There seems to be an organized letter writing campaign to the editor to protest.  This WTF comment is especially out there:

Also, this is not a “freedom of speech” or “freedom of the press” issue. Mr. Lewis and the Murfreesboro Post have freedom from government censorship. However, Mr. Lewis is not free to write or print whatever he wants without the approval of his editors, the papers owners, and most importantly, the advertisers.

Paging George Orwell, Paging George Orwell.  Please come to the Editorial Department.

They're right.  People keep thinking Freedom of Speech means you can say whatever you want, but it doesn't.  Freedom of Speech just guarantees that the government can't censor your speech, not that the rest of the people out there have to like it or allow it under all circumstances.  If I tell my boss to kiss my ass he can fire me, and a newspaper editor doesn't have to let anybody print whatever they want in his paper.  Of course, it's up to the paper's owners how much sway the advertisers have on content, but if he's costing them money, then...

* pantomimes cutting throat *

Ca. 1898.  I'd like to think we've made some progress since then.



WHEN A COON SITS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL
CHAIR
The music of this song can be obtained from Charles K. Harris,
Music Publisher. 31 W. 31st St., New York City. Send for catalogue.

Since the coon craze came in town,
There is nothing has been found,
That would create a big sensation.
But if a colored gent was elected president,
He wouldn't do a thing to this great nation.
Coons then would wear good clothes,
Powder their face and straighten their nose ;
You could only tell a coon then by his hair!
Then he'd give to each coon, every one of his kin,
A razor, chicken and a quart of nigger gin !
When a coon sits in the presidential chair !

CHORUS —
Oh, my ! what fun
In Washington !
You bet that ev'ry coon from Coontown will be there!
Won't that be fine,
Simply divine?
When a coon sits in the presidential chair!

Now on his reception day,
Ev'ry thing will have full sway,
You must look like a coon to be a member.
The reception, furthermore,
Will not take place on the White House floor,
But they •will all assemble in the cellar.
Politics won't be a breeze,
But shooting craps and policy !
They'll have to raid the White House then for fair!
Between the razors, the gin and the niggers there
They'll do cake walks through windows and even in the
air, —
When a coon sits in the presidential chair !

Last edited by sigmoid freud (2008-11-10 21:59:33)

Mebbe this'll help.

Movin' On Up!

Auto-edited on 2020-08-02 to update URLs

icangetyouatoe wrote:

Sigh. I actually like that song though. Somehow the Clintons were way more George and Weezy though.

You're right. Lionel was probably the closer fit.

sigmoid freud wrote:

headkicker_girl wrote:

I'm so torn.  I really want that book, but $60 to support racism....hmmmm.

You're the expert.  No argument.

I'd suggest visiting your local library, as I intend to do.

It's only supporting racism depending upon how you use it. You've got kids, Headkick: sharing it with them and talking with them about it so that they understand the various layers of racism is certainly worth while. I knew of a black woman who collected Aunt Jemima and mammy figurines and tchotchkes precisely so that they wouldn't just disappear and be forgotten.

headkicker_girl wrote:

At least that's how one columnist in Tennessee views it.

(Sung by Obama to the theme song of “The Jeffersons”):

“Well we’re movin’ on up,
To Washington, D.C.
To a deee-luxe pimp pad,
Painted whiiiite.
Yeah we’re movin’ on up,
To the White House.
I’ll be jetting with P. Diddy cross the sky.


Thank you! I’m here all week. Try the veal.

It's not racist jokes and politically incorrect jingles that bother me, we expected those.

However I am very disappointed at the poor quality of what we've seen so far, I expected much better from redneck masses.

ah297900 wrote:

Emmeran wrote:

...I expected much better from redneck masses.

You want to think that statement through again?

Sarcasm meter out of whack?