Mississippi Republicans and Miscegenation

[Tiassa]

Mississippi in the Twenty-First Century

Public Policy Poling released last week the results of a survey of Mississippi Republicans covering a range of issues, including, for some reason, the question of interracial marriage. The result would be shocking, except that it's Mississippi Republicans being surveyed.

(via Public Policy Polling)​

It is not unheard of that one might charge conservatives with racism. It is also not unheard of that the conservative would countercharge that one would only call him racist because the accuser is a dirty liberal who hates all conservatives and will say anything he can to discredit good, real Americans.

But let us consider Mississippi, for a moment.

Forty-six percent of Republicans surveyed think interracial marriage should be made illegal. Another fourteen percent don't know whether interracial marriage should be legal. Six in ten Mississippi Republicans, according to the PPP survey, are unwilling or unable to accept the legality of interracial marriage.

And, yes, outcomes like that do, in fact, encourage perceptions that conservatives are racists.

But even setting aside the political labels, what, exactly, is the rationale here? Okay, so one hundred eighty four or so of the people interviewed outright oppose interracial marriage. Those we get. They're racists, and life goes on. What really perplexes me, though, is the fifty-six who are "not sure" if interracial marriage should be legal or illegal.

What is the (ahem) gray zone, here? I'm a liberal, so, yes, this is (ahem) a black and white issue for me; I have a hard time perceiving that middle (American) realm in which it's an iffy outlook. I mean, are these the, "I don't like it, no sir, don't like it a bit," folks, who then shrug and say, "but we lost that one in sixty-seven, and we ain't gonna be winning that one back anytime soon, so, that's the way the Constitution crumbles."

How does one get to, "I'm not sure if interracial marriage should be allowed under the law"?

I really don't get it.
____________________

Notes:

Public Policy Polling. "MS GOP: Bryant for Gov., Barbour or Huckabee for Pres.". April 7, 2011. PublicPolicyPolling.com. April 14, 2011. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_MS_0407915.pdf

 

[superstring01]

Sounds about right. Fucking hick racists.

~String

 

[sifreak21]

haha people who dont think interracial should be legal are fucking retarted.. if they look int here own past they will find interracial in there own bloodline. there is not 1 pure person in the world anymore everyone is mixed so there just inbred stupid fucks in mississippi. and if th ey dont change i really feel sorry for them

 

[Pinwheel]

Some people think people of different skin colour are literally different animals.

 

[cosmictraveler]

How does one get to, "I'm not sure if interracial marriage should be allowed under the law"?

I really don't get it.

Perhaps some people were not yet ready to commit to one way or another to be determined by the law but by the people that were marrying instead. They might have thought that why is a law needed when two people, no matter what ethnic background, want to marry each other. The government steps into the rights of people more and more trying to dictate what it feels is supposed to be law when sometimes it just goes to far .

 

[quadraphonics]

On the other hand, I keep reading these statistics about how black people are moving back into the South from every other part of the country, that interracial relationships are more normal in that region than elsewhere, etc.

Which is to say that I'd be interested to see similar statistics for the South as a whole. Is this just a Mississippi Republican thing? Or what?

 

[EmptySky]

How does one get to, "I'm not sure if interracial marriage should be allowed under the law"?

I really don't get it.

That's because it disturbs you as it suggests that the issue is not as black and white as you would like it to be.

Darn, if only everyone could be slotted into the convenient and simplistic categories of liberal (good) and racist (bad) life would be so much simpler and less frustrating for us all. We could always read some biblical parables to comfort ourselves in the meantime?

 

[Tiassa]

This and That

That's because it disturbs you as it suggests that the issue is not as black and white as you would like it to be.

Yeah. That's pretty much the point. I am nearly dancing in anticipation of the explanation that actually makes sense. I so very badly need to be educated on this point, because it's essentially a yes or no question. So, there exists a certain bloc that is not insubstantial or inconsequential, that sees a gray area that defies practical resolution. And, yes, I would very much like to know what that gray area is.

I am quite clearly looking at it from the wrong perspective if I cannot even perceive this dimension of the question. It's just not there to me.

So, yes. Anybody, please, set me straight on this one: What about the question of whether interracial marriage should be legal or not defies resolution? What are the subtleties complicating the consideration?

Please.

• • •​

Which is to say that I'd be interested to see similar statistics for the South as a whole. Is this just a Mississippi Republican thing? Or what?

I do not disagree. But I confess it also strikes me to wonder just why they asked. The question sticks out, to my eye, like a thumb that probably didn't need any more hammering.

What did I miss in Mississippi? What is going on that this was a relevant question?

I mean, it's just there. Why?

And yeah, it's kind of a scary number. So, doubly, then: Why?

What is the WTF coefficient on that uncertain bloc?

 

[chimpkin]

Maybe some of them would like to say it should be illegal, but have family members that have married across racial lines?

The majority of those polled are old enough to have grandkids...

But I don't entirely get it either.

 

[quadraphonics]

I do not disagree. But I confess it also strikes me to wonder just why they asked. The question sticks out, to my eye, like a thumb that probably didn't need any more hammering.

What did I miss in Mississippi? What is going on that this was a relevant question?

I mean, it's just there. Why?

And yeah, it's kind of a scary number. So, doubly, then: Why?

What is the WTF coefficient on that uncertain bloc?

My guess is that it was included not so much to stand on its own (although it's pretty shocking in those terms), but for the purpose of investigating the correlation between racism and support for particular GOP candidates. I.e., this was a poll of opinions of GOP candidates for governor and national office, how they'd stack up in primaries, where they sit ideologically, etc., undertaken by a Dem-affiliated polling group. The interracial marriage question is the only social issue included there.

So the interesting part, then, seems to be the cross-tabs listed in the later part of the report. This lets you see how support for different GOP candidates varies with support for interracial marriage. To that: Gingrich seems to be slightly more popular amongst those who support interracial marriage, while Huckabee is a wash. The big effects are with Palin and Romney - the racists love Palin, and hate Romney (and the reverse with the non-racists). Which makes sense - Romney's the modern, Massachussetts candidate with establishment cred and respect outside of the GOP base - he passed universal healthcare while governor, fer crissakes! Palin basically represents the arch-reactionary wing of the party. It should not come as a surprise that attitudes about race correlate well with that axis of the party spectrum.

 

[Michael]

Mississippi in the Twenty-First Century

Public Policy Poling released last week the results of a survey of Mississippi Republicans covering a range of issues, including, for some reason, the question of interracial marriage. The result would be shocking, except that it's Mississippi Republicans being surveyed.

A problem of education - there is no such thing as race. People need to be educated to think properly.

 

[quinnsong]

On the other hand, I keep reading these statistics about how black people are moving back into the South from every other part of the country, that interracial relationships are more normal in that region than elsewhere, etc.

Which is to say that I'd be interested to see similar statistics for the South as a whole. Is this just a Mississippi Republican thing? Or what?

I am from the south and currently live out west and it has been my observation the interracial relationships in the south are usually black man /white woman with very few white men and black women relationships. In the west I see many more white men /black women relationships. I have 3 brothers and all of them would have voted against interracial marriages which is doing the black race a favour.

Rascism is alive and well in the south and I have seen it coming from both sides both white and black! What I found troubling is that even on college campuses in the South that many of the white students still espouse theit parents views on this issue.

 

[Michael]

I think African women are hot I'm pretty shocked anyone one in this day and age (and Republicans to boot) would want to stick their nose into another couple of adults beeswax. I thought GOP was all about personal liberty?

 

[chimpkin]

I thought GOP was all about personal liberty?

My state GOP has, as a party platform plank, the making of homosexual sex into a state jail felony.

There may be the personal liberty types out west...
But in the Bible Belt they want to control what goes on in the regions usually located beneath Your Belt.

All the Dems have to do to get my vote is be less evil, and it's a really low bar.

I know race isn't a legit genetic concept, so does pretty-much everyone on this board...but it is a social concept...sadly used as a reason to discriminate, almost always against nonwhites.

I think African women are hot

Hotness comes in many colors.

Rascism is alive and well in the south

Absolutely.

 

[quinnsong]

The sad fact is from northern Florida all the way up to but not including D.C. you would get similar poll results most likely. Also, Chimpkin there is not a lot of difference between a white southern Democrat and the GOP they have the same good ol boy mentality.

 

[quinnsong]

Yeah. That's pretty much the point. I am nearly dancing in anticipation of the explanation that actually makes sense. I so very badly need to be educated on this point, because it's essentially a yes or no question. So, there exists a certain bloc that is not insubstantial or inconsequential, that sees a gray area that defies practical resolution. And, yes, I would very much like to know what that gray area is.

I am quite clearly looking at it from the wrong perspective if I cannot even perceive this dimension of the question. It's just not there to me.

So, yes. Anybody, please, set me straight on this one: What about the question of whether interracial marriage should be legal or not defies resolution? What are the subtleties complicating the consideration?

Please.

• • •​

I do not disagree. But I confess it also strikes me to wonder just why they asked. The question sticks out, to my eye, like a thumb that probably didn't need any more hammering.

What did I miss in Mississippi? What is going on that this was a relevant question?

I mean, it's just there. Why?

And yeah, it's kind of a scary number. So, doubly, then: Why?

What is the WTF coefficient on that uncertain bloc?

I would be curious as to the ages of the uncertain bloc it might possibly be that most of them were younger and the unsure option gave them an out so as not to appear rascist even to themselves. Another reason maybe some in the uncertain bloc may just not care and answer IDK to most questions put forth to them.:shrug:

 

[JuNie]

Hm. I wouldn't judge the entire GOP by Mississippi standards, but a lot of people in general believe in genetic superiority. Not just elements of the GOP. You'll see it in Japan, China, Korea, India, Africa, and all over Europe. Just about anywhere, and lots of extreme damage has been done by caste systems. What these polls do point out is what's in the minds of certain populations.

I think in the future we'll be finding out more about how people really feel about race. Just recently some people in Mississippi boycotted a movie because the Producers casted a black actor as one of the Norse gods.

A recent CNN poll I find interesting: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/12/civil-war-still-divides-americans/?hpt=C1

"When asked the reason behind the Civil War, whether it was fought over slavery or states' rights, 52 percent of all Americans said the leaders of the Confederacy seceded to keep slavery legal in their state, but a sizeable 42 percent minority said slavery was not the main reason why those states seceded.

When broken down by political party, most Democrats said southern states seceded over slavery, independents were split and most Republicans said slavery was not the main reason that Confederate states left the Union.

Republicans were also most likely to say they admired the leaders of the southern states during the Civil War, with eight in 10 Republicans expressing admiration for the leaders in the South, virtually identical to the 79 percent of Republicans who admired the northern leaders during the Civil War."

Clearly slavery was an issue, but a sizable portion of the people minimize slavery as if it wasn't even a huge issue at the time. Interesting tidbit is that it's not just Republicans, but elements of the Democratic party as well as Independents. Though it's much more prevalent in the Republican Party.

A more thorough investigation of things like this would have to be done, but I usually respect the polls done by CNN.

And yeah...blackies are racist. Of course Negroes are racist, especially if they live in Mississippi or anywhere else in the South/Bible Belt.

 

[pjdude1219]

I think African women are hot I'm pretty shocked anyone one in this day and age (and Republicans to boot) would want to stick their nose into another couple of adults beeswax. I thought GOP was all about personal liberty?

unless its about sex than they get real interested

 

[madanthonywayne]

Which is to say that I'd be interested to see similar statistics for the South as a whole. Is this just a Mississippi Republican thing? Or what?

Yes, this statistic by itself cries out for context. What are the numbers for the general public in Mississippi? In the south as a whole?

Also, there is the issue of why in the hell is this issue coming up all of the sudden? Perhaps next we'll have a poll gauging support for the 14th amendment among Mississippi Republicans?

 

[EmptySky]

So, yes. Anybody, please, set me straight on this one: What about the question of whether interracial marriage should be legal or not defies resolution? What are the subtleties complicating the consideration?

One would be the niggling doubt that the contemporary liberal view which encourages miscegenation and treats it as harmless is wrong, but perhaps without any more information on the subject and/or the desire not be seen as a 'racist' one abstains from voting against interracial marriages.