Stupid Thing of the Week: Special Slavery Edition
November 13th, 2009 by John Grooms in Boomer with an Attitude
God knows there were plenty of events and people to choose from for the weekly Stupid Thing of the Week. Locally, the school board went along with Supt. Gorman’s idea to gut one of CMS’ most successful programs – and did it at the last meeting of the board’s current line-up; needless to say, the new board will start reconsidering the moves at their first meeting. Nationally, Carrie Prejean got all pissy on Larry King Live; singer Fergie let everyone know she’s bi but her husband is well-endowed; Lou Dobbs quit his job at CNN and said he’d been hounded by a mob mentality, “similar to what we saw in Italy in the 1930s” (you might want to re-read your history, Lou, and maybe stop the pity party); a beaver on CBS’ The Early Show peed in the announcer’s face; Sarah Palin went on Oprah and dissed the people who’d chosen her to run for VP in the first place; and Sammy Sosa revealed he’s been using a skin lightener for some damned reason.
But for sheer tone-deaf cluelessness – which is always a plus when you’re vying for Stupid Thing of the Week – you can’t beat our winner, Ian Campbell, a re-enactor and tour guide at Latta Plantation Park. Campbell, an African-American history buff who has devoted a lot of time to bringing history to life at the park, was giving a tour to about 60 fifth-graders from Rea View Elementary in Waxhaw when who did he pick to represent plantation slaves? Why, the only three African American students in the group, of course! Kids were humiliated (and in fifth grade, that’s huge), parents were enraged, and school administrators vowed never to send their kids back to Latta. It doesn’t appear that Campbell meant any harm, but again, a history buff being that clueless about race relations is kind of mind-boggling.
November 13th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Maybe it would have been better to use black face on the white kids?
What you should have said is that Larry King got all stupid. He asked her the same question over and over when he was told several times that due to the lawsuit agreement she could not reveal what the settlement was. How hard was it for the moron to understand and how far must you twist things to see Carrie as the bad guy in this. Mark my words Kings is probably going to be forced out due to this and similar senial acts lately.
Having his wife possibly shot at might have had something to do with his decision maybe. Grooms likes to ignore important details like this.
As long as Palin tells the truth I just dont see the problem. From what I heard she dissed the handlers not McCain personally.
I guess that will do it for the Grooms corrections of the day.
November 14th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Chattel slavery of blacks is part of American history…whats the problem? The black kids didnt want to participate in the re-enactment. Nothing wrong with that either.
I dont know what the deal is with Prejean. What christian woman would be in a “skin to win” beauty pageant? I guess hers is a different brand of christianity.
Palin the neo-con has alot of lies in her new book. Once again she’s trying to portray herself as the gung ho anti federal government “conservative” when her record is anything but that. She’s very similar to Mark Sanford — spending money on herself while fronting as a fiscal conservative. Couric made her look like an idiot. She lies almost as much as the Obamanator..lol..
November 16th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Or, Campbell chose the 3 AA students to bring home the reality of slavery. For the non-AA kids, they saw their AA friends treated unfairly simply because they are AA. History is not all pleasant, and failing to appreciate the reality of slavery only allows us to forget it. Of course, some may feel that forgetting is appropriate in this “post-racial America.”
November 16th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
What were the lies in her book? I have not read it but its always good to use some specific examples.
For Carrie remember we are all sinners right? I think that answers your question.
November 16th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I feel really bad for the children who were put on the spot. At that age there is nothing worse or more humiliating. And the circumstances surrounding it make it so much worse. I hope the teacher handled it as well as possible.
I have to say I feel bad for the guy who screwed up. He is probably a good guy who doesn’t believe in slavery and probably never thinks things through. If that is the kind of guy we are talking about, it would be really great for all of the people involved to give him probably the biggest break he has ever had in his life. However, I imagine since this has already come to this point that this guy will pay for this mistake for the rest of his life.
Too bad for all involved!
The History Man!
http://wwwhistoryman.blogspot.com/