The official Oldiesfreak thread

[Cryptic]

So, by Oldiesfreak's logic, everyone in New Jersey and Delaware are intrinsically linked to racism forever, because those states voted for McClellan in 1864?

[Cryptic]

The Democratic Party was found in the 1820's, decades before the Jim Crow laws in the South.  The Democratic Party was founded as a result of a split in the Democratic-Republican party with one faction, the Democrats taking a populist route.  While it is true many Democrats from the end of Reconstruction to about the mid-20th century were supports of segregation and played on racial tension, it is not true that Jim Crow shaped the very foundation and philosophy of the party, as you claim.  Rather, it was a horrible and repugnant decision taken by the party in the aftermath of the Civil War, but it was not part in the party’s foundation. 

No one is disagreeing with you that Democrats were segregationists in the past, but the idea that this unfortunate past is somehow irrevocably tied to everything the Party still does is plain wrong.  It would be the equivalent of me saying the Republican Party is intrinsically tied to homophobia forever, because of the actions of some Republican politicians today and in recent history, pushing for gay marriage bans.  I strongly disagree with the Republicans on this issue.  That being said, for me to say that everything the Republicans do from now to the end of time is somehow influenced by this horrible position is wrong and I would never make that claim. 

You see, here is the thing.  The beliefs and ideologies of people, groups, and even entire organizations can change over time.  Should we hold all Germans born today as responsible for the actions their country took in WWII?  Should we hold all Americans responsible for the actions our ancestors took against Native Americans, actions politicians of BOTH parties supported?  I hope you can see why I think that it is ridiculous to say that everything we do is somehow a reflection of the past, especially if we’ve changed. 

Judging by your posting history, I somehow feel posting this is a pointless exercise on my part.  I know people with deeply-held beliefs are very unlikely to change them based on a post from some stranger on a discussion forum, and your beliefs seem deeply-held.  Still, I hope what I said at least provides something for you to reflect on.