Ronald Reagan States' Rights Speech in Philadelphia, MS

Just after the 1980 GOP convention, Ronald Reagan visited Philadelphia, MS, where sixteen years earlier, three civil rights activists were murdered. Reagan explained his support for states' rights, a rallying cry for racists opposed to civil rights laws.

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[ctwriter]

There is not a chance in hell that he was NOT appealing to Southern racists by going to Philadelphia, MS, and using the battle cry of "states' rights" a mere 16 years after the notorious tragedy. Why else would he go to such a remote place and use those specific words? There are thousands and thousands of cities and towns across 50 states to choose from. Why Philadelphia, MS? Why states' rights? To say anything else is to rewrite history.

[fessway]

David Brooks thinks it's a "slur" to believe that Reagan kicked off his campaign with an appeal to racism. I think this speech, and its location, speaks for itself.

[Trittydi]

And they say it's not about race.

[mrboffo1]

Sounds more like that laughter is coming from hell...Ronald Reagan is in hell now with Hitler, Richard Nixon and Red Auerbach.

[HelloFlorida100]

We shouldn't be surprised that a man so senile would so insensitively endorse "States Rights" in a place like in Philadelphia, Mississippi less than a generation after those brutal murders. But that was typical Reagan, so out of touch with reality; he played the role of President as if it were a part for a film and self-aggrandized himself while pretending to be doing America a great service. What makes conservatives' heads explode is the truth about the man Reagan REALLY was.

[amberwhite122589]

Hey, you qualify for an Alheimer's Commercial!!! Good job LIBERAT!

[perdondaris]

Reagan was a slick politician. Bill Clinton had nothing on Ronny for lying and cheating. Just look at the rap sheet of his administration. I remember Reagan saying the deficit is "big enough to take care of itself" and Reagan breaking the law and getting away with it (Iran Contra).I remember his "small government" BS--all the while trying to ban pornography and ramping up the war on drugs and bailing out the S&Ls.

[toddsmitts]

For the record, I don't think Reagan was a racist in the way that James Eastland or Strom Thurmond were racists, but he was clearly more interested in courting those who were than African-Americans. He initially authorized the Treasury and Justice depts to ask the Bob Jones v. US case be dropped, he opposed sanctions against South Africa until congress passed it with a veto-proof majority, and called the Voting Right act of 1964 "humiliating to the south". It's clear whose favor he was seeking

[s99bf0c8]

I'm a liberal, I'm also a catholic. I am not evil. I do not have a mental disorder. I don't understand what you mean

[daveroadie2004]

....... Jim David Adkisson was found to have the book Liberalism is a Mental Disorder by

 retard Michael Savage , after he shot 8 people killing 3 of them in a Knoxville Tenn. Unitarian church while

25 schoolchildren put on a production of " Annie " ..... the sun will come out tomorrow , bet your bottom dollar .... conservatives suck . GOOGLE it .