About That Klan Quote

The Leftist blogs are getting all worked up over a speech on the House floor. Why do liberals insist on acting as though we are still fighting the Civil War?

Roll Call reports today that a House Republican delivered a foreign policy speech yesterday in which he quoted Nathan Bedford Forrest, founder of the KKK.

On Monday, Rep. Ted Poe took to the House floor to discuss foreign policy matters. To make a point, the Texas Republican invoked the words of Civil War Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest: “Git thar fustest with the mostest.”

The quotation got some floor watchers’ attention pretty quickly. Forrest is a controversial figure who was one of the Klan’s first grand wizards. Although the Civil War hero (if you were a Confederate, that is) ultimately abandoned the Klan for its violent tactics, he continues to kick up dust.

“Controversial figure” doesn’t quite cut it. Most lists of the worst Americans in U.S. history include Nathan Bedford Forrest near the top. That’s what happens when someone creates the KKK to terrorize freed slaves and their allies, after taking up arms against the United States. What on earth would possess a GOP lawmaker to quote Forrest on the House floor?

Can't the Left and perhaps the media stop this gotcha nonsense just for at least some period of time? It's as if it were important to national events, somehow.

There is no defending the Klan, nor Forrest for his role. But the history should be accurate. Forrest's Klan, while racist, was not the Klan of Robert Byrd. They might want to see this on Al Gore:

(Harold) Ford came close to making himself a righteous man when he demanded that presidential candidate Al Gore denounce plans to create a memorial to Forrest in Nashville. But when confronted by supporters of the Forrest commemoration Ford backed down and declared, "I don't want to offend the Sons of Confederate Veterans, or anyone else, and the matter is dropped!"

And this:

He was very nearly hoist on his own petard, however, when a Tennessee reporter, the Chattanooga Times-Free Press' John Commins, interrupted Ford's criticism of GOP nominee Bush for skirting the South Carolina/Rebel flag issue to ask if Gore shouldn't be asked to "denounce" Tennessee memorials to Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest -- specifically a bust of the former slave-trader and Ku Klux Klan founder in the state capitol building.

Ford responded, "I'm not defending Nathan Bedford Forrest. I will write this down, and I will have a conversation with the vice president about it. And we will get a denunciation."

That was on Tuesday of last week. By Wednesday afternoon, the congressman was backing off, saying no denunciation was necessary given the vice president's well-known record on civil-rights issues.

A spokesperson for Gore said only that the vice president was vacationing in North Carolina and added, "Of course Al Gore strongly opposes the Ku Klux Klan and everything it stands for. But as for Nathan Bedford Forrest, the NAACP has never asked him to take a position as they did with the Confederate flag in South Carolina. And you obviously don't see a Confederate flag flying over Tennessee's state capitol."

By the next day, Gore was off vacation and, to judge by quotes which appeared in a James Brosnan article in The Commercial Appeal, available for comment that bore on Ford -- but not concerning his call for a "denunciation" of Nathan Bedford Forrest. The vice president was quoted as saying of the Memphis congressman: "He's a rising star. He has a bright future. And he's from Tennessee."

No one seriously expects either the vice president or the congressman to return to the Forrest matter, not without some unanticipated prodding from the media -- and, given the fairly strict controls imposed by the Gore campaign on reporters, that is unlikely, at least in Tennessee this week.

see this re Gore:

WHEREAS, Notwithstanding the controversy regarding the loyalties and moral character of Nathan Bedford Forrest, Vice President Gore, while serving as one of Tennessee's delegates to the United States Congress, condoned his state's annual designation of a day to honor this controversial historical figure; and

And finally this on the Klan - always more aligned with Southern Democrats as opposed to anyone else. Give it a rest.

The original Ku Klux Klan was created after the end of the American Civil War on December 24, 1865, by six educated, middle-class Confederate veterans[3] from Pulaski, Tennessee, who were bored with postwar routine. The name was constructed by combining the Greek "kyklos" (κυκλάς,circle) with "clan"[4]

The Ku Klux Klan soon spread into nearly every southern state, launching a "reign of terror" against Republican leaders both black and white.

Forrest's national organization had little control over the local Klans, which were highly autonomous. One Klan official complained that his own "so-called 'Chief'-ship was purely nominal, I having not the least authority over the reckless young country boys who were most active in 'night-riding,' whipping, etc., all of which was outside of the intent and constitution of the Klan..." Forrest ordered the Klan to disband in 1869, stating that it was "being perverted from its original honorable and patriotic purposes, becoming injurious instead of subservient to the public peace."

Comments

[Zifnab]

Mah name is Forrest, Forrest Gump.

[Hard Right]

No Zif, Forrest Gump was much smarter than you.

[Zifnab]

"And finally this on the Klan - always more aligned with Southern Democrats as opposed to anyone else. Give it a rest."

Ah, conservatives. Always trapped in the past. For a group that so fervently cling to the dynasty of Ronald Reagen, you'd think they would be more aware of the White Flight of the 80s to at least a token degree.

http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?off=0&year=1896

Look at that. By mah reckon'n, the coasts 'er the deep Republican Blue and Texas is solid Democrat through and through. Why, by these demographics, I can only conclude that the Democrats are the party of Middle America and good, wholesome Southern Values. Why does Dan hate the good Christian South so much when he rails on us Southern Liberals?

[Crust]

Dan, note that there is a distinction between not going out of your way to condemn Forrest (Gore) and actively associating oneself with Forrest by quoting him with approval (Poe).

Similarly, for instance, I think it is reprehensible that the President granted an interview to Rush Limbaugh. But I wouldn't blame Bush for not going out of his way to criticize Limbaugh.

[Kelvin]

“Git thar fustest with the mostest.”

Rednecks are pure entertainment.

[Dan Riehl]

Z, I'd worry if you had any idea of what you were talking about. Try this one below, it far better displays the underlying pockets of the entrapped impoverished, preyed upon by racist Liberal Dem. power seekers and race baiters, the poverty, and high taxes that have become the legacy of the modern D party and it's leftist agenda designed to keep people down.

http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?year=2004&off=0&elect=0&f=0

[JayC]

Wait a minute. Sen Robert Byrd (D -WV) routinely quotes a famous Klansman.

Here he is in Jan 2006:

http://byrd.senate.gov/speeches/2006_january/mine_safety.html

[Dan Riehl]

"not going out of your way to condemn Forrest (Gore)"

I'm not quite sure what you mean, Crust - that he didnt' speak out at NBForrest Day in Tn when campaigning on it, a day he supported while in the legislature? Or did he just refuse to rub the head of the NBF bust in the State House when walking by it on any business he may have had there?

[Zifnab]

Do you read your own links Dan? Other than proving my point, that in the last 100 years the parties have completely flipped in location (and in many ways, ideology), what exactly did your link show? The entrapped impoverished peoples in Alabama and Florida (Miami is practically a 3rd world country, right?) seem to congregate in the red central states while states like California and New York have historically done very, very well.

Where are all the Black Republican Congressmen, Dan? We had a bunch of them right after the civil war, but they never cropped back up again. Where are all the Black Republican Senators? Any black republican governors? No? How about state senators? Hell, where are all the black republican voters?

You know, if I thought a bit too deeply, I'd think all this "Democrats are racist" bullshit was really just a way for Republicans to call black people idiots. Kinda the behind the hand laugh at black people for being tricked or conned. It's the sort of Rovian politics before policy game we've come to expect over the last 12 years, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised. The biggest reason for a black man to vote Republican? Cause otherwise Republicans will call you stupid. That's all the reason any Republican has ever really given.

[Crust]

Dan, maybe I'm missing something. But as I read the above, the beefs with Gore are that he didn't condemn a memorial to NBF and didn't speak out against NBF Day. In other words, Gore didn't raise a fuss against NBF, fair enough. But I don't see where Gore is coming out and endorsing NBF in any sense.

[bloodrage bob]

ziffy! babe! howzit?

so! ever gonna muster up the balls - yes, i KNOW you're a girl: it's a *metaphor* - to answer (st.) phoenix's question in re your 'preferred response to 9-11'? or will you just continue to hide like a little bitch, popping in now & again to spout your nonsense until i run you off?

BTW, i decided - based on your description of houston's mayor as "mayor white" - (it's a colombo thing), that you DO live in montrose! where else in Texas, an entirely sensible state, *would* you live, right?

now the only question remaining is, do you live in the "cruising leather boys" scummy part, or the oh-so-pretentious "close to the museums" part? hmmm....you're not brave, as you continually run away from direct questions, so that lets out the 'scary' part...you wouldn't like proximity to the 4th ward....

i'm guessing somewhere around bonnie brae, or the 1300 or 1400 block of marshall, maybe? ziffy? hello?

[Zifnab]

My god, you've nailed it. You should swing by the Montrose Area some time BB.

[bloodrage bob]

used to work there, ziffy. hence the knowledge. could be a nice area, i suppose, except for the deviants.

so! was i right? aaaaand your response to phoenix's 9-11 question?

[Hard Right]

“Git thar fustest with the mostest.”

Um yeah, that's sure supporting a racist and his POV. You lefties need massive doses of Zyprexa. Either that or to be thrown back into the loony bins you escaped from.

[Hard Right]

BTW Zif, quit while your waaayyyyyyyy behind because you're just looking even more delusional and stupid than usual-which is saying something.

[templar knight]

Yeah, Dan, all that blackface, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Tom talk carried on by the Democrats and their cartoonists and supporters is really a liberal lovefest. You just don't get it, Dan. They don't really, deep down, mean it, they love these conservative blacks so much that they must hate on them, in an effort to bring these people back to their senses. Shit, everybody knows blacks can't compete in the market, they have to be given a leg up on everything, and these conservative blacks teaching self-control and standing on your own efforts must be stopped. Stopped now, before blacks become successful, and realize the fucking Democrats have been playing them for fools for 50 years now.

[Hard Right]

Yup, all those darned Conservatives have been asking if Obama is "black enough".

Ooops, it was liberals doing all the asking. But they aren't racist. (roll eyes)

[Zifnab]

"so! was i right? aaaaand your response to phoenix's 9-11 question?"

Answered it a while back BB. Try to keep up. I can't repost everything for you.

[Jeff]

So that settles it, FDR was a Conservative...Taft was a Liberal...

I knew it...

Zifnab, in respect, your argument cuts both ways.

[Zifnab]

"Zifnab, in respect, your argument cuts both ways."

Indeed it does. That's why you need to analyze the historical context of the policy and not simply slap the Big L or the Big C on the idea and call it a night. The very term "conservative" versus "progressive" (liberal) implies that you prefer a slower changing government and oppose change. Thus, modern day progressives who win their generation's reforms will likely become the conservatives of the future, attempting to cement policies they founded years ago.

Saying Abe Lincoln was a Republican and thus Republicans are the party of civil rights makes about as much sense as saying Thomas Jefferson was a Democrat and thus Democrats are the party that embraces strict construtionism and an agrarian society.

[nova]

Grant and Sherman sure hated Forrest. They called him that devil that caused them more grief than any other Confederate General. Forrest had many good sayings. Such as: "Get there firstest with the mostest". And "I can beat any man who fights by the book". He is a historical figure. Get over it. And there was a recent biography of him that is very good.

[Zifnab]

*Pulls out his Godwin*

So was Hitler.

[templar knight]

Zif, you're an idiot on the Civil War, maybe your area of expertise might be the Texas War for Independence, or perhaps, the Mexican-American War.

[nova]

Here is some information on Forrest. He sure did hate carpetbaggers and scalawags.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_bedford_forrest

[tally]

"Ah don't feel no ways tahhhhrrred. Ah come too fahhhr from where I started from".

"Git thar fustest with the mostest."

who in the hell is giving advice to our dear politicians. i see a trend.

[Phoenix]

"so! was i right? aaaaand your response to phoenix's 9-11 question?"

Answered it a while back BB. Try to keep up. I can't repost everything for you.

Posted by: Zifnab | Tuesday, May 08, 2007 at 05:41 PM

You did not, Zif. You answered two questions and skipped this one - the 'What would you have done if you were president after 9/11?'

Don't even pretend that you answered it because you didn't. What a lizard you are.

[bloodrage bob]

ahhh, what a rare gem you are, phoenix. i stopped on this thread *specifically* to post exactly what you just said.

ziffy! not only are you a chickenshit montrose-dweller, you're a **lying** chickenshit montrose-dweller! back to the mud, scum queen!

[Phoenix]

Where's our Zifnabulator? :)

[DAVE]

There is nothing wrong with racism. Get that through your weak minds. We live in a society where people are forced to
lie about what they really think to be
accepted by people who secretly agree with them. Black "people" should shut up and be grateful, that we gave them a
chance to live life free of lion-attacks.

[indapamide lozol]

I haven't been up to much today. Such is life. My life's been basically dull today, but that's how it is.

[Unknown]

DAVE your the stupidist person on this plant we all should be equal no matter if ur black white tan dark brown mixed idian asain african,it dont matter,who cares if ur skin is different,why does it matter?tell me that...and as for the KKK,,well,fack you guys,ur as stupid as dave the racist here

[engineer maintenance mechanical]

Home schooling provides a better education, is worse for your child