The Hollings Society, because we need more men like Fritz Hollings in government (Charleston: to live, association)

[Vaccinated Masker]

I think the white flight theory originated with urban centric people who don't like the suburbs, rural areas, and Republican voters for reasons unrelated to race like tax policy. They want everybody crammed into the city so all of the tax revenue is concentrated and directed at the downtown area and mass transportation.

There are a lot of poor people living in urban areas who would move to the suburbs if they had more money.

There are urban centric people with your views who complain about Greenville being too conservative. I point out to them that the west side of the metro is majority Democrat with more racial diversity but they don't want to live over there.

Recently the city of Greenville got into some hot water. They posted a quote of the mayor talking about his experience during integration at Greenville High in 1970. The mayor made the seemingly benign comment "A good number of my friends just disappeared. They were sent to another school." https://www.wyff4.com/article/city-g...month/39180566

Apparently there was a backlash. The city communications director put out this statement: "While well-intentioned, it was a poor decision. As Communications Director the error is mine. I take full responsibility for not recognizing how insensitive it is to tell a story about a painful chapter in lives of African Americans, through the eyes of a White person. The post was deleted because it was in poor taste and does not represent the Greenville I know and love."

It is difficult to understand why it is okay to lionize a former segregationist Fritz Hollings but not ok for a white person who wasn't racist to share his experience in school.

The Communicators Director is basically saying Abraham Lincoln could not talk about slavery.

[Charlestondata]

I had the exact same experience as the mayor. I thought about that when I read about it.

It’s the story I tell when the subject of school integration comes up. My dad called the principal and school superintendent during the boycott and told them my brothers and I were going back to school the next day regardless of what everyone else did.

So I was the first white child to return to my class, which had only two black students, as each class did, to slowly start getting white and black students used to being in the same classes. That sounds horrible, but that’s the way it was. No need to sugarcoat it.

I was scared. It felt strange. I was 10. Our dentist and doctor still had separate waiting rooms, the dentist with a “colored entrance” sign and a “whites only” water fountain. In towns where the ratio would have been majority Black, virtually no white students returned, but instead attended private schools.

Fritz Hollings’s political career straddled the before and after. South Carolina’s transition was relatively calm compared to some other states. Hollings led the state through some tense times, and went on to serve all of his constituents equally as South Carolinians. Former segregationist is right.

[Vaccinated Masker]

He didn't represent people who didn't vote for him. It is silly to say he represented all of the people. If you represent everybody, you represent nobody. People have conflicting interests.

There's no reason to say he had anything to do with acceptance of integration. The only credit you can give for that is to the residents of the state. Citizens aren't puppets on a string.

You are trying to turn a segregationist into a civil rights hero. This is an example of tribalism.

[Charlestondata]

Those words are an example of stretching it. Once elected, a rep doesn’t represent everyone’s views all the time, some hardly ever, but as far as congressional representation is concerned, it is their job to represent their constituents through their public servitude. What Lindsay Graham says usually does not represent my viewpoint, but he represents me when it’s time to do his job as a public servant for this state’s wellbeing to the best of his ability based on his viewpoints.

[Vaccinated Masker]

What politician doesn't serve 'the people' in that generic sense? Why is that a case for Fritz Hollings?

Would you support Fritz Hollings over Jaime Harrison who challenged Graham last time?

My theory is the reason there has been a lot of puff pieces about Hollings is some people with your views think his segregationist past makes him attractive to Republican voters in the state. It is probably a modern southern strategy.

[Vaccinated Masker]

It appears Mr. Hollings voted in 1991 to confirm Clarence Thomas as the second black justice of the Supreme Court.

Thomas was only confirmed by 52-48 margin due to Democratic opposition led by Joe Biden. Clarence Thomas described their efforts as a 'high tech lynching'. It was bad optics given the party's history.

This is the best example that Mr. Hollings changed and wasn't a tribalist but none of you mentioned it. I see him in a better light now but I think he probably voted for Thomas to remain a viable candidate in a state that had shifted to the GOP. In other words, it was the voters forcing him to change, not Mr. Hollings leading the voters.

It is hard to imagine the people touting Mr. Hollings on here supporting him in a primary based on his Clarence Thomas vote alone. In my view, Clarence Thomas is the greatest conservative justice in American history, and world history.

[Charlestondata]

I’m going to agree to disagree and leave it at that, except that my husband and I certainly aren’t married because of Clarence Thomas, for sure.

[Vaccinated Masker]

I don't think Fritz Hollings was a gay marriage advocate if the Clintons, Obama and Biden were not. All of them flipped on the issue. At the time of Hollings retirement, gay marriage was losing on referendum in blue and red states across the country. The was no societal pressure on Hollings to be pro gay marriage.

If gay marriage is your biggest issue, it seems like you would be touting somebody like Pete Buttigieg rather than a former segregationist who retired in 2004 and is no longer with us. Your approach to progressivism is hard to follow.

I suspect if Mayor Pete and Fritz Hollings were opponents in a primary, you would be making the kind of arguments that I'm making about Mr. Hollings. We know Kamala would bring up Hollings' segregation past given what she said to Mr. Biden in the primary debates. I was sincerely shocked that didn't end his campaign and he went on to win the nom. The strategy made sense. That was probably the most awkward debate in American history. A former segregationist like Hollings in a primary debate in the woke era of 2022 would be something to watch.

[Charlestondata]

You are trying to make a logical argument with two completely different eras as your basis. That makes no sense.

Since I wouldn’t and couldn’t be married to the person of my choice if not for justices’ views that are different from Clarence Thomas’s, until I’m sure same-sex marriage won’t be undone by a right-wing GOP wave and legislation, yes, same-sex marriage is my biggest issue.

I voted for Buttigieg in the primarily, and not only on that issue. And there’s no doubt in my mind that Fritz Hollings would now be for marriage equality. And on that issue - go, Biden!

[Vaccinated Masker]

I agree with you that Fritz would probably be for gay marriage now that it has been decided by the courts, popular opinion has shifted on it and it is the current position of his party. This doesn't make him special which is the main thesis of your topic. You said that we need men like him in government but I don't see the necessity.

We already have people with your views in government who don't have his segregation baggage. Keep in mind that Mr. Hollings made offensive comments past the 1960s. For example, he used a derogatory name for Mexican nationals living in the US in the 1980s. This was cited in a New York Times piece about him when he retired.

A lot of people would question why you want to go to the mat for a former segregationist if you have clean cut people like Mayor Pete on your team who reflects your values. I would rather have a person like Mayor Pete be the face of our state than a former segregationist like Mr. Hollings. This isn't a partisan point. It is surprising you feel comfortable touting Mr. Hollings and Mr. Thurmond in 2022.

I get The Citadel's angle on touting Mr. Hollings. He was a graduate of the college. If there are a lot of politicians and media figures promoting one of their graduates as a Great Man, they are going to run with it.