And you thought that whole "Nearly fifty percent of Southern voters think Obama is a secret Muslim" thing was cray. This, my friends, is cray. Polls from Public Policy Polling have revealed that twenty-nine percent of likely GOP voters in Mississippi think that interracial marriage should be illegal. Twenty-one percent of likely GOP voters in Alabama joined them.
Um. Holy shit. Now, of course, fifty-four percent of likely GOP voters in Mississippi said that mixed-race marriage should remain legal, which is encouraging, but really? Slightly over half of the GOP base in Mississippi are out of the Jim Crow era? That's the best they can do? I mean, they're GOP voters, and it is the deep South, so I'm not that surprised, but really? Slightly over half?
The rest of the voters identified as "not sure," which…uh, quick math moment… 54 + 29 is 83, so seventeen percent of voters aren't sure? I'm not sure whether I want tacos or a burrito from the food truck outside Hooksexup right now. That's something to be unsure about. But I'm pretty sure you should be able to draw the line on where you stand on interracial marriage.
You know, sometimes I just feel bad for the South. It's hot down there, and people don't move very fast, so sometimes I get my East-Coast-Liberal-Internet-Type Patronizing Glasses on and imagine that whole swampy region as a big ol' herpetarium filled with diabeetus and red Solo cups. But then something like this comes along.
Let's all be clear about one thing: one-hundred percent of people should be in favor of (or at the very least have no problem with) interracial marriage. Fact. If not, you are a racist. And racists — again, so we're all clear — are dickheads. There are certain views I'll defend anyone's right to hold — bless their misguided little hearts — but this is not one of them.
I mean, just this morning I was defending the South against people like Mitt Romney, who swoop in talkin' 'bout grits and droppin' their "g"'s as if them poor crackers down South are that easily swayed into votin' for 'em and such, but now, I'm not so sure. Mississippi, Alabama — you deserve all the pandering you get.