Mississippi has a pretty bad reputation for some good old fashioned racism. In my experience though, the racism here is not much worse than the racism in California, except in California it's "okay" to hate Mexicans. Also in my experience, the racists I've met are straight up country, and nobody takes a redneck seriously. I try and try and try to get people to open their minds a little about Mississippi, then I do a little research and realize Mississippi is it's own worst enemy.
Today, you will hear my wrath against the Ross Barnett Reservoir. (Holy cow. The 90's called. They want their website back.) It's a major family and fishing destination. It's BEAUTIFUL. And it's named after a big ol' racist. I'm not talking a maybe racist, someone who might've said the wrong thing at the wrong time, or someone that crossed the Reverend Al Sharpton at some point or another.
I'm talking Ross Barnett, governor from 1960-1964, Mississippi's darkest hour. Member of the KKK, a lawyer for various white supremacist groups, staunch segregationist. He once said that "the Negro is different because God made him different to punish him."
If that doesn't just hit you in the gut, the guy spent $300K to put gold plated faucet handles in all of the Governor's mansion's bathrooms. Three hundred large in the 1960s would be roughly 2 million bucks today.
This a-hole doesn't deserve an outdoor toilet named after him, let alone an entire reservoir. Can we get to changing that name, please? The Stacey Spiehler Reservoir has a darn nice ring to it.
3 months ago
3 comments:
If you want to get started on the misnomers around here, among our landmarks, look at the James O. Eastland courthouse. And that's just one. They're everywhere.
The 90's called. They want their website back.
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I recall correctly, it's named after him because he was the one who pushed it through.
Of course, he did build it by flooding the black farming community around Fannin.
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