Comments on: Joe Wilson Comes From a Long Line of Crazies

By: Craig

Craig — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:46:24 +0000

Tom, the analogy that I was drawing was not to the “bloody shirt” syntax used in the Budiansky book. Rather directly to a single incident that took place in the U.S. House of Representatives.

By: Tom Thompson

Tom Thompson — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:38:33 +0000

I did a Google search on Ben Butler “bloody shirt”. It took me to an excerpt from: The bloody shirt: terror after Appomattox By Stephen Budiansky. Page 7 of the book’s prologue will give you a precise view of the South Carolina mindset that drives the likes of Joe Wilson.

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:15:45 +0000

Disrespecting any president in that environment is unexceptable. The man should be taken out on the capital steps and flogged. I would say the same for a liberal who acts in the same manner. It disrespects the country. Barack Obama is the President of the United States and it does not matter if you agree with him or not. Liberals and Conservatives who continually bring up his race cheapen and disrespect his position. He is the leader of our Nation.

By: Kevin Levin

Kevin Levin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:39:15 +0000

This is a test comment in response to Don.

By: donshaffer

donshaffer — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:50:21 +0000

Some folks might be interested in a commentary putting Joe Wilson's behavior in broader historical context. It appears on CNN.com and is written by Princeton's Julian Zelizer. It can be found at:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/14/zelizer….

By: Kevin Levin

Kevin Levin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:39:15 +0000

This is a test comment in response to Don.

By: donshaffer

donshaffer — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:50:21 +0000

Some folks might be interested in a commentary putting Joe Wilson's behavior in broader historical context. It appears on CNN.com and is written by Princeton's Julian Zelizer. It can be found at:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/14/zelizer….

By: Sherree

Sherree — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:44:50 +0000

Wilson is who he is. His public statements and actions do reveal that he falls within a tradition of southern history and politics that is racist. He worked for Strom Thurmond. Strom Thurmond was a segregationist. That is enough information right there. Wilson is most likely still a racist. His expression in the still photo when he yelled “You lie!” was uncomfortably reminiscent of the expressions of men and women who beat black men and women in the 1960s. Wilson does not represent all white southerners, however, anymore than Strom Thurmond did.

Maureen Dowd is not a racist–at least not publicly. Her motives are questionable, though. Her attitude toward the President is condescending in its “piercing” understanding of his suffering. It my guess that Barack Obama does not need Maureen Dowd to tell him about the suffering of black men and women. He most likely knows all about that. In this sense, our collective, impaired memory of the Civil War is involved in this incident, and the relationship of white men and women to black men and women has not changed since the era of the Civil War. White southerners like Wilson are still spouting their hatred, and white northerners like Dowd are still appropriating a history that does not belong to them. This time the man who is the recipient of this treatment just happens to be the President of the United States. That is the difference–and maybe the hope, too.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:01:29 +0000

Yes, the Wilson outburst is another example of the lack of decorum in our public discourse today. But perhaps no worse or less than the behavior from a professional athlete and a entertainer these last few days. But taken in context, you are right Kevin, the Dowd piece plays on generalizations. Reading it I was looking for the “bloody shirt” to be presented as Exhibit A at some point. Egad! I’ve just connected Maurene Dowd with Ben Butler!

By: Victor

Victor — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:18:29 +0000

Point taken. I like your point about anyone from South Carolina getting painted as some radical hate-monger. A lot of the old stereotypes from the Civil War are still alive and well, as utilized by both parties. What’s sad to me, is that no one in the media (even their ‘experts’) have any concept of true history. On both sides they continue to push some ridiculous simplification of the past, and despite my politics the misuse of history to push an agenda draws my ire.

As I mentioned, I do consider myself a Republican (though a fairly moderate or liberal one, even), but nothing irritates me more than the “America has never done anything wrong” crowd, except maybe the crowd that believes “America has never done anything right.” I wish there was a way to set all these nimrods right before they brainwash the general populace any more than they already have.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:10:44 +0000

Dowd is doing nothing more than selling newspapers. Wilson may be right but it was not the time or place to have such an outbust. IMO it was very disrespectful to the Office of the President regardless of your personal views of the Man.

As for Preston Brooks; He is a Southern Hero. His opponet let his mouth overload his rearend.

By: Sherree Tannen

Sherree Tannen — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:00:30 +0000

Kevin,

Point well taken.

Sherree