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Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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December 16, 2003
Strom Thurmond's negro in the woodpile
Strom Thurmond thoroughly disgusts me. I know he's an easy target, and I hate to pile on to such an obvious point, but still. The worst thing was not so much that he was a racist, but more that he really wasn't that much of one. He made his nut pushing "segregation forever" and all that typical Jim Crow nonsense- but he apparently didn't actually personally really have that strong an opinion. It was just something to say to pander for votes, and he was happy to flip it over when the wind started blowing the other way. That cynical disregard sucks even worse than the racism.
Now it turns out that he has a black daughter. The family of the late senator now FINALLY acknowledges his 78 year old daughter.
If I thought he was a demagogic political hack before, I don't quite have words for this- but we'll see if I can find some. This rates far worse than racism. God damn any son of a bitch who would treat his daughter like this.
If you want a case study in racial pathology and parental abuse, read the four page Washington Post story. Essie Mae Williams is a 78 year old retired school teacher. Her mother was a 16 year old maid in the Thurmond house. 22 year old Thurmond was a school teacher living with his parents at the time.
For many years, Thurmond quietly gave her a little money here and there. He visited with her occassionally- and publicly denied her till the day he died.
He didn't just not mention her. She was known of, and he actively specifically denied his parentage. Worse yet, he convinced her to do the same.
My mind reels contemplating the machinations of this master politician manipulating his own daughter like a particularly problematic constituent. He'd see her for a couple of hours once or twice a year. Apparently he was affectionate and nice to her, and of course always had a few bucks for his girl.
She obviously desperately wanted to think well of her daddy. He spoke nice to her. She wouldn't want to hurt his feelings. Then he greases her up with a few bucks to keep her quiet- and enough affection to let her convince herself that this money was proof that he cared. So she herself actively denied her parentage his whole life. She loved him and didn't want to ruin his career.
I can easily enough imagine Thurmond talking himself into thinking that he was doing the best he could, under the circumstances and all. After all, he was giving her money; he was thus taking care of his responsibilities.
God damn any man who would treat his daughter like this. More than anything else, your child needs YOU. Yes, this is my daughter, and daddy's proud of her. You might not have money, but at least you have the love of your parents to give you strength.
Instead, she had to know her daddy mostly as that guy in the papers and on the tv vowing to protect the decent white folks from the yucky nigras- such as herself. She couldn't even work up a proper resistance, because he was working on her emotionally to keep her quiet. What kind of layers of shame did he impact into this poor woman over these many years?
This isn't even about racism. Denying the humanity of other races is bad, but denying your own children is FAR worse. This is his flesh and blood. He personally brought her into this world- and then denied her till the day he died.
While I'm at it, screw the rest of Thurmond's family for accepting this all these years. Six months after the old man passed, the daughter has gone public (specifically NOT asking for money), and the legitimate family finally begrudgingly acknowledges her.
I do mean begrudgingly, and barely. "As J. Strom Thurmond has passed away and cannot speak for himself, the Thurmond family acknowledges Ms. Essie Mae Washington-Williams' claim to her heritage," according to a statement from the lawyer for Thurmond's estate.
Beyond any of dad's nonsense, Ms. Essie's brothers and sisters should not have accepted this. Strom Junior is a US attorney, and expected to have a big political career, inheriting daddy's connections. Beyond anything else, to hell with voting for anyone who would treat his sister like this: "I have nothing to say," said Thurmond Jr. in reaction to the family's acknowledgement of his sister.
I'd say I want to find Thurmond's grave and piss on it, but I'd hate to think of this poor daughter's feelings being hurt if she were to happen to read this. She loved her daddy.
Damn someone who would abuse his daughter's emotions like this.
posted by Al at 12/16/2003 03:28:00 AM
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