Echoes of Chief Justice Roger B. Taney

When I hear these Republicans, Libertarians, and Tea Party member call upon this nation to follow the US Constitution as it was originally framed and their belief in state's rights and the right of states to secede from the Union I hear again the words of then Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney who wrote in his majority opinion of the infamous Dred Scott case of 1857 the following: "It is difficult at this day to realize the state of public opinion in regard to that unfortunate race which prevailed in the civilized and enlightened portions of the world at the time of the Declaration of Independence, and when the Constitution of the United States was framed and adopted; but the public history of every European nation displays it in a manner too plain to be mistaken. They had for more than a century before been regarded as beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations, and so far unfit that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect."

In short, the GOP & the Far Right's call to follow the Constitution as it was originally written has nothing to do with expanding Liberty and everything to do with limiting the full enjoyment of Liberty to those with white skin. From their ill treatment of President Obama to their mistreatment of people of color across the board through voter suppression & policies which hurt the poor who are disproportionately people of color, the racist white supremacy mindset of Chief Justice Taney is the mental mantra of the Republican Party & the Far Right today. It is a mindset which believes as Taney did that people of color in these United States have no rights that white people are bound to respect.

If you want to understand why the Republican Party & the Far Right treats President Obama and people of color as they do, read again the last sentence of Chief Justice Taney's decision in Dred Scott. That sums it perfectly and if they deny this to be the case then merely point to their treatment of President Obama, the policies they promote, and the devastating effects these policies have had and continue to have on our citizens of color in these United States. It is as simple as that.