it'll be cool to be inclusive, and we can all look back in relief at how far we've come.

Just not quite yet. :mad: