I've spent the past few days slowly watching Trent Lott slowly roast (figuratively speaking, of course) over an open flame. During that time, I've processed a lot of opinions, and this has led me to two conclusions:
- Opinions really ARE like assholes- everyone has one.
- As much as I detest the Republican Party and the GOBs for which it stands, the GOP really does have a historic opportunity in front of it. The question, of course, is whether the GOBs who run the GOP will be too ham-handed to recognize it. That's still and open question, but my money is leaning towards "never in a million years."
The GOP has never been renowned for it's inclusiveness. The term "Black Republican" is a term that makes about as much sense as "Rabbi Saddam". Yet there are those African-Americans, few and far between though they may be, who wear the "Black Republican" label with pride. The sorry saga of Trent Lott would seem a gift-wrapped opportunity for Republicans to demonstrate that when they say "inclusive", they mean it. This is not a new opportunity; that has always been there. Now, however, the GOP has been handed a gift-wrapped opportunity to not only talk the talk, but also to walk the walk. Will it happen? Nah. My money says the GOBs aren't going to want to let the unwashed masses in the front door so they can join their country club. That would involve making changes, and if there is one thing rich white folks HATE, it's making changes-especially unwanted ones.
It's too bad, really, because the GOP is dooming minority Republicans to life as mere curiosities. If the Republican Party was truly serious about being the party of "the big tent", why not take advantage of this opportunity? Perhaps because they want the benefits without the responsibilities. Is it any wonder that when you look at GOP national tickets you see nothing but white faces? So it ever was, so it shall ever be.... Oh well; their loss, I suppose.
As for Trent Lott, who really cares? The man has been exposed as a bigot and a racist, and a particularly ham-handed one at that. To say that his leadership has been compromised would be an understatement, but don't be surprised if the GOP "rehabilitates" him and he keeps his job as Majority Leader. This is, after all, the Republican Party, where institutionalized racism is not just an attitude, it's a way of life. Talk about not "getting it"....
