As you know, Sally Kern made news last week when she said minorities and women were lazy and didn't work hard. She made her remarks in support of her stance that affirmative action programs are not needed in today's society.
Oddly enough, minorities, women and just about everyone else with a soul – regardless if they were hardworking or just lazy — got upset at her archaic, racist and bigoted remarks. The reaction may have taken Sally off guard, because she issued this trite, placating, excuse ridden apology on Facebook.
I want to humbly apologize for any statements last night about women and African Americans. My words were, obviously, not spoken correctly and for that I humbly apologize. Unfortunately, when we take "words or sentences" out of the total context of a speech debated on the floor, there can be false misrepresentations, but the most important part is to always go to the heart of the matter.
Yep, I hate it when people take "words and sentences" out of context. Especially when those "words or sentences" don't accurately portray the intentions or thoughts of the original author or speaker. It would be just like some idiot taking comments made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and then using them "out of context" in a poorly worded affirmative action speech.
Ugh. From Sally Kern's original speech about affirmative action.
Martin Luther King said in his famous speech, “I Have a Dream” speech, that he wanted, he dreamed of one day a nation would rise up and live out the true meaning of that creed all are created equal. So that is the goal and that should be the goal of this great nation but in my way of thinking is as long as we live in this world we humans, and I happen to believe we’re sinful humans, as long as we live in this world we will never accomplish the goal. That doesn’t mean we don’t strive for it. We always are striving for it but unfortunately discrimination is a part of our fallen nature and regrettably I think it is going to last to the day this earth vanishes.
Martin Luther King also said that he dreamed of a day when the state of Mississippi he said and he described what it was like, sweltering in the heat of oppression would be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I believe he meant there that he wanted a nation where there was equal opportunity for everyone not equal results and that’s what affirmative action does. It gives equal results but this country should be based upon equal opportunity regardless of what your color is regardless of what your gender it kinda seems to me the premise here tonight is that color and sex is the soul factor that determines whether or not you get ahead or whether or not you don’t get ahead. Well I want to ask a question, what about personal initiative? What about personal drive? What about hard work? What about being willing to pay the price? Doesn’t that enter in somewhere? I certainly think it ought to. And then another elephant in the room that hasn’t been mentioned, what about reverse discrimination? There are all kinds of Supreme Court cases where the Supreme Court said there is reverse discrimination. One that happened just a couple of years ago was where a particular city, they lowered their exam, the results of the exams so that they could promote minorities. So a lot of people who were not minorities were overlooked. I believe that was with the fireman’s case. So reverse discrimination is something that is very real in this country.
Yeah, I'm sure that if Dr. King were alive today he'd totally be anti-affirmative action. I'm sure he also wouldn't mind if Sally Kern used his "words and sentences" out of context to support her anti-affirmative action views. Sure, there was a time when minorities had to drink from separate water fountains and ride in the back of the bus, and sure, the brave and hard-fought actions of Dr. King and others like him helped give minorities equal rights in a "free "country, but that was 40-something years ago. You know, a long forgotten time when my Dad was in college listening to Beatles albums. Obviously, the roots and foundations of that time are long gone.
Anyway, I guess we should give Sally Kern an A+ for looking like an hypocritical tool in the first paragraph of her apology. Let's take a look at the rest.
I never intended to convey anything more than all races include people who can be lazy at times. Laziness never accomplishes much for anyone. Certainly laziness is not the reason for this but it can be a contributing factor just as it can be for any other race. I completely agree with Martin Luther King's statement that it should be the content of one's character and not the color of their skin by which we judge them. I have endeavored my whole life to practice that statement and truly believe that we are all created equal. In a very inadequate and poorly worded way I was meaning to say that government should not give preference based only upon race or gender. I deeply regret the anguish and insult I have caused to all African Americans and sincerely apologize and ask for your forgiveness. My husband and I serve in an inner city church ministering to people of every race because we love all people.
Question? Since laziness and affirmative action have no direct correlation to each other, why did she even bring up laziness in her debate? Also, check out the "faces" of Sally's church. It screams diversity...if diversity equals old white people. At least they do have a couple of minority members.
I also want to humbly apologize for my statement that women do not work as hard as men. Every woman is a CEO--a Chief Everything Officer. Whether they enter the work force or stay at home, women are some of the hardest workers in the world. When a woman enters the work force, because they have a job and a family they often decide not to make the same level of commitment to their job as a man does simply because they must juggle home and job. Thank God for the many wonderful men who understand this and help their spouses but the saying "a woman's work is never done" certainly shows that women have to balance the two more than most men. Usually, women are more family-first orientated. This is all I meant. There are thousands of women all over the world who are wonderful examples of hard workers. Also, please keep in mind, I am a working woman.
I like how she "humbly" apologizes and then uses "words and sentences" to try to back-up her 1950s statement that attempts to justify why women earn less than men.
We live in a sound bite society and our media likes to take only a portion of a dialog and use just a slice of it. You can take a portion of something someone says and make it say anything you want it to say. Without a doubt, what I said was poorly stated and did not convey the meaning I wanted to get across for this I am truly sorry and humbly apologize.
At least she's honest. Just like this apology, her comments were poorly stated and didn't do anything to change my mind that she's a racist and bigot. Seriously, no wonder her son became a 30-something-year-old celibate not-gay musician. I would too is she were my mom.
Hopefully, these remarks are what nails the coffin in her political career. Maybe she decides not to seek reelection or perhaps a non-racist Republican or Democrat will defeat her. If that happens, Oklahoman's will no longer suffer from her embarrassing ways, and as Dr. King said when quoting the words an old negro spiritual, be "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free at last."
