State Senator Kenny Wayne Jones issued this press release:
Letter to the Editor
Senator Kenneth Wayne Jones, Chairman, Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus
Monday, July 21, 2014
For Immediate Release
Contact: Senator Kenneth Wayne Jones: 601-918-7410
As
the country took great interest in the chaotic Cochran/McDaniel
slugfest, one thing was obvious –racial overtones of the contest tainted
us all.
The
election turned Republicans against Republicans, Democrats against
Democrats, and worst of all, communities against communities.
In the end we learned valuable lessons.
We learned that stepping across political party lines leads to better future politics.
We learned that good people can be hurt by what most of us view as basic partisan politics.
When
candidates are selected based on who is perceived as racist or not,
Mississippians are in trouble because we have fallen for propaganda
instead of seeking the best
candidate.
I
watched as some of my friends and state senate colleagues were made out
to be bitter racists, which is a far cry from the truth. On occasion we
all question ideas that
we think are good policy for Mississippi, but we never question the
integrity or the sincerity of the individuals with whom we serve.
I
hope lawmakers realize that all of us, regardless of race, religion or
personal beliefs, are accountable for the success of Mississippi through
the political process.
We must practice respect and dignity towards one another as we continue to grow our state in the area of race relations.
Sincerely
District 21 Senator Kenneth Wayne Jones,
Chairman, Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus
Kingfish note: He sounds much more mature than quite a few Republicans and conservatives in Mississippi lately.... on both sides. Something Phil Bryant should have said. But that would require a backbone instead of running out of the country, now wouldn't it?
23 comments:
I enjoyed his letter.You can not help but notice the many racial undertones.
Would that more politicians in the nation thought this way.
"On occasion we all question ideas that we think are good policy for Mississippi, but we never question the integrity or the sincerity of the individuals with whom we serve."
Strong disagreement and debate are inevitable, even necessary in politics. Name calling and insults are not. Harry Reid could take a lesson, as well as a host of others.
We should have more political writers of this sort. In the discussions of the senate race the racist code words such as Democrat has turned me off to the tea party. The election is to find a person to represent all Mississippians not just those who are carrying a great deal of hate for other people.112
I am dumbfounded by the McDaniel camp's continued harsh criticism of Cochran's ability to attract African-American voters to a Republican primary. If the Republican Party has any hope of remaining a viable national political party, it must attract people of all races, creeds and colors. If it continues to be viewed as "the Party of old white men", then it is doomed. What Cochran has done should be applauded, not criticized.
You got to show some love for anybody that goes by "Kenny Wayne."
Anyone who knows Kenny Wayne Jones knows he's a race-baiting scumbag of the first order. He punched the owner of WMGO, then said "I did it because he called me boy." An effing lie.
Senator Jones is clearly a gentleman.
A gentleman understands the differences between being racist, interjecting " racial overtones" and politely expressing the political realities.
Bravo Senator!
@2:43pm
When I moved back to MS about 15 years ago a person I know, who is far from a tea party supporter, was using the term Democrats to describe MS blacks. Sorry to bust your bubble, but backhanded racial terms are not solely created and owned by the tea party. That person voted for Cochran this go around and Obama in 2008/12.
3:03 Bill Dees
You are exactly right, and have said what I feel is most important: the Republican Party must reach out to the black community to become Republicans and participate fully in the Party -- and without fear of the TP who would "purge" us all because we do not adopt their throw back views. We need participation of the black community to keep down the extremists. Senator Cochran took an historic step toward making the party more inclusive and modern and should be applauded for it, not criticized by the throw backs to an earlier era.
Ya'll are so full of crap. You only applaud people that believe what you believe. However, I wanted to make the point that many cochran supporters (in which I am a cochran supporter) also maintain the belief that dems are blacks. A family member of mine recently married a democrat-which was a big joke in the family (only dem). Every one of my cochran supporter friends asked if he was black. Sooo cochran voters are not so innocent. It is embarrassing for them to even say such a thing. One of the most eloquent speeches ever made in my lifetime was from Barbara D. (dem- texas) in 1974 nixon hearings. I did not agree with what she said but by God she had substance. So be more open minded to substance and not just applaud those that agree with you. Was this too deep for ya'll?
why didn't Cochran get the black vote first election????
526. But.... do we reach out to black community to become repubs or just reach out to get a vote to win the runoff? Wonder if the blacks are going to vote dem in November? I think so.
526 Cochran did not take a step to make them more inclusive. Otherwise he would have done it in the primary. Strategy was to pull the black vote in to win the runoff specifically to hold his position until election. They will not be loyal to same voting in November. We will see.
Every time I see that character on television I wonder which family members did NOT vote for involuntary incarceration in a mental facility.
Liberal Democrats, meaning Black folks, why not be honest and say whom you meant. Problem with this coward , is he is appealing to the lowest common denominator ,knowing very well he couldn't do a damn thing to bring change in Washington, other than embarrassed this state that suffers so much from people like him. As an independent , I voted against him twice, because of his words . This State is last in everything except " Mississippi Values " . How is that going to help anyone in Jones County. You only have to drive through that county and see the poverty that permeates that area of MS. Even the Third Baptist Christian Church couldn't help That LCD. Sure , we should ask the southern District Transportation commissioner to let them pay for that brand new bridge behind Jones Community College on their own. Trent Lott, whom most of us disagreed with, after his famous comments, and Thad Cochran whom we voted for against you , were sensible and honest enough to bring a lot to MSU, Ole MISS and Southern to make them world class Universities a look at their student body. They are doing their best to rid themselves of the likes of You that stood in front of James Meredith. JSU, Alcorn, and Valley are crying for crumps that you sir voted against. Wonder why they voted for your opponent against you , may I add Delta and MUW to the list. Most research professors, friends of mine in Hattiesburg, Oxford and Starkville, proudly voted against you , because you would have been a disaster to the State that Statesmen like Stennis and Barbour tried to lift up from the bottom. You would have had to lie to your lower common denominators ( tea party). What would tell people at the Stencils Space and in Camp Shelby. Your answer to the Cleveland was that you don't want pass on debt to your grand children , really, will be glad to give you back your twenty five dollars in taxes you paid, so you can go away , Highly recommending Mogadishu , No rules and regulation bring your own AK 47, there are no taxes there either. Would have preferred the late Richard Barrett, at least he was honest .
Bill Dees; I am dumbfounded that you and others actually think I am stupid enough to believe what Cochran's handlers did (Cochran doesn't DO anything himself) was only an attempt to welcome black voters into the tent. You don't even believe that yourself; but, it apparently brings you some odd feeling of personal comfort to pretend it's true.
I needs to visit that Stencils Space. Got it on my list. Ain't it out in the Gulf somewheres?
Tell me again what the Legislative BLACK Caucus is all about??
McD says he wants "purge" the Republican Party of the Republicans who reached out to "liberal Democrats", I.e. black citizens. Hey Chris we already had such a "purge". It was the Constitution of 1890 that disenfranchised thousands of black citizens. Apparently McD wants to revive the now unconstitutional constitution of 1890. Don't think that will happen Chris, you throw back.
7:56 pm Your comments are incoherent. Your grammar and spelling is atrocious.
Please don't try to help.
Oh good grief! Who doesn't know that African Americans supported " The party of Mr. Lincoln" if they were allowed to vote until JFK and Johnson who were Democrats supported Civil Rights? And,who doesn't know that the Nixon Southern strategy was to attract white Democrats who opposed Civil Rights?
Republicans used to be pro- abortion as well when Democrats catered to Catholics.
If any of you don't understand that party positions change because politics is about winning and losing more than it is about the slogans and buzz words of the day, you are hopelessly naïve!
Further to 8:44, come to think about it, I think the unconstitutional portions of the 1890 Constitution, now struck (the 1890 Constitution otherwise remains)sought successfully to disenfranchise black Republicans, so again, we have already had the Republican Party "purge" Mr. McD seeks, but the "purge" was held unconstitutional after Freedom Summer.
I challenge all of you to actually read our existing Constitution.
I dare you to say every section is intelligible.
I'm ready.
I'll even give you a hint..." railroads.
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