Dear Source:
What? More racist speech on the Constitutional Convention floor by former Senator Bryan? We should not be surprised but appalled by an elected delegate who should be making decisions for all races that elected him. I applaud those who had the courage to walk out of the session, including the reporter who bravely took whatever hatred spewed out of Bryan's mouth. I don't believe moving the final constitutional date back to March 2009 will add much involvement/education/value to the public but will just give more time to uncontrolled racist/non-inclusive tirades on the delegate floor.
However, this behavior does seem to be a pattern among our elected officials. Looking back a year ago we currently have sitting senators who use the senate floor to diatribe the same rhetoric and worse against those of a certain ethic background. Forever documented in the senate record and on UTUBE for the entire world to view, Senator's Russell and Serville are now infamous for their racial comments, and not in a good way.
Senator Serville during AG Frazer's confirmation process for his comment on 'KKK cronies' and also stating 'we' (whomever that is) did not think he was 'worth $85,000' in salary, dismissing how the senator's got their $20,000 increase in the first place. Voting in the eleventh hour for additional benefits and landmark raises after they were elected to serve the very people they didn't listen to cannot be justified or defended no matter how you look at it. All we asked was that you waited until the 27th legislature to consider the increases in wages and in benefits so that a full debate could be heard and the very people who put you into office could be heard before voting on the issue.
Senator Russell during another confirmation hearing for Licensing and Consumer Affairs stating STX residents should 'support leadership like Senator Serville' instead of 'the KKK' is simply fascist and manipulative verbiage that should not be included during a senate session. Further stating the licensing agency should 'control' what is said on the 'airwaves' and not allow 'people to say whatever they want', diminishing our First Amendment rights as US citizens. This coming from a lawyer who also says what he wants on his one sided, politically based, Saturday radio show.
That said, we also need to remember how the racially based comments were dealt with on the senate floor by the senator's that were present during the confirmation hearings. Should they have sanctioned Russell and Serville? Should they have had the courage to walk out of the sessions? Should they have spoken comments contrary to the racist remarks for the record on that very day they heard them? How about after the sessions? Where was the outcry from the legislature? And just who is the senator holding the legislation to reverse/amend ACT 6905? Something to think about when November 8th rolls around when we hear 'how hard we are working for you, look what we've done for you and we are listening to you' out of our senator's mouth's when pandering for votes. Talk is cheap. We need elected officials who lead and demonstrate by their actions on a daily basis and who are working for all races of our community, not just a month prior to an election for their own greed and self serving agenda.
Jill Lange
Christiansted
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