December 16, 2002
"I am extremely disappointed by Senator Lott’s comments," said Lee. "I find them totally inappropriate and especially reprehensible coming from someone who is just four heartbeats away from being President."
Lott dismissed his statement as a "poor choice of words," but he has a history of associating with racist organizations. Lott has spoken several times to the Council of Conservative Citizens, the latest manifestation of the segregationist Citizens Councils. The Citizens Councils sprang up across the South in the 1950s in response to school integration, mandated by Brown vs. Board of Education.
Lott also has a history of making racist comments. In a 1984 interview with Southern Partisan – a neo-Confederate magazine – Lott equated the Republican party’s platform with "things that Jefferson Davis believed in." At a 1980 Jackson, Mississippi rally, Lott honored Thurmond with virtually the same words that he used at Thurmond’s 100th birthday: "You know, if we had elected this man 30 years ago, we wouldn’t be in the mess we are today."
"Here we go again," said Lee. "I am very disgusted by Senator Lott’s statements. His comments underscore why the national NAACP gave him an ‘F’ in its annual report."
"How can Senator Lott lead the Senate in addressing the unfinished business of America when, minimally, his judgment is questionable and, for certain, his views regarding racial justice are backwards and extreme," said Lee.
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Congresswoman Barbara Lee Denounces Senator Lott's Comments
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee today denounced U.S. Senator Trent Lott's (D-Mississippi) comments made during the 100th birthday celebration for retiring Senator Strom Thurmond (D-South Carolina). Lott told partygoers, "I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for President, we voted for him. We’re proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn’t have had all these problems over all these years, either.""I am extremely disappointed by Senator Lott’s comments," said Lee. "I find them totally inappropriate and especially reprehensible coming from someone who is just four heartbeats away from being President."
Lott dismissed his statement as a "poor choice of words," but he has a history of associating with racist organizations. Lott has spoken several times to the Council of Conservative Citizens, the latest manifestation of the segregationist Citizens Councils. The Citizens Councils sprang up across the South in the 1950s in response to school integration, mandated by Brown vs. Board of Education.
Lott also has a history of making racist comments. In a 1984 interview with Southern Partisan – a neo-Confederate magazine – Lott equated the Republican party’s platform with "things that Jefferson Davis believed in." At a 1980 Jackson, Mississippi rally, Lott honored Thurmond with virtually the same words that he used at Thurmond’s 100th birthday: "You know, if we had elected this man 30 years ago, we wouldn’t be in the mess we are today."
"Here we go again," said Lee. "I am very disgusted by Senator Lott’s statements. His comments underscore why the national NAACP gave him an ‘F’ in its annual report."
"How can Senator Lott lead the Senate in addressing the unfinished business of America when, minimally, his judgment is questionable and, for certain, his views regarding racial justice are backwards and extreme," said Lee.
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