Lott's childhood and early career shaded by sentiments of racism
I don't know whether the term "shaded" is drawn from the article. The link didn't work. But if so it's more than permissibly weak. Lott, as we've learned now, was every bit as racist as Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms. Thurmond, very publicly, changed his public mind. Who knows about his private convictions. Helms, not so publicly, appeared to change his mind, though still used racial code words and symbols in his reelection campaigns.
Lott, apparently, as he moved up the leadership ranks of the Rep party, tried to keep a two track system going: one track linked back to his past, a second away from it.
As for whether he's racist in the classic sense, I doubt it. We are certainly not ever going to know. My guess is that he's one small part jumbled remnants of past sentiments, memories, etc. but more than those the standard politician driven, harder than most, by a desire simply to have and hold power. As I read the materials over the weekend, he's never been a legislator who sponsored legislation but one who brokered deals. |
