Sheisse the Governor of Mississippi Says

Haley Barbour: "What? Everyone
gets their own water fountain.
What's the problem?"

Move over Angela Merkel! Another jackass politician from a place famous for racism is making thoughtless comments about race! Apparently the south during the 1960's wasn't really all that bad for Haley Barbour, so maybe everybody should just stop whining about the whole segregation thing. Finally, one brave man has the courage and the rose-colored glasses to look back on a time when our nation was tearing itself apart over race and equality and say: "M'eh, I don't see what the big deal was." So thank you Haley Barbour for once again reminding us why we should all be grateful the North totally won the Civil War.

"Labor? I didn't feel a thing...
until I got the bill! Hey-O!"

So, Governor Barbour was-wait, what's that? Oh yeah. He's the Governor of Mississippi. That's right, he's in charge of a state. Sure it's Mississippi (you know, the one with the flag), but still. Anyway, he was alive during the racial strife of the 1960's and doesn't remember it being so bad. Of course, he is white (and probably was back then) so maybe just maybe he should shut the hell up. I'm not saying that a white guy can't have an opinion about history, I'm just saying that when it comes to the second-class status endured by African Americans during the 60's, 'I was alive then' isn't really the same thing as 'they turned the fire hoses on me and hit me with batons.' By his logic I could say the Bosnian War wasn't so bad because I rode it out playing Street Fighter II.

Look out Niccolo!

Alright, alright, maybe I'm being unfair. Governor Barbour was speaking about his personal recollection and not trying to pass himself off as any kind of expert. Fine. Also, he's entitled to his personal opinion, no matter how stupid. Fine. But from a strictly cynical point of view, shouldn't he have done the math? I mean, isn't he a politician?

rich white republican 

+ 

comments about race

= Concession Speech

A lot of America's shittier moments involved people being treated like second-class citizens and even property just because they have a different skin tone. Everyone knows that people work better when they work together. It worked for the Planeteers, it worked for the Power Rangers and it worked for the Union Army that totally kicked Mississippi's sorry secessionist ass during the war. So keep that in mind Haley.

The Confederate army was no match for their racial unity
...and Giant Robot Dinosaurs.

p.s. Haley Barbour really didn't say the thing about the water fountains. But he probably thought it once...