George Felix Allen, Jr's, Enduring Racism

I have one question about George Felix Allen's racism. How did this man ever get elected to public office? And what does it say about us as a state that he has been elected?

George Allen, who likes to demonize Democrats, indeed anyone but his extreme right buddies, thinks its OK to sing to the "liberty" of Confederacy? That's pretty unAmerican.

In what Century and under what bizarre ethics does the man live? More importantly, how does Allen do it? How does he get elected in one office after another? His behavior is nothing new. But Virginians (and the media) have swept many of his excesses under the rug, or portrayed him as a reformed bigot. RaisingKaine.com diarist, called "aes," wrote of George Felix Allen, Jr's history of racism, saying Allen has:

"a long history of interest in the Confederacy although he never lived in the South until he transferred from UCLA to the University of Virginia as a sophomore in college.

"aes" goes on:

The May 8, 2006[10] and the May 15, 2006[11] issues of The New Republic reported extensively on Allen's long association with the Confederate flag. The magazine reported that "[a]ccording to his colleagues, classmates, and published reports, Allen has either displayed the [Confederate] flag--on himself, his car, inside his home--or expressed his enthusiastic approval of the emblem from approximately 1967 to 2000." Allen wore a Confederate flag pin for his high school senior class photo. In high school, college, and law school, Allen adorned his vehicle with a Confederate flag. George Felix Allen was no Southern culture preservationist, intent on merely respecting ancestors. His ancestors weren't from here and Allen is a So. California transplant. This makes the Confederate symbols obviously about something other than historical preservation. He displayed a Confederate flag in his family's living room until 1992. In 1993, Allen's first statewide TV campaign ad for governor included a Confederate flag. In 2000, when a voter told Allen, "Long live the Confederate

flag!" Allen replied, "You got it!"

http://www.raisingkaine.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3979

"aes" goes on to list more:

1) The "noose" controversy, 2) His opposition to the Rev. Martin L. King Jr. day, 3) His recognition of past segregationists, 4) The "macaca" incident, 5) And there will be more.

Notice Allen's feeble, phony attempt to persuade us he's reformed via his efforts toward an "apology" for slavery. How does Allen reconcile that with his continued insensitivity on race.

The questions I have concerning the Allen controversy go way beyond "should he say more?" There is nothing he can say. He's been outed once and for all. The whole world can see him for what he is: an obnoxious, anachronistic, Confederacy-worshipping boor. It's time to put honor back into this US Senate seat. Retire George Felix Allen, Jr. We owe that to our state and nation. Let's get out of the 19th Century and stick with the 21st. It's better late than never that this time the majority of voters will "just say no" to George Allen.