the united states senate showed its true pitiful self yesterday when it permitted a democratic minority to prevail in a symbolic gesture and pass a resolution that effectively ended senate tolerance of a tradition dating back to precolonial times.  in so doing, they slammed the door shut,  effectively denying  millions of deserving ameicans any chance of achieving parity with a grossly over-represented--and dismaying ungrateful--ethnic minority group.

42 of the 44 democrats in the senate (in other words, all but two of the scurvy bastards) were joined by a motley contingent of 36 republicans (who leave us no choice but to pity them for their willingness to go along to get along--unlike the 18 who remained steadfast in their opposition) in co-sponsoring sr 39: an apology--an apology mind you--for (of all things) having previously stood up for our right to lynch each other.

as i've already mentioned, this resolution virtually eliminates any chance of bringing back the noose or attaining true racial equality on this endeavor. 

without meaning to make this issue any more inflammatory, i can't in good conscience spare you from seeing the numbers yourselves.

consider for a moment this fact:  blacks make up roughly only about 10-12% of our population.   despite that--as this senate resolution points out--3445 of the 4742 americans  elevated to the order of the noose between 1882 and 1968 were black. 

clearly this is one instance where there's no question  blacks received special consideration totally outta proportion to their numbers.  had all americans been treated equally that number would drop drastically to 521.62.  had that been the case,  fully 4220.38 equally suitable non-black candidates would have been selected to fill the open slots.

i could go on and on, but im just too upset.  so here's the text of this despicable resolution.  you can read it for yourself:  

Apologizing to the victims of lynching and the descendants of those victims for the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynching legislation.

February 7, 2005

Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. FRIST, Mr. REID, Mr. ALLARD, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. BAYH, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. BIDEN, Mr. ENSIGN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. HAGEL, Mr. CORZINE, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. DAYTON, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. DODD, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. SPECTER, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mr. STEVENS, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. TALENT, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. JEFFORDS, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. KOHL, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Mr. PRYOR, and Mr. SCHUMER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

Apologizing to the victims of lynching and the descendants of those victims for the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynching legislation.

Whereas the crime of lynching succeeded slavery as the ultimate expression of racism in the United States following Reconstruction;

Whereas lynching was a widely acknowledged practice in the United States until the middle of the 20th century;

Whereas lynching was a crime that occurred throughout the United States, with documented incidents in all but 4 States;

Whereas at least 4,742 people, predominantly African-Americans, were reported lynched in the United States between 1882 and 1968;

Whereas 99 percent of all perpetrators of lynching escaped from punishment by State or local officials;

Whereas lynching prompted African-Americans to form the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and prompted members of B'nai B'rith to found the Anti-Defamation League;

Whereas nearly 200 anti-lynching bills were introduced in Congress during the first half of the 20th century;

Whereas, between 1890 and 1952, 7 Presidents petitioned Congress to end lynching;

Whereas, between 1920 and 1940, the House of Representatives passed 3 strong anti-lynching measures;

Whereas protection against lynching was the minimum and most basic of Federal responsibilities, and the Senate considered but failed to enact anti-lynching legislation despite repeated requests by civil rights groups, Presidents, and the House of Representatives to do so;

Whereas the recent publication of `Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America' helped bring greater awareness and proper recognition of the victims of lynching;

Whereas only by coming to terms with history can the United States effectively champion human rights abroad; and

Whereas an apology offered in the spirit of true repentance moves the United States toward reconciliation and may become central to a new understanding, on which improved racial relations can be forged: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) apologizes to the victims of lynching for the failure of the Senate to enact anti-lynching legislation;

(2) expresses the deepest sympathies and most solemn regrets of the Senate to the descendants of victims of lynching, the ancestors of whom were deprived of life, human dignity, and the constitutional protections accorded all citizens of the United States; and

(3) remembers the history of lynching, to ensure that these tragedies will be neither forgotten nor repeated.

and here are the names of the republican senators who refused to support the resolution, thus recommending themselves to history as being proudly willing to prove that if you give a man enuff rope, hell wind up hanging hisself:

Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee)
Robert Bennett (R-Utah)
Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi)
John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Michael Crapo (R-Idaho)
Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming)
Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)
Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire)
Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
Kay Hutchison (R-Texas)
Jon Kyl (R-Arizona)
Trent Lott (R-Mississippi)
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
Richard Shelby (R-Alabama)
Gordon Smith (R-Oregon)
John Sununu (R-New Hampshire)
Craigh Thomas (R-Wyoming)
George Voinovich (R-Ohio)