Politics makes for strange bedfellows. And so does Syria…In arguing for Congressional approval of Obama’s request to strike Syria, John McCain finds himself part of an odd coalition, with Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, and the man who beat him out for the White House and now needs his help to save his presidency. But pro-Syria strike Republicans aren’t doing it to save Obama’s bacon. They think it’s necessary to discourage other dictators and to project American strength. Meanwhile, conservatives who are against striking Syria see it as a futile gesture with no upside for the US, a preordained failure that they’ll have to share the blame for. And they’re in the same boat with ultra-liberal anti-war Democrats who see it the way they’ve seen every war since the ‘60s: as a potential Vietnam-style quagmire. Considering that Afghanistan’s leaders say they’re losing a hundred soldiers a week to Taliban attacks and now need outside forces to stay at least another four years, even I can see the liberals’ concerns. So, I guess Obama has finally brought Americans together. Speaking of unusual meetings of minds, in Casper, Wyoming, there was a summit meeting for the history books. In the town of Gillette, several black men had been beaten up after they were seen with white women. And KKK literature was showing up around town. Jimmy Simmons, president of the Casper branch of the NAACP, considered holding a rally. But then he decided if you’re going to talk about hate, you should talk to a hater. So he wrote to the KKK to ask for a meeting. He didn’t expect a reply, but he got one. And so, after months of setting ground rules, for the first time ever, an organizer for the United Klans of America met at a motel under heavy security with local NAACP leaders. The Klan rep showed up in a suit, not a robe. Needless to say, the NAACP did not persuade him to change his beliefs. He insisted that the Klan had nothing to do with the hate crimes in Gilette, and claimed not to even be aware of any Klan lynchings after the 1870s. It was a frustrating meeting in many ways. But at least, both sides spoke calmly. Maybe the strangest moment came at the end. The Klan rep claimed he had good will toward all people. So his hosts asked if he’d like to prove that by joining the NAACP. He said he had no problem with that. He filled out an application, paid the $30 fee, and tossed in a $20 contribution. The Klansman said when he got home, he might be excommunicated. But until then, he just might be the only person on Earth who’s a paid-up member of both the NAACP and the KKK.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 18:00:00 +0000
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