* Click here and read the whole thing. Interesting stuff and, as usual, a well-written piece by Pearson.
*** UPDATE *** From the Democratic Party of Illinois…
This weekend, Republican Mark Kirk will join his fellow Illinois Republicans — and a motley crew of Trump delegates — at the state GOP convention in Peoria. Who are these Trump delegates? According to a must-read story from the Chicago Tribune, one of them uses a social media handle, “whitepride,” while another is “all for not allowing Muslims in this country.” In response, Democratic Party of Illinois spokesperson Sean Savett released the follow statement:
“Republican Mark Kirk has offered up himself to be Donald Trump’s ‘steady conservative hand,’ and is apparently angling for influence in a Trump administration. If this would-be Secretary of State doesn’t agree with musings of @whitepride or Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims, he must immediately and forcefully denounce these Trump delegates in Peoria. Silence is acquiescence.” — Sean Savett, DPI spokesman
- MSIX - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 9:46 am:
Truly depressing, but no real surprise.
- Vole - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 9:58 am:
Don’t be messing with my piece of the establishment.
- VanillaMan - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 9:59 am:
It’s fine that Pearson let these few delegates speak to him. But Pearson also needed to put what he was reporting into context to help his readers see beyond the odd clumsy quotes of these private people who are now being thrust into his column.
Ever since the TEA party began, these citizens have been presented like ignorant Clampetts at best, and as Klansmen at worse. Yet our entire political history is filled with similar people who are active because they believe that our country was floundering on a major issue that effected them.
Pearson needed to give us context beyond these unpolished quotes. The citizens quoted aren’t professional lobbyists, politicians or activists. They don’t spin in our BS arena. They just know that they don’t like what they have now, but don’t see a future improvement.
Our politics and governments have failed. These sincere citizens, in all their unadorned peculiarities and half-thoughts are here to help. They’d rather be doing something else. They don’t have the money to play this game. But we need to look beyond and show some respect for what happens when our systems fail and we fail so badly, the volunteers show up to help us out.
God bless everyone of them. Without them, there would be no USA.
- wordslinger - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:00 am:
Don’t blame me, I voted for Kasich and his delegates.
But you reap what you sow. Why go with the usual bunch of GOP dog-whistlers when this guy screams it loud and clear?
“He says what everyone’s thinking” is what you hear, over and over, from the Trumpies.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:07 am:
Go back to Europe, chalkies!
- siriusly - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:13 am:
“I’m not racist. I just want to take my country back from those people.”
Yes, we see the difference. Thanks for explaining.
- Jocko - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:15 am:
I’m surprised they weren’t offered admittance to Trump U. I hear they’re starting a strong civics program.
- Johnny Pyle Driver - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:16 am:
“We just need someone who understands the people and understands what it’s like to work. These politicians have never worked. They don’t know what it’s like to work paycheck to paycheck.”"
so….Trump! He knows what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck!
- Annonin' - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:21 am:
The BigBrain must be very proud to be the leader of this group…stirs a lot of confidence in his judgement
- Fusion - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:23 am:
Will they be allowed to carry their pitchforks onto the convention floor?
- Anonymous - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:27 am:
I wonder what these guys are going to feel like when they finally realize that they were conned?
- Honeybear - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 10:36 am:
Can’t even…..Loving God help us.
- Mama - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:26 am:
OMG! Lord help us.
- anony - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 11:39 am:
What a crew!
- Union Leader - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:06 pm:
Illinois GOP in the state house, these are your voters. Trump is like “us”? I think the GOP has finally lost their collective minds. All those who were so against Trump are now jumping on the bandwagon and to think, these people quoted in the article are going to be delegates, jeez, they should run for state house/senate spots.
- Union Leader - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:08 pm:
Sorry for the rant/rambling on the previous post. I just find it so amazing how some voters are so blind to what his going on around them.
- Bootleg Carhartt Designer - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:12 pm:
Perhaps a GoFundMe campaign for a stretch limo clown car to Cleveland?
- Union Leader - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:25 pm:
Instead of a GoFUndMe account, maybe Governor Rauner can fly them there on one of his billionaire friends’ planes.
- Liberty - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:26 pm:
Trumpers are just disenfranchised Democrats.
- Union Leader - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:35 pm:
Trumpers, not all of them are uneducated ( I love the uneducated) racists who dislike anybody who doesn’t look, sound or talk like them. Mostly WASPY or Americans who have ancestry from Europe. Not disenfranchised Democrats!
- Anon221 - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:58 pm:
Is there a complete list somewhere of all the Trumpers (delegates)? I’m interested to see if a certain Kirker is now a Trumper.
- btowntruth - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:26 pm:
- Liberty - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 12:26 pm:
Trumpers are just disenfranchised Democrats
==================================================
Rich,I nominate that statement for Dumbest Comment Of The Month.
- Mama - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 2:58 pm:
==Anonymous@ 10:27 am: “I wonder what these guys are going to feel like when they finally realize that they were conned?”
I’m guessing they will feel the same way people in IL felt when they realized they were conned by the governor.
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 3:35 pm:
– MrJM
- ArchPundit - Saturday, May 21, 16 @ 12:59 pm:
===. These sincere citizens, in all their unadorned peculiarities and half-thoughts are here to help.
Being angry at politicians for letting them down. Fair game. Being angry that they are losing ground. Fair game. Being angry at non-whites for the above. Not fair game.
Having legitimate gripes is different from blaming non-white people for all of your problems. It’s not a problem with their ability to be articulate. It’s a problem with what they are saying.