U.S. Politics: Cultural insensitivity in Washington

Senate majority leader Trent Lott's racist comment has rightly created controversy. Lott stated that he supported outgoing Republican Senator Strom Thurmond's 1948 presidential candidacy and that "if the rest of the country had followed our lead we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years." He has since apologized for the "misunderstanding" and "poor choice of words." His poor choice of words can only be interpreted as supporting racial segregation.

John Snow, the newly nominated Treasury Secretary, was sensitive enough to resign from a golf club that excludes women. The Augusta National golf club, where the Master's golf tournament is played, has been in the news recently for it's discrimination policy towards women. So when the new Treasury Secretary resigned from the golf club (on his own accord, we are told by White House spokesman Ari Fleisher), we are reassured (confirmed by the mainstream media) that controversy has been averted. But should we not ask why, if he knew that it was an issue, he would wait until he was nominated for a high ranking government post before resigning? If he personally thought that discrimination against women is problematic, why not as a member try to change it? It is obvious that his resignation from the sexist, discriminatory golf club was only done to save face.

In both the cases of Trent Lott's blatant racism and John Snow's complicity with a sexist institution we can find, fully exposed, values that are often covered up with such face saving moves as apologizing for being racist. Apology not accepted.

Update: While controversy never really developed regarding John Snow's association with the discriminatory Golf Club, it continues to surround Trent Lott regarding his blatantly racist comments even receiving condemnations from President Bush. The related articles below have been updated to include recent coverage.

Related articles:

• In Lott's Life, Long Shadows of Segregation (New York Times, December 15, 2002)
• Not a Whole Lotta Love (Washington Post, December 13, 2002)
• Trent Lott's Segregationist College Days (Time, December 12, 2002)
• Sen. Trent Lott: Repeat Offender (CommonDreams.org, December 12, 2002)
• Editorial: Teed off against sexism & racism (Workers World, December 12, 2002)
• Does Trent Lott Speak for the South? (AlterNet, December 11, 2002)
• Lott Apologizes Again on Words About '48 Race (New York Times, December 11, 2002)
• Republican Senate leader regrets end of Jim Crow segregation (World Socialist Web Site, December 10, 2002)
• Lott's Apologizing for Remarks (NPR Morning Edition, December 10, 2002)
• Bush Nominates Railroad Chief for Economic Adviser (NPR Morning Edition, December 10, 2002)
• Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer (Whitehouse.gov, December 9, 2002)
• Bush treasury secretary choice has many fans (Associated Press, December 9, 2002)
• Lott Decried For Part Of Salute to Thurmond (Washington Post, December 7, 2002)