Why I'm Glad I'm Not A Democrat
In the Democratic Party in East Tennessee, they are determined to be so united that you aren't allowed to have Republican friends:A shouting match broke out at the Knox County Democratic Convention Tuesday night, and it all centered on a teenager.
The controversy came to a head on election night when 19-year-old Caroline Hindman stopped by the Republican celebration at the Crowne Plaza with her mother to congratulate family friend Fred Sisk on his win for county trustee.
A week later, Hindman says she received an e-mail from Knox County Democratic Party Chair Sylvia Woods asking her to resign or face impeachment.
It may shock readers to learn that I have many friends who are Democrats. I even felt honored to be able to shake the hand of former Lt. Governor John Wilder the day before he announced his retirement to the State Senate. He was exiting Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey's office, where I presume he was informing Ramsey of his decision and asking for floor time to announce that he would not seek re-election.
I count Sharon Cobb as a personal friend, and it is a known fact that most of the elected officials in my family bloodline were Democrats. My Granddaddy was a party-switcher. My Great uncle was an elected Democratic County Tax Assessor in West Virginia.
Yet no one-least of all the Democrats who know me-has ever questioned my loyalty to the Republican Party. Using the kind of logic employed by the so-called Knox County Democratic Chairman, the Jefferson County GOP needs to put me through the ringer and completely discount me because I have been known from time to time to socialize with members of the party opposite.
Isn't it great to be a Republican? Freedom sure is wonderful.
Labels: Democrats, Local politics, Presidential Election, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 3:34 PM
5 Comments:
David,
Having Republican friends (old family friends or others) is not the issue here. Even stopping by an congratulating one that won is not the issue.
Sher spent time there. She was seen on TV (face in the background) partying and having a good time. She has also been neglectful of her duties as member of one the KCDP's governing bodies. Theree's more here than just being bipartisian in who your friends are.
SteveMule
Steve;
Do you realize how incredibly stupid you sound here?
She was seen on TV? I'm sure she invited the cameras from Channel 10 to focus right on her that she might incur the wrath of the pseudo-Marxists, and/or fascists, and/or maniacal freaks who are apparently in charge of the Knox County Democratic Party. And people wonder why Democrats can't gain a foothold in East Tennessee! It is because of attitudes and actions like this. As long as this kind of public conduct remains the norm among East Tennessee Democrats, they will never be able to be a serious political threat here.
As for the notion that she has failed in her duties to the Democratic Party in Knox County-it is more than a bit suspicious that the Chairman of the Knox Dems uses the occasion of congratulating Fred Sisk to threaten to "impeach" the poor girl. This young lady is obviously an ideological Democrat-why would you want to throw someone out who is young and interested? I suppose the Knox Dems are content to cede the County to the GOP in perpetuity.
If attending a GOP party is a crime (apparently it is) half the active Democrats in Knox County need to be "impeached." There are usually no small number of them to be found secretly at the Crowne on an Election Night in Knoxville.
She congratulated Fred Sisk and was having a good time-having fun...oh, the political horror!
I'm a loyal democrat, but when Dave wins his election, I hope to come there and help him celebrate, and I suspect I might be the only dem in the room like I was when Ed Bryant invited me to his party on election eve. I don't know if camera crews caught me on tv or not, but having one's loyalty to his or her party questioned because you can socialize with members of the other party is not a sign of weakness or disloyalty. If anything, it's a sign of being secure with your own beliefs, so much so, that being with someone who believes the opposite isn't a threat.
I have to agree with Dave on this one. What happened to her is ridiculous.
And I'll be the hippie chick with a peace sign tattoo at Dave's, and damn proud to be there!
David,
I didn't say I agreed with the impeachment. I simply said she was seen and that there were questions about possibile negligence concerning the conduct of her duties; there was more than JUST being there and seen on TV, altho there was that. I'm not in Knoxville anymore so I can't, and won't comment on the validity of those charges.
I was commenting on the "glad I'm not a Democrat because ... " thing. My only two points were that there was more than just being at a party and it would seem from Brian's Blog:
http://brianhornback.blogspot.com/2008/08/tom-jensen-youre-out.html#links
that this kind of thing happens on both sides.
I should have been clearer.
Oops, oh well.
Oh, I would have thought you were past the whole " ... pseudo-Marxists, and/or fascists, and/or maniacal freaks ... " childish name calling. Oh well.
SteveMule
Steve;
I think the Democrats in Knox County have proven themselves to be " ... pseudo-Marxists, and/or fascists, and/or maniacal freaks ... "
I was just stating what has just been proven to be obvious-it is really a shame.
Sharon;
Thank you for your kind words. You are always welcome, of course, at any celebration of mine.
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