That must have been what Rick Santorum was thinking after recently getting unwanted attention for his remarks on how HE "doesn't want to make black people's lives better by giving them somebody else's money." Santorum later tried to wipe the mess off his shoe by insisting that he was quite sure he didn't say "black people." Maybe he recalled saying "coloreds" or "porch monkeys."
If it all seemed too familiar to Punxsutawney Rick, it might have been because of some ado he caused in 2004 as a graduation speaker at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania. Santorum, then a U.S. senator was not the choice of the students at the historically black institution. As a matter of fact a number of students stood and turned their backs to Santorum as he spoke. Others applauded in support of the hundreds that turned away and some simply got up and left. It may be construed as impolite that they did not give him a chance to speak before registering their protest, but they must have had an idea of what was to come.
Santorum then went on to lecture the college graduates on the fragility of the black family in America and the problem of absent black fathers. Not that any of Santorum's figures were wrong, but the prevailing feeling was that a white Republican had a lot of nerve itemizing the plagues of society and laying them at the feet of black graduates on a day that should have otherwise been celebratory. What the audience heard was "this is what's wrong with your people..."
The speech unmistakeably cemented Santorum's reputation as having delusions of grandeur. Rick Santorum thinks he's better than all kinds of other people who aren't like him including black people and when he has a chance to talk to black people about anything, he chooses to talk about issues of black immorality and social inferiority. Santorum is not known for addressing the problem of absent white fathers when talking to white audiences. He thinks that when it happens to white people it is not a problem. This is what makes Rick Santorum and people like him hypocrites.
Black people know this type of hypocrisy carries over into other areas as well. When a Santorum sees a black person with a job, they see someone who was given preferential treatment. When they see a white person with a job, they see someone who probably got that job fair and square based on their abilities. When they see a black defendant in court they see someone who should have known better. When they see a white defendant they see someone who deserves a fair trial under the law. And so on.
The inanity of a father of seven lecturing college graduates on family planning was not lost the crowd at Cheyney's graduation ceremonies in 2004. By the time he reached the end of his speech he could hardly be heard for the side conversations in the crowd. One person screamed "get off the stage."
What would people think of me if I chastised the audience at the Republican National Convention (historically white) on the number of white unwed mothers and then presented proof that unwed white mothers outnumber those of any other race? What if I complained that there were more white welfare recipients living off other people's money than any other race? I don't think it would go down too well. And while that would be funny to see, I would have more class than to do that. Rick Santorum does not.
Why does Santorum support pagan Greek marriage practices over the traditional plural marriages of the patriarchs and Kings of Judah?
ReplyDeleteHe needs to add 2 i's to his last name.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me started on the marriage thing Joe. Traditionally, marriage in America was often between a man, several women and sometimes other men. Then came the white man.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I think that's why I always think tuberculosis when I see his name.
Well, you see, Mr. SanCtorum intended to have 12 children, but somehow the powers that be decided that there were enough sanctimonious Sanctorums in the gene pool, so he never did get to use those there pills or rubbery things.
ReplyDeleteSanctorum. That is perfect.
ReplyDelete