Mac Thornberry Wants To Eleminate Minority Congressional Districts

First it was Louie Gohmert & company opposing the reauthorization of the VRA. Then, John Carter said there was no more racism in Texas. Now, Texas Congressman Mac Thornberry says he wants to eleminate minority Congressional districts all together.

Someone please call Woolworth’s and order these men the white sheets they would have been wearing had they been in Congress 50 years ago.

Thornberry (R-Clarendon) (if you are wondering who the hell he is, he represents CD-13 which includes Amarillo) has decided it would be a better idea if congressional districts were crafted without regard to minority voting strength, telling the Wichita Falls Times-Record News that such doesn’t work well in the real world:

Although the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wednesday decision to leave intact all but one of Texas’ redrawn congressional districts won’t alter anything for voters in District 13, Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Clarendon, says there is one change he’d like to see.”I’m glad there’s been a decision so everyone can move ahead, but I hope some day soon we can see people as individuals rather than members of racial groups,” said Thornberry, describing the process currently used to determine district lines. “Grouping people by race isn’t working that way in the real world.”

While Thornberry sounds all idealistic and seemingly ready to join hands with minority groups and start singing verses of “We Shall Overcome” and “We Are The World,” the fact is, when taken in combination with the values and beliefs of his party, his remarks clearly illustate the underlying current against minorities and civil rights so prevelant within the Republican Party—especially in Texas.

Why would Thornberry and other Republicans support doing away with minority opportunity districts? Because they quite frequently vote for Democrats, not Republicans. As Texas becomes more and more of a minority state, the fact that more and more Republican Congressmen will be shifted out for the creation of minority improvement districts is a real possibility that scares the Bejeebus out of Republicans.

Further, when examined in the context of some of his colleagues’ (Gohmert, et al) war on the Voting Rights Amendment, Thornberry’s comments are, indeed, worthy of scorn.
Though this is a tough district for a Democrat, perhaps this will give Thornberry’s opponent, Roger Waun, a little more ammo going into the fall.

Bookmark It