Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There's a good reason for that, and they like to hide their obvious prejudices behind the seriousness of the issue. God forbid if their own city were to elect a Black mayor; it would probably resemble a scene from The Exorcist, complete with copious amounts of pea soup being vomited.
Claims of being oh so interested in statewide politics, deafening silence on the Sanford fiasco (it doesn't get any more "statewide" politically than that) or ANY other statewide political issue at that, a rearing of the head as soon as Benjamin was elected even before the accident...the motive is entirely obvious here.
Akhenaton06, I admire that you keep hammering away at this very unpopular topic. Keep hammering!
As I mentioned before, there are many reasons why people may be motivated to discuss this issue. Yes, yes - race is one of them! It is disconscerting that you are seen as "playing the race card" when you are, in reality, merely shining a spotlight on the role that race plays in some people's perceptions and evaluations. America is a racialized society. And, South Carolina has an absolutely horrific history of racism. Given this, we should, at the very least, be asking the question about what role IS race playing in some people's zeal about this case.
Akhenaton06, I admire that you keep hammering away at this very unpopular topic. Keep hammering!
As I mentioned before, there are many reasons why people may be motivated to discuss this issue. Yes, yes - race is one of them! It is disconscerting that you are seen as "playing the race card" when you are, in reality, merely shining a spotlight on the role that race plays in some people's perceptions and evaluations. America is a racialized society. And, South Carolina has an absolutely horrific history of racism. Given this, we should, at the very least, be asking the question about what role IS race playing in some people's zeal about this case.
Protecting the taxpayer was one of his campaign bullets.
Good to see this:
Attempts to reach Benjamin on Tuesday were unsuccessful, but a spokesman confirmed that Benjamin will be at today's meeting and that he is opposed to the tax increase.
Akhenaton06, I admire that you keep hammering away at this very unpopular topic. Keep hammering!
As I mentioned before, there are many reasons why people may be motivated to discuss this issue. Yes, yes - race is one of them! It is disconscerting that you are seen as "playing the race card" when you are, in reality, merely shining a spotlight on the role that race plays in some people's perceptions and evaluations. America is a racialized society. And, South Carolina has an absolutely horrific history of racism. Given this, we should, at the very least, be asking the question about what role IS race playing in some people's zeal about this case.
Thanks for the encouragement. Trust me, I'm not one who goes around tagging people with certain labels, but in certain cases I've just got to call a spade a spade. And this is one of those cases. They can throw out "playing the race card" all they want, but they simply cannot defend their deafening silence on previous significant and multiple citywide and statewide political issues on this forum and all of a sudden concoct some so-called political interest when Columbia elects its first Black mayor.
And if you think what you see in this thread is bad, it has absolutely NOTHING on the obsessive, incessant rants against the president and first lady, which go waaaaaaaayyyyyy beyond any supposed policy differences. To be full of such vitriol has to take years off one's life. It's simply not healthy.
There is certainly racism all through this thread and funny, it seems to be coming from a few posters. But, throwing out the racism charge has become so meaningless.....a way to change the subject and give passes to corrupt politicians.
So, back to the topic of Benjamin, any news on the wreck?
Also interesting, my first post in this thread was about Benjamin and the dishonesty of his associations. Well lookie, lookie.....a long time Columbia politician and one of Benjamins close allies / supporters, going to jail on tax evasion charges. Next race baiter feel free to change the subject and throw down your card.
Cromartie pleads guilty in tax case - Crime & Courts - TheState.com (http://www.thestate.com/2010/04/26/1260093/court-to-hear-cromartie-case-today.html - broken link)
Where do you get that Cromartie was a "close ally" of Benjamin's? Again, it's easy to make up stories without a shred of evidence to back them up.
Do you even know what is going on in your city?
Cromartie and Benjamin sat on the council together.
Cromartie supported Benjamin for mayor.
Cromartie and Benjamin had dealings together involving Benjamins pay day loan business.
There are more links....do a bit of investigative reading.
I wonder who Cromartie had to feed to the Feds in order to get his slap on the wrist? He got one sweetheart deal from the feds and the year + 1 day sentence from the judge opened the door for him to serve almost no time. There is a shoe out there about to drop and I can imagine some folks are sweating.
I read legitimate news sources and nowhere has it been stated that he was out until the morning drinking. The only thing I've seen were reports that his drink of choice that night was water.
So Benji only drank water? Didn't stay out late? Hmmmmm......not according to witnesses. You may want to read the news story in this link.....VERY interesting.
I would not want to be Steve Benjamin. That's for sure. Just Columbia's luck.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hmmmmm......not according to witnesses. You may want to read the news story in this link.....VERY interesting. 
