Representatives from Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network told reporters they were planning a news conference to call for an apology.
Apology for what, you ask?
Well, apparently, County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, the bumbling bureaucrat from Oakland County, Michigan was recently quoted saying:
“I made a prediction a long time ago, and it’s come to pass. I said, ‘What we’re gonna do is turn Detroit into an Indian reservation, where we herd all the Indians into the city, build a fence around it, and then throw in the blankets and the corn.’”
Classy!
As a result of Patterson’s less-than-honorable remarks, the National Action Network is calling for an apology. What a joke!
I don’t get it. Do these folks really think they’ll accomplish something by forcing an unethical lawmaker to apologize? Why even waste the time putting together a press release?
For one, the guy is not going to apologize. And two, even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. It’s not as if Patterson’s apology would equate to a re-examination of his thoughts. The truth is, Patterson is just another politician who’s stupid enough to reveal his true thoughts.
After all, this isn’t the first time he’s spit this type of venom.
In fact, Patterson is probably most well-known for comparing Michigan’s House Speaker Jase Bolger to Adolf Hitler. He also (supposedly in jest), recommended that Robert Ficano, the Wayne County Executive, kill himself.
The bottom line is that Patterson is just another politician who enjoys his rhetoric with a side of racism. In this day and age, I find it mind-boggling that some folks still find this acceptable. But there’s no law against it. And if you don’t like what he has to say, take the appropriate measures to remove him from office. Don’t call for an apology. That’s just, for lack of a better word, stupid.
And just as a side note, it’s because of comments like the ones Patterson made that the Republicans continue to fall out of favor with the public. These guys really need to focus more on free markets and personal liberty, and less on vitriolic tirades.
