Guess Who's Coming To Strom Thurmond's Dinner?
Err... Umm... Who Invited Trent Lott?

By: Mike Schiller

Trent Lott's comments may seem off the wall to some. He laughs them away and offers and half-handed apology for the remarks, but the comments have a dark undertone when weighed against the backdrop of the electoral victory maps of 2000 and 2002. Senator Lott is nowhere near as senile as Strom Thurmond. When he makes a remark like that, it is never by accident. He is the leader of the Senate Republicans, and rarely ever says anything unscripted in public. The fact that he was at a party does not exempt this performance from that rule. That, however, does not necessarily mean he consulted any other members of his party before deciding what to say.

Senator Lott knows that racial tensions have a unique electoral resonance in states where conservative politicians get elected. It is probable that after witnessing Mary Landrieau's late-year victory, Mr. Lott grew nervous that conservative white voters might not be turning out in large enough numbers. His remark was a rallying cry, not a blunder.

That said, it is unlikely that he would have consulted any of his fellow Republicans before making such an obnoxious comment. While some of his fellow Republicans may agree with him on racial issues, and some might disagree, none who do agree would dare voice such an opinion in public. Any sane political strategist would have advised against it. Yet it's highly likely that Senator Lott, as an incoming majority leader, might feel empowered enough to develop his own strategy for padding the Republican majority by swelling support among southern white voters. Especially with an economy that is on a continual downward spiral. How many unemployed white males in southern rural states may believe their employment prospects might improve if segregation had continued? That's a question Senator Lott may be pondering, and a possible issue he may wish to exploit.

The good news is Senator Lott is completely out of touch with the values of mainstream America, in all areas, north and south, urban and rural. Lott is an archaic statue, a reminder of times past, not times present. He has never actually taken a noteworthy stand on a single issue, save only to act like a contestant in a beauty pageant in front of television cameras during the Clinton impeachment trials. Lott's record in the Senate appears to be more like a that of a robot than that of a lawmaker, his personality totally forgettable, and his ability to grasp the most basic principles of human existence (much less public policy) is rather pathetic.

Senator Lott may be trying to divide America just as America is trying to find ways to resolve its past and make peace with itself. If he were to succeed in dividing the country, he would claim sole responsibility for rendering America vulnerable at a time when national security is a primary concern. Americans on both the left and right, from northern and southern states alike, have stated that Trent Lott's views are his alone, and nobody shares that mindset anymore. It is an encouraging statement about the progress of society when conservatives and liberals can both come forward and say "intolerance is intolerable". Hopefully Senator Lott will get the message and join the world normal people. Racism is un-American, unpatriotic, uncivilized, and socially undesirable in our society. Trent Lott apparently has a lot to learn about how the world has changed over the past 50 years. Not only is he out of touch with American values, he's out of touch with reality altogether.