South Carolina Republicans Snub Desegregation Judge

[DonViejo]

Michael Tomasky

Julius Waties Waring, a challenger of ‘separate but equal,’ finally got a statue, but Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott, and Mark Sanford had better things to do than attend the dedication.

Of all the names of American heroes you probably don’t know, Julius Waties Waring has to rank near the top of the list. Waring was a judge in South Carolina in the mid-20th century. He’s famous to those who know for many courageous stands, but he’s probably best known for writing in one opinion that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” That was in 1951, three years before Brown v. Board of Education. In Charleston, South Carolina. Now that’s a set of stones, no?

Charleston these days is a gorgeous and ever more cosmopolitan city where, if you pick your spots carefully—the art galleries, certain restaurants—you can run into more Democrats than Republicans, maybe. But Chucktown has been molasses-slow to acknowledge the brave legacy of Waring. Finally this month, he got his due. A statue was dedicated outside the same federal courthouse building where he heard his cases.

Everyone of course came. Oh, wait. Everyone didn’t come. Some Democrats showed up, led by Eric Holder. But no local Republican of any note came.

According to the Charleston Post and Courier, Sen. Lindsey Graham had another event he’d planned “months before.” Rep. Mark Sanford, the Appalachian trail-hopping ex-governor who now represents the city in Congress, spent the day in Washington. (It was a Friday.) And the best excuse of all goes to Tim Scott, the junior senator after Graham, who is African-American. Scott had some meetings, and then “some personal things that needed attending.” He at least did send an aide.

more
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/21/south-carolina-republicans-snub-desegregation-judge.html

[stage left]

1. I never knew about Judge Waring.

An interesting story. Thanks.

[johnnyreb]

2. Our pappies lost that fight fair 'n square.

And most of 'em accepted the Surrender with the same humility and honor that the Yankees extended to them. But y'all republicans don't know anything about stuff like that. You find it more lucrative to remain stupid and to dishonor all their sacrifice. Easy when you got no skin in the game. Fuck you republicans.

My apologies and respect to the most honorable Judge Waring.

[surrealAmerican]

3. They're probably too busy ...

... trying to "privatize" education, to insure that "separate educational facilities" will again be a reality.