Rev Al just made a great point

[malaise]

He said that Georgia showed profound change electorally and now judicially and that if Georgia can change, so can other states.

Thank you Georgia Dems! :applause.

[spanone]

1. ...K&R...

[TheProle]

2. love the sentiment

[sheshe2]

3. K&R

[onecaliberal]

4. K&R

[RussBLib]

5. I feel a gush of gratitude for Georgia nt

[jmbar2]

6. His words immediately after the verdict were very comforting

He told Mr. Armery's parents that their son's life would be remembered in history. I think that must have been a great comfort to his family.

[hlthe2b]

7. I hope so, but it will take Forsyth County, GA making a BIG 180 change before I'm convinced

(represented by MTG, of course)....

The 'Racial Cleansing' That Drove 1,100 Black Residents Out Of Forsyth County, Ga.
https://www.npr.org/2016/09/15/494063372/the-racial-cleansing-that-drove-1-100-black-residents-out-of-forsyth-county-ga

The Sickening History of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Hometown
https://www.thedailybeast.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-came-of-age-in-this-infamously-racist-georgia-county

[malaise]

10. Great post - should be an OP

[Solly Mack]

13. I marched in 1987 in Forsyth County.

Scary and empowering.

I've written about it before here on DU. Car-load of white people, laughing and name-calling, tried to run me over as we were going back to the parking lot with the buses. This was after the 2nd march. A black man pushed me out of the way and got me to safety.

The town sheriff at the time, Wesley Walraven, told our small group to "get out before sunset" or "they" (the sheriff's department) couldn't protect us. This just before the car almost hitting me. The sheriff saw it. Did nothing.

[hlthe2b]

15. Sadly, I have no difficulty believing every word.

I know GA and GA politics too well, having lived there on several occasions before returning to Colorado. Six months before I left, two things happened that spurred my departure. First, I accidentally became trapped within a KKK march/rally in Woodstock, GA, just north of Atlanta which I found both disgusting and terrifying (though I am a white female). Of course, these assholes tried to ingratiate themselves with me as I was trapped in my car within their crowd and I was NOT having it.

The second is literally bumping into Newt Gingrich at the Atlanta airport as he returned after being replaced as Speaker and I was moving through to my gate to leave. I apparently had a subconscious smirk on my face and he called me out-- asking about it, got all defensive. I really really wanted to tell him what I thought, but I just said I was leaving on a plane and was very happy to do so (and that I was even happier to see him returning to GA for good). Oh, boy that pissed him off.

Now, I'm all for Georgia's progress. I'm hopeful. I made phone calls for Warnock and Ossoff in January 2021 and will do so again. I adore Stacey Abrams and all she's accomplished. But, I'm a realist. Until Forsyth County is cleaned out of its most devout racists, Georgia is always going to be at risk and readily exploited.

I know Al Sharpton is fully aware of that history... Perhaps he's just taking time to be positive for the moment. That I can understand.

[electric_blue68]

22. Oh my goodness. That's crazeee! Thank goodness you...

managed to drive outta there!


As for Newt...



EEWWWWWWWW! Blargh! 🤬🤬🤬

I'm so sorry for you. 😮🤪

[Solly Mack]

28. I was born and raised in Georgia.

I'm well aware of its history and its politics, too.

[hlthe2b]

32. I believe your March in 1987 was the same year that Oprah Winfrey broadcast a show from there

I remember that much more than I should, after all that time. It was shocking to the audience and to Oprah.

[Solly Mack]

33. Yes. She did a show with the residents.

I didn't watch. OW caught some flack over excluding black people from the show.

[wnylib]

40. Eew. Getting that close to the newt scum,

I'd want a shower immediately afterward.

[electric_blue68]

21. Scary! Brave!

[Solly Mack]

29. I didn't feel brave. It was something I had to do is all.

[brer cat]

16. MTG grew up there, but Forsyth County is not in the district she represents.

She is awful and so are most citizens there, but facts are facts.

[hlthe2b]

18. She grew up there, graduated Forsyth County High School Facts are facts.

even is it is not in her district, she is representative of that hell hole.

[brer cat]

19. I don't disagree, but just clarifying that she doesn't represent them in Congress.

[Ilsa]

23. MTG doesn't represent any part of Forsyth County.

She reps the district further north and west, district 14. Forsyth County is dictricts 07 and 09.

https://www.congress.gov/member/district/marjorie-greene/G000596

The southern part of Forsyth Co is rep'ed by Carolyn Bordeaux (D).

[hlthe2b]

24. As I clarified she grew up in & attended Forsyth CO High School and is REPRESENTATIVE of those

assholes and that hell hole. Even if that county isn't in her district, she is REPRESENTATIVE of all the hate manifested there. That environment nurtured the hate within and she now tries hard to spread it further.

[Ilsa]

25. Forsyth County has almost tripled in size, with many

"yuppies" and Asians (especially from India) having moved in. There was even a BLM rally/protest in 2019, well received. It still leans R because many new residents haven't become citizens yet. But in the next couple of decades, I think FC will vote more like North Fulton County, but it will take time.

[hlthe2b]

26. White Yuppies. The forced removal of AA remains with only 2.6 % of the county black

The racial makeup of the county was 85.4% white, 6.2% Asian, 2.6% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 3.8% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 9.4% of the population. (Georgia, btw is 32% black/AA and Fulton County is 42.5% black/AA)


NOTHING has been done to make up for the horrific past. NOTHING. Read Solly Mack's account upstream.

#RyanYoung #CNN #HistoryRefocused
Georgia county's expulsion of Black population still felt today
76,748 views
May 30, 2021

Whitewashed: The racial cleansing of Forsyth County
In 1912, Forsyth County forced its Black residents out and stayed nearly all-white for 75 years. Soon, a marker will memorialize the lynching that started it all.

Author: Brendan Keefe, Lindsey Basye
Published: 7:57 PM EDT August 24, 2020
Updated: 3:54 PM EST January 14, 2021
Whitewashed: The racial cleansing of Forsyth County
In 1912, Forsyth County forced its Black residents out and stayed nearly all-white for 75 years. Soon, a marker will memorialize the lynching that started it all.

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/investigations/the-reveal/forsyth-county-lynching-memorial-to-go-up/85-e9e16326-36d5-4c3b-abfd-e76f9b0a793a

[Ilsa]

34. Your data is slightly stale.

Non-Hispanic whites make up about 70% now, with about 15% Asian, 10% Hispanic, but only 4% Black. The high cost of housing has undoubtedly affected demographics, and the population tends to be well-educated professionals now vs agricultural in the past. Alpharetta and Milton have a higher percentage of Blacks at 12%, but that is still significantly lower than the rest of the state. The point is that the demographics are changing: 85% to 70% in 9 years.

I know Solly's story. But it was thirty-five years ago when the area was primarily agricultural. The old guard dies or moves on. The old guard would have harassed the BLM protest, maybe even shot at them. Not so any more. The worst of them probably moved NW or NE. I have not seen any demonstrations of hatefulness or racial bias since moving here about 6 years ago, but I've been to other places in north Georgia and the Florida panhandle which are worse, and include anti-semitism. In fact, the county erected a plaque describing the racism in the town square a year or two ago so it wouldn't be swept under the rug.

[hlthe2b]

35. You say Forsyth is becoming more and more like Fulton. That is nuts. Even with 4% AA, Fulton has 40%

and as much as you may wish it so, its residents have NOT faced up to its past. A plaque is hardly indicative and I posted videos you apparently did not watch that acknowledge that--not from decades ago but from 2020 and 2021 updates. That is really insulting to families of black people who faced generations of terrorism.

Just because (largely wealthy) white people are moving in by the droves due to its proximity to Atlanta will not make it so unless it does face up to its past. I dealt with that in Cobb and Cherokee Counties that have their own dark histories. Just because yuppies move in does NOT change things, though we see some movement in Georgia in general.

Look, Colorado has had to recognize its own racist past--not only with Sand Creek and the horrific history of Native American massacres, but with past KKK membership and racists among former Governors and Mayors. Denver and other areas have been undergoing a reckoning, with the membership of the KKK from many decades ago being recently published--much to the dismay of living ancestors. Monuments have been removed and names of prominent locales changed. Hell, our last airport, Stapleton International was named after the former racist Mayor Stapleton of Denver--no more. I've worked on committees that have effected such change--as well as the issue of renaming high school athletic teams and mascots in collaboration with recommendations made by local tribes. It is sometimes painful, but you don't move forward without examining and fully admitting the misdeeds of the past.

I can appreciate feeling defensive if you are a resident of Forsyth County. I was shocked and horrified by much that I learned about my state and my city's past in the last century and decades. If so, I'm sure you will work toward progress in Forsyth County as I have tried to do in Colorado. But, don't assume you are there. The facts are that that county has a very long way to go and only when AA feel comfortable returning in large numbers, which they have clearly NOT done, will things really have changed IMO.

[Ilsa]

48. Specifically, what do you want Forsyth County to do?

About 150,000 people are here that weren't here before in 1986. Almost all high schools are designated as a compass location, one was named for a woman doctor who served rural areas, and team names are typically animals, not tribes or names of generals. The only statue I've seen was of a general from the War of 1812. Everyone here knows what happened in the early 20th century and in the mid 1980s. It's acknowledged. As for shit like confederate flags, I saw almost as many in south Texas.

Living here is expensive. Homes are expensive, as is rent. But the schools are very good, which is why the county is growing so fast. How do you propose getting more minorities to move further north? How do you make that happen?

The researcher said some families were compensated for land, others weren't. If the stolen property could be identified, then maybe the county could compensate those families. What else?

[hlthe2b]

49. I should think it would be what you would be demanding & working towards in your county

and community-- with other like-minded individuals.

[spike jones]

36. Many counties in northern Georgia have low AA population compared to the overall state.

That is because historically it has been too dangerous for them to live there.

[NJCher]

43. Sickening is right

I don’t ever recall reading about such hatred as this.

Explains MTG real well.

[LakeArenal]

8. Stacey Abrams. Wooo

[Blue Owl]

37. Yes! One of our best and brightest stars...

If we had a Stacy in every state, the GOP would be six feet under….

[Bev54]

9. Can we put the prosecutor of the McMichael's trial on the prosecution team

for Georgia voter fraud trial against Trump and company.

[malaise]

11. Great idea

[Pinback]

14. Georgia has a lot of potential for profound change.

There are also a LOT of backward numbskulls here. We have to work our asses off to move things forward the tiniest bit.

This case should never have been in doubt, but I am deeply relieved that the jury decided correctly. I hope to live long enough to see the day when a crime like this is unthinkable (and when an attorney would never dream of trying to dehumanize a dead victim whose "long dirty toenails" should make him unworthy of empathy).

Most of all, what I feel is a heavy sadness that this young man's life was cut short. How many more will be taken?

All we can do is take a deep breath and move forward with the determination to keep fighting for a more just world.

[bucolic_frolic]

17. A little bit of sanity is beginning to bubble up through the brew

It's not just Georgia. Think of NH this week, after Joe's visit, and what the GOP Sununu Governor said. Hope the fever could be wavering.

[Marthe48]

20. We are all capable of change

Some people don't see a need, others don't want to.

[Joinfortmill]

27. Amen

[LymphocyteLover]

30. I was thinking this too-- I feel like Georgia is more progressive than Wisconsin now

from demographic changes

[malaise]

39. That's amazing if true

[FakeNoose]

31. I believe there's hope for Pennsylvania also

Maybe we didn't get QUITE as bad as Georgia, but we've been heading in that direction.

Let's keep our Governor, our Sec. of State and our Senators in the D column, and eventually the rest will work out. The State Legislature will take a long time to turn around. We have a lot of solid red counties but they're mostly low population density.

We need every Democrat on board, Let's Get Out The Vote!

[bigtree]

38. large black voting population increase in last couple of years, somewhat unique to Ga. in many ways

"In 2019, the Black voting population in Georgia reached a record high of 2.5 million eligible voters, making up a third of the state’s total electorate. As a share of eligible voters in the state overall, Black voters saw a 5 percentage point increase between 2000 and 2019. This was the highest growth rate of any racial or ethnic group in Georgia – and also the largest percentage point increase among Black voters in any state in the country. "

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/12/15/black-eligible-voters-have-accounted-for-nearly-half-of-georgia-electorates-growth-since-2000/

[malaise]

41. That explains the voting but remember now

this was an almost entirely white jury in what was once a very racist state.

[Demovictory9]

42. yes. thank you for this

[Skittles]

44. there are more of US than there are of THEM

THEY ARE OUTNUMBERED which is their preferred party has to gerrymander and suppress the vote in order to "win"

[greymattermom]

45. The reason for this is metro Atlanta.

60 percent of the state's population, including me, live in ATL metro area. We have huge immigrant areas. My daughter teaches in a wealthy ATL suburb that is 25% Asian.

[Upthevibe]

46. malaise...

I hadn't heard that.

Thank you for your post....

[Martin68]

47. Sharpton has matured and gained wisdom through the years.