You can't fix stupid. But you can elect it to the legislature.

Logan Manhart - South Dakota State Representative

ABERDEEN, SD (KELO.com) — A controversial Independence Day post by a South Dakota lawmaker is generating some political fireworks.  State Representative Logan Manhart posted a photo with a caption saying “It’s white boy summer and the boys are back in charge.”  Democratic House leaders call it harmful and divisive, and are demanding an apology. 

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This is not a matter of partisan politics. It's a matter of intellectual competence.  For any American in our day and age to make such a racially charged comment, as Mr. Manhart is quoted above, is not a matter of current politics, but a matter of some individual deficiencies in education, which might likely be attributed to the inherent mental ability to be educated.

I served in the Army during a time of relative peace, stationed on a guided missile base in Germany, where we were ready to launch should the Soviets and their East German minions get overly aggressive in Europe.  The battery with which I served had a sizable contingent of Blacks to share in the defense of our democracy.  At the time,  the order to desegregate the troops had been in place only eight years, and there were some men who were discomfited by it.  The command under which I served  had little tolerance for racial attitudes.  The man who had a bunk next to mine was a Black from Younkers, devoutly religious with a beautiful singing voice.  Although we soldiers weren't particularly religious, we often goaded him into singing at bedtime.  As his repertoire consisted largely of religious songs, we became familiar with them.  Through his rendering of the songs, I became aware that they weren't celebrations of God as much as they were prayers for freedom and equality set to music.  A majority of the men in my battery observed the  quest for equality and respect, but there were a few who clung to racial prejudice and practiced it.  One Texan was so belligerent about his racism that he was inspired to engage in behavior that put him in the stockade.  He openly insulted and abused Blacks in my unit, which included non-commissioned officers.  He was court-martialed for some of his antics.

I mention this incident as an illustration of how out-of-place racial discrimination has become in our general society.  My Democratic colleagues err when they ask for an apology from Rep. Manhart.  An apology does not adequately compensate for reducing a legislative body in our democracy to a racist rabble.  Mr. Manhart has spoken, as is his right, and demonstrated his unfitness to hold office in a body charged with upholding our democratic values and virtues.  Rather they should take more aggressive action to uphold the principles of equality and integrity on which our democracy is based.  Mr. Manhart's comment discloses that he has a fondness for white supremacy.  In a state which was formed from the dispossession of Native lands, Manhart's comment is a continuation of the racist pogrom against the Native people.  Democrats need to emphasize the violation of democratic principle to which Manhart gives voice.  And good Republicans need to join in.  Bigotry is not a cause for either party.

Under the rule of people such as Logan Manhart, the wars against Indians continue.  Rather than meekly ask him for an apology, Manhart should be held up as an example of those who maintain the insult and abuse of the native people and we should cite the damage that such attitudes inflict upon the state. And the Democrats must emphasize the degradation of democracy he brings to it.  Making nice with bigots only induces and increases the bigotry.  And inflicts injury on democratic society.

People who believe in equality, freedom, and goodness have cause to be restive.  The old battles against prejudice and bigotry will have been fought in vain if we don't confront their reoccurrence.  Tolerance is a virtue in a democratic society, but that does not include tolerance for racism or religious and ethnic discrimination.

Those of us who lived and fought through the civil rights surge recognize what it means when someone announces that the white boys are in charge.  The first thing it designates is that the person who said it is too ignorant with obvious deficiencies of mind to serve on an American legislative body.  It is quite possible in our  legislative system to vote to end democracy.  As political scientists have pointed out, if you don't like democracy you can vote to suspend or end it.  I wonder if the people who voted for Mr. Manhart know that they cast a vote for racism.  

As another election draws near, it will be important to keep Mr. Manhart's word fresh on the public mind.  The work of maintaining the freedom and equality of an actual democracy is a. never-ending process. And it is often tested here in Indian countrh--as Mr. Manhart has demonstrated.