A Southern regionalist party must grant massive concessions to the South's black population, which has been massively maligned both by yankee governmental policy & the prejudice of their fellow Southerners. Their wonderful and vibrant culture has been dealt frightful damage by the war on drugs and various paternalistic and oppressive policies.
To court our brothers and begin the RACIAL HEALING, the following must be done by any Southern nationalist party:
1) decriminalize drug use and do much to empty out the prisons. The massive prison apparatus must be cast as a horror of northern policy. By setting black Southerners free, white Southerners take a step toward their own liberty. (This will entail a surge in crime, for a time. The South has always been a violent section. Forgiveness and brotherhood should in time work better than the clearly failed policy of oppression. The damage of generations won't be undone in a day.)
2) Self-governance: Black communities deserve black oversight. Every effort should be made to give police more fixed posts, that they might become local fixtures. It is imperative that policemen are picked from the neighborhoods they serve wherever possible. (This may lead to a certain amount of corruption, but that is fine. Corruption and inefficiency are not the greatest evils.)
3) The confederate flag must be replaced for a more universal symbol. The argument over its "proper" meaning is largely academic; it is seen with hostility by too large a portion of the population it represents, and divisiveness is a disaster in a symbol of unity. Give Southerners a flag that they can all be proud of.
The greatest obstacle, of course, is racial attitudes, but Southerners have lived alongside each other for centuries now, and the dark specter of divisive racism is clearly receding. It may seem like a one-sided compromise, but in many ways it is white Southerners who hold all the cards, and have prosecuted the greatest crimes against their neighbors. Should the South manage this reconciliation, it will be generously rewarded; black and white southerners have never enjoyed the respect or good faith of the American government and yankee body public, but working in concert, could surely preserve the wonderful culture they both share, and be a powerful voice for the advancement of Southern interests.
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2013, 05:48:02 PM
A Southern regionalist party must grant massive concessions to the South's black population, which has been massively maligned both by yankee governmental policy & the prejudice of their fellow Southerners. Their wonderful and vibrant culture has been dealt frightful damage by the war on drugs and various paternalistic and oppressive policies.
Um dude the South and the Southern politicians are formost among the War on Drugs' supporters.
I know. They are wrong, though. :)
Edit: This deserves expanding on. Southern politicians and the white southern populace support -lots- of policies that are divisive and damaging to the community. There is a strong contrarian tendency that leads to kneejerk policies to oppose what the north (and, yes, the black southern community) support. Much of the South's conservatism is of course genuine and deeply felt, but the black community is also rather strongly social conservative- if society would give it the opportunity to be so.
The absurd democrat/republican split between black and white Southerners is unhelpful. They should be voting for a unified Southern regionalist party that represents their enormous overlapping interests better than either of the other parties could.
Southern regionalism doesn't exist in great enough quantities to make a viable political party.
Yeah, I know. You'd need the sort of cohesion of identity and political consciousness that doesn't really exist. Since the culture is there, I imagine it could in the future (as it has in the past), but I am mostly just dreaming.
This is just my thoughts on what the South should do, not what it will do. I imagine we'll continue unhappily on as things presently are, but its worse off for both parties involved.
policemen coming from the neighbourhoods they work in is the opposite of a good idea. it's such a bad idea its against official policy over here I believe.
Quote from: Tyr on January 02, 2013, 07:30:18 PM
policemen coming from the neighbourhoods they work in is the opposite of a good idea.
Saves fuel consumption.
Hey Lettow, did you see this?
Apparently 42% of Georgia republicans favor secession, 42% oppose. :P
http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2012/12/07/obama-georgia-secession-public-policy-polling/1753795/
They rose up in the same old way and we put them down in the same old way
Does this mean that Lettuce is now experimenting with drugs?
I abhor drugs, and absolutely would not. Keep in mind both of my parents were addicts, with one overdosing outright and the other -merely- dying broken down on an office floor with a body ravaged by the stuff.
While being in firm opposition to its use personally, the damage the prosecution of it has had on our poor black folks is easy to see.
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2013, 05:48:02 PM
3) The confederate flag must be replaced for a more universal symbol. The argument over its "proper" meaning is largely academic; it is seen with hostility by too large a portion of the population it represents, and divisiveness is a disaster in a symbol of unity. Give Southerners a flag that they can all be proud of.
Like the American flag, for instance? :P
A symbol for Southerners alone, of course :P
Why do you feel that this is necessary? Serious question.
I feel I have something in common with black folks in the South, but not so much yankees up north. I think it is a separate culture.
History has always cast a long shadow on me, so I feel a duty as well. I am upset by how derelict I am from that duty; I am conscious of a need to serve the South, a transmitted duty from previous generations. (I did a writeup on transmitted duty that I don't believe was ever posted here..)
But also, I am in love with the South. It is home and it is what I am comfortable with; my associations with it are happy ones.
(On the other hand, a lot of the sins in the world are sourced, however inaccurately, to the north, and the kneejerk reaction to northern things is a wary hostility.)
I wonder what course Lettow's life might have taken if he'd gotten laid semi-regularly and scored a job.
I worry about you Lettow sometimes. You ok?
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2013, 09:06:04 PM
I feel I have something in common with black folks in the South, but not so much yankees up north. I think it is a separate culture.
You might, but I'm sure the average white Tennesseean has more in common with the average white Iowan than the average black Tennessean. Though none of these differences rise to the level of being different cultures.
Quote from: Legbiter on January 02, 2013, 09:13:02 PM
I wonder what course Lettow's life might have taken if he'd gotten laid semi-regularly and scored a job.
I worry about you Lettow sometimes. You ok?
You do know i've been in various relationships, right? If anything my sexuality was too precocious early on. I've since become shockingly prudish.
On the work count, well, fair is fair. I avoid and fear work, but i'll resign myself to it as soon as it becomes necessary, which is to say, the near future.
I'm very happy! I worry a bit about the future, because its always uncertain, but my every day is pretty content. I am consistently striving to be more peaceful and pleasant to those around me, and to live a more calm life. I think I have things going better for me than the vast majority of languish, which seems to have a lot of disaffected, bitter and down people.
I could read that post two-ways. One, you've become an asexual weirdo shunning all human fellowship in order to properly channel the Deep South to realization in this world or in space. :wacko:
Two, you're fine in body and spirit but the demon of laziness has caught up with you. I'd implore you to seek almost any means of employment, since a job is very much more than just a paycheck.
Combine your job with your persona while you seek greener pastures with drinking and wenching, while keeping an eye out for that Special One to hook up with. Vegetating via anime, The Deep South...etc is not healthy.
Lift heavy. Drink. Cultivate hobbies and always tease girls like a bratty younger sister.
Go in peace my son.
It could just be that i'm content and don't need substantial lifestyle change. :)
I am not very obsessed with the South anymore. I don't think about it a whole lot- this thread's genesis was actually my roommate's musings.
I drink somewhat frequently, as a college student inevitably does. It is social- I do something fun with my roommate every day. We hang out with another friend and play boardgames, talk about our interests, and so on.
I -am- seeking employment, even if I don't buy into the protestant work ethic sort of thing that equate worth and goodness with an eight hour shift.
I have little to no interest in women at this time, but I am very sensible to the appeal of Japanese maidens- the fact that its so comparatively easy to find a history-obsessed girl there is really charming. I had a lovely lady read a book on Robert E. Lee just to talk to me about it; I am keeping my eye on her, but not with any sense of urgency, since there are so many others that can be readily reached for. I look forward to a strategic marriage that provides a clean house and regular home-cooked food.
In conclusion, I am not -quite- asexual, I am not shunning human fellowship, I am not obsessed with the South, I will indeed work, and I drink and have a variety of hobbies. (Or has it missed everyone's notice that I am very much into tea, poetry and literature?)
Somewhat long winded, but I wanted to put languish's misconceptions and misplaced concerns to rest. A better effort would be the seedy suicide prevention squad.
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2013, 05:48:02 PM
2) Self-governance: Black communities deserve black oversight. Every effort should be made to give police more fixed posts, that they might become local fixtures. It is imperative that policemen are picked from the neighborhoods they serve wherever possible. (This may lead to a certain amount of corruption, but that is fine. Corruption and inefficiency are not the greatest evils.)
I've a better idea. Let's just continue having people of different races fuck until we're all a giant mish-mosh...and also own that we're mixed - so no one drop rules.
Quote from: garbon on January 02, 2013, 10:53:28 PM
I've a better idea. Let's just continue having people of different races fuck until we're all a giant mish-mosh...and also own that we're mixed - so no one drop rules.
It would never work. Humans aren't the same race.
Quote from: garbon on January 02, 2013, 10:53:28 PM
I've a better idea. Let's just continue having people of different races fuck until we're all a giant mish-mosh...and also own that we're mixed - so no one drop rules.
I support the garbon plan.
Garbon used to be an asexual weirdo.
Quote from: Valmy on January 03, 2013, 12:02:49 AM
Quote from: garbon on January 02, 2013, 10:53:28 PM
I've a better idea. Let's just continue having people of different races fuck until we're all a giant mish-mosh...and also own that we're mixed - so no one drop rules.
I support the garbon plan.
Me too.
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2013, 05:48:02 PM
3) The confederate flag must be replaced for a more universal symbol. The argument over its "proper" meaning is largely academic; it is seen with hostility by too large a portion of the population it represents, and divisiveness is a disaster in a symbol of unity. Give Southerners a flag that they can all be proud of.
how about
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frlv.zcache.com%2Fsherman_lincoln_and_grant_with_black_border_poster-rc72a5c8ee6034b2cac9c923be7d0cdae_aiqq7_400.jpg&hash=5b7944dbae676838b886e577ea827da7cf4ec5ca)
?
Quote from: Viking on January 03, 2013, 02:01:55 AM
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 02, 2013, 05:48:02 PM
3) The confederate flag must be replaced for a more universal symbol. The argument over its "proper" meaning is largely academic; it is seen with hostility by too large a portion of the population it represents, and divisiveness is a disaster in a symbol of unity. Give Southerners a flag that they can all be proud of.
how about
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F%5Bimg%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Frlv.zcache.com%2Fsherman_lincoln_and_grant_with_black_border_poster-rc72a5c8ee6034b2cac9c923be7d0cdae_aiqq7_400.jpg&hash=2e1de9fa9c61f551321a541d113624f85278ef60)[/img]
?
I ain't getting it, Vic.
Not enough stars on that flag.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on January 03, 2013, 02:22:39 AM
Not enough stars on that flag.
It was good enough to burn georgia the last time round.
Honestly don't see the South as culturally unified or distinctive enough to merit being it's own country. I mean cultural gap between Texas and South Carolina or Louisiana and Kentucky or Georgia and Maryland are really less then the cultural gap between Virginia and Pennsylvania or Florida and New York. If we use the difference of culture between North and South as a the yard stick then the South should also be decided up in half a dozen different polities, and every other country broken up. I mean Japan could probably divided up into at least 10 different countries if our threshhold for cultural distinctiveness is that low. It could certainly divided up into several different states with much more strict definition of cultural distinctiveness.
Quote from: Razgovory on January 03, 2013, 02:43:27 AM
I mean Japan could probably divided up into at least 10 different countries if our threshhold for cultural distinctiveness is that low.
Independent satsuma domain might be kind of cool. But man, Japanese sure are a pretty homogenous lot, for all of their celebrated differences between kansai and kanto.
Quote from: Lettow77 on January 03, 2013, 03:51:39 AM
Quote from: Razgovory on January 03, 2013, 02:43:27 AM
I mean Japan could probably divided up into at least 10 different countries if our threshhold for cultural distinctiveness is that low.
Independent satsuma domain might be kind of cool. But man, Japanese sure are a pretty homogenous lot, for all of their celebrated differences between kansai and kanto.
I was under the impression there were more then one dialect of Japanese and several areas have had a history of de facto independence. If we must destroy the US for the sake of cultural distincitivness then Japan must also die.
Yeah, Japan is a pretty diverse place. as with everywhere else in the world less so these days thanks to the media, easy transport, people moving for work, etc.... but some diversity remains. going off Americans I've met Japan certainly strikes me as more diverse
Lettow and the South makes me want to catch the matinee of Django Unchained. I could use an antebellum plantation owner murderfest right about now.