Consequences of Republicanism

Mississippi Governor's Race: Which Evil Is Lesser?

2007-11-05T06:13:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow my fellow Mississippi residents and I will be asked to cast our votes in the gubernatorial race. Republican incumbent and Bush crony, Haley Barbour, faces Democratic challenger, John Eaves. Ordinarily, I'd feel fairly comfortable voting for whoever the Democratic Party decided to run. Barbour is about as good-ole-boy as good ole boys get. Not only does he want to restrict a woman's right to make reproductive decisions, but he's notorious for his corruption in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, Eaves is no ordinary Democrat. The heart of his campaign involves pushing school prayer.

To say that I am undecided in this election would be quite an understatement. I despise Barbour and all he stands for (e.g., maintaining the highest grocery tax in America while running the poorest state in the country, cronyism, corruption, support for the criminal who currently occupies the White House, etc.). But do I despise him enough to support a theocrat?

Is it fair to call Eaves a theocrat? I believe so, for his entire campaign appears to be about infusing his Christian faith in everything he does or says. Here are some examples:

Eaves' campaign ads, aired throughout the state, tout his plan to push school prayer. Other ads feature him holding a Christian bible and talking about Jee-zuhs.
The centerpiece of Eaves campaign is his plan for instituting school prayer throughout the state. He intends for schools to devote 10 minutes of each morning to "voluntary prayer and discussion of ethics and morality."
His written platform is filled with Christian code phrases, designed to convince Christian extremists that he's one of them. For instance, he refers to "money changers," "prayer," the "calling" of government, the "God-given potential" of citizens, etc.
Like Barbour, Eaves is convinced that women should not be free to make informed reproductive decisions.

But isn't this sort of thing common in Mississippi politics? Well, yes and no. While it is true that pushing one's Christianity is far more common here than anywhere else I've lived, Eaves campaign has far exceeded anything I've seen before along these lines. That he's running as a Democrat just makes it all the more sickening.

In fact, the crazy twist here is that Barbour's campaign actually sounds reasonable:

Every day in every public school in Mississippi, children have the right to participate in voluntary student led prayer. John Arthur Eaves wants mandated state directed prayer which will jeopardize the freedoms students already have. John Arthur Eaves admitted at today's press conference that, 'Yes children can pray but they had to organize it themselves,' and that 'we're claiming the same thing that's already been done' and that the Courts 'already allow' voluntary student led prayer. John Arthur Eaves will say or do or use anything to try to get a vote, that includes jeopardizing the free exercise of prayer that students already possess today.

I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm going to have to vote for Barbour. I'm used to having to vote for the lesser of two evils; I'm just not used to them both being so evil!

Tags: Mississippi, politics, Haley Barbour, John Eaves, governor, election, theocrat, religion, Christian extremism

Gene Taylor (D-MS) Fails Mississippi's Children

2007-10-22T05:45:00.000-05:00

I remain outraged over Bush's veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and the failure of House Republicans to join with most Democrats and many Republicans to override the veto. But to discover that my own representative here in Mississippi, Gene Taylor, a Democrat, voted against SCHIP was simply too much. He was one of only two Democrats in the House to join Bush in opposing health care for children from working families. What was he thinking?

I am going to follow this one until I get a clear sense of Taylor's rationale. Here is what I've gathered so far from the Clarion-Ledger:

SCHIP currently covers 83,000 children in Mississippi.
Among Mississippi Republicans, the stated rationale for opposing the SCHIP expansion was that it would expand coverage to middle-income families in other states instead of low-income children in Mississippi. This appears to be a ridiculous assertion since other federal programs cover low-income children.
The additional funds needed to cover the SCHIP expansion would have come from raising the federal cigarette tax approximately $.61.
Rep. Taylor refused to return telephone calls seeking comment but seems to base his opposition on raising the cigarette tax.

Truly unbelievable. He's putting smokers above health care for the children of working Mississippians. I hope Rep. Taylor hears from more of his constituents than just me on this one.

Tags: SCHIP, Gene Taylor, Mississippi, Congress, health, politics, cigarette tax, heath care, veto

Race in Mississippi: Beyond Jena 6

2007-10-04T05:35:00.000-05:00

Mississippi has not been the bastion of overt racism I feared it might be before moving here. And yet, one can feel a sharp undercurrent of intense discomfort about race just beneath the surface. Race is the elephant in the room which most White Mississippians ignore. Even in the face of the Jena 6 case and other undeniable acts of racism, the virtual absence of local reactions are telling.

One of the earliest lessons I learned about Mississippi was that there is only one subject that is more taboo than that of evolution: race. Bringing up race in the college classrooms where I teach is the one sure thing that will end discussion and silence both White and African American students alike. Mentioning race in a casual conversation with social acquaintances is sure to bring uncomfortable silence or an abrupt change of subject.

The Jena 6 case should be big news around here. After all, it happened in the neighboring state of Louisiana. And yet, I've only heard a few Mississippi Whites acknowledge that hanging the nooses was wrong before changing the subject. These same Whites are quick to express outrage over the beating of the White student, but they tend not to view the assault as racially motivated. The local African American community seems equally reluctant to discuss the case, although it is clear that many were upset by the nooses. Far from elevating the Jena 6 to hero status, I think most African Americans around here just want the whole thing to go away as quickly as possible.

Shortly after I moved here, a colleague took me aside and attempted to explain the active avoidance of race-related topics in Mississippi. "What you have to understand," he said, "is that every Mississippian knows how we are perceived by the rest of America." "Mississippians are so tired of having to talk about race and of being stereotyped as a racist backwater."

I suppose he has a point. The legacy of racism is undeniable, and tolerant Mississippians have to be sick of being lumped in with their bigoted neighbors. My colleague went on to explain that some Mississippians who remember the Civil Rights era recall it as if the state was occupied by a foreign army of Northern socialists. Even some of those who welcomed the reforms resented the meddling by outsiders. One does not have to look hard to find that this sentiment remains alive and well in some corners.

What I find most unfortunate is that the refusal to openly address race almost guarantees that Mississippi will continue to experience its own racial woes and be regarded by the rest of the country as backwards. There is plenty we could learn from the rest of the country, but there are also things we could teach. I fail to see how shutting down the dialogue benefits anyone.

Tags: Mississippi, Louisiana, Jena 6, race, racism, Civil Rights, America

Mississippi: A Case of Malign Neglect?

2007-09-12T05:58:00.000-05:00

The first time I set foot in Mississippi was when I flew here from the West Coast for a job interview several years ago. I had two images in my mind of Mississippi, both gleaned from Hollywood depictions: swamps and racism. I was very apprehensive of coming here, and I think part of my mind was actually bracing to see Klan activity as I got off the plane. These notions were absurd, but I had nothing else on which to base my expectations. I knew nothing whatsoever of the real Mississippi. Now that I've discovered no swamps and no more evidence of racism than what I experienced on the West Coast, Mississippi has come to mean something very different.

I wish I could say that I now associate Mississippi with positive images, but this is not the case. What I can say is that I believe my current associations are grounded in reality and actual experience. When I think Mississippi now, I primarily think of poverty and ignorance. I see a populace struggling to overcome these unfortunate truths, but they do not appear to be receiving much help in doing so.

Let's start with one simple, undisputed fact: Mississippi is the poorest state in America. This is nothing new, as I'm fairly certain we've been in the bottom 5% since the Civil War. Reasonable people can disagree about the historic causes for this fact and about how best to change it, but there is no disagreement over our last place showing on a list of median incomes.

Believe it or not, Mississippi also has the highest sales tax on food in America. In fact, Mississippi is one of only seven states that taxes all individual food purchases. The poorest state maintains the highest tax on food. Doesn't make much sense, does it? Meanwhile, we have one of the lowest cigarette taxes in the nation. It appears that the tobacco lobby wields considerably more power with our Republican-controlled state government than do our impoverished citizens. Go figure.

Jamie Franks, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, said, "I find it quite appalling we live in the poorest state in this union and we have the highest sales tax on food in this union." He argues that we should cut the grocery tax in half and increase the cigarette tax to make up the lost revenue. I agree, and I have a difficult time imagining that anyone could disagree. However, Franks' opponent and current state auditor, Phil Bryant, does disagree. Well, at least Republicans are consistent in their disdain for the poor.

Education is often touted as an obvious, if only partial, way out of poverty. It is no surprise to anyone that Mississippi consistently ranks at or near the bottom in terms of education. A failed educational system perpetuates poverty, but it also creates a culture of ignorance. Every year, Mississippians hear about our awful education system and about how improving the education of our children is a top priority for our elected officials. And yet, we remain at the bottom year after year. This creates a sort of learned helplessness (i.e., nothing I do makes any difference, so why do anything at all?).

Some Mississippians, frustrated with constant reminders of their failings, seem to have embraced a sort of defiant ignorance. They resent the "cultural elites" who criticize them and vote Republican even though that simply perpetuates the state's problems. Christian fundamentalism thrives in such an atmosphere, and anti-education sentiment solidifies.

I'll be the first to admit that the way out of this deepening morass is not entirely clear. Of course Mississippi needs more and better jobs. But our current system of education is simply not adequate for preparing our citizens for many of these jobs. Of course we desperately need to increase educational funding. But it is not clear where the money to fund this broken system will come from. The only thing of which I can be certain is that we desperately need a change of political leadership. Our current leadership has not been interested in developing a plan for change, and this is precisely what we need.

Tags: politics, poverty, Mississippi, ignorance, education, Republicans, culture of ignorance