Democrat Governor Describes His Constituents As White, Racist Rednecks
One thing those who live in western, fly-over “red states” get used to is the fact that the liberals who live out here with us often don’t really like where they’re from. They gripe about the backwards rubes they live among, and yearn for the more cultured and populated areas of our country. This attitude is even present among liberals who find themselves in elected office out here. Sure they’ll pander to “red state” sensibilities when it’s convenient politically, but they usually sport a pretty low opinion of where they’re from.
Usually the attitude is pretty subtle. For instance, the two Democrat Senators who represented us here in North Dakota were Kent Conrad (who is retiring this year) and Byron Dorgan (who retired in 2010) neither of whom have actually owned a home in the state for years. Instead, both rented apartments across the hall from one another in a building Conrad financed with a VIP loan from subprime lending giant Countrywide Financial. These apartments satisfied the state’s citizenship requirements, but both men really lived in the expensive, swanky homes they purchased in Virginia (Dorgan) and on the beach in Delaware (Conrad).
These men may pay lip service to how much they love the state which elected them to the Senate, but their real feelings were clear based on where they choose to live.
But neither Conrad nor Dorgan were ever so bold in communicating their low opinion of their constituents as Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer who, while addressing an event in New York City, went on at length about what a bunch of racists Montanans are:
Through his 30-minute speech to Ohio Democrats, Schweitzer repeatedly boasted of his gubernatorial achievements, putting special emphasis on the Indian Education for All project. Schweitzer spearheaded the program, which requires Montana school children to learn both American-Indian and U.S. history.
Why did Schweitzer shepherd the innovative and groundbreaking program? Well, because Montanans are a bunch of white, racist rednecks – the governor’s words.
“All over Montana, you can walk into a bar, a café or even a school or a courthouse and just listen for a while as people talk to each other,” Schweitzer explained, shortly after noting 93 percent of his state’s population is classified as Caucasian. “And you will hear somebody, before very long, say something outrageously racist about the people who’ve lived in Montana for 10,000 years.”
The governor delivered the program to sway the minds and hearts of Treasure State youngsters. “So, I decided, I can’t turn the heart of a 45-year-old redneck,” Schweitzer said.
I don’t doubt that there’s some bigotry in Montana. There’s bigotry everywhere, even in the more urbane parts of the country like New York City. But to paint a picture of racism with such a broad brush seems more than a little unfair to the people of Montana.
Tags: Asshats, brian schweitzer, montana
