Rand Paul Stalls Anti-Lynching Bill Despite Pleas From Black Lawmakers to Help Heal Racial Tensions

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Newsweek


BY RAMSEY TOUCHBERRY ON 6/4/20 AT 6:04 PM EDT

The Senate failed to approve historic anti-lynching legislation Thursday, as protests over the death of George Floyd moved into their ninth day and his family held a memorial service for him in Minneapolis.

The irony was not lost on legislators.

"Let us pass this piece of legislation today, of all days. Let's give a headline tomorrow or something that will give hope to this country that we can get it right," Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) pleaded to one of his GOP colleagues on the floor. "It may not cure the ills that so many are protesting about, but, God, it can be a sign of hope."

However, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) declined the appeals from some of his black colleagues to put aside what they called his "absurd" concerns with a House-passed bill that would designate lynching as a federal hate crime.

Rather than allow the legislation that is spearheaded by the chamber's three black members—Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.)—to pass unanimously, Paul has blocked the Emmet Till Antilynching Act by trying to force an amendment to quell his apprehensions.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/rand-paul-stalls-anti-lynching-bill-despite-pleas-black-lawmakers-help-heal-racial-tensions-1508829?piano_t=1

[PatSeg]

1. What on earth is wrong with that man?

What does he accomplish with this kind of crap other than a lot of negative publicity?

[still_one]

7. Just like his racist father who believed that fighting a Civil War over slavery was ridiculous

[PatSeg]

9. Such a strange family

It feels like Rand Paul time traveled from the 1950s or earlier. It is like he has no idea what has happened in the world in recent decades. Another republican Bubble Boy.

[heckles65]

26. The question keeps coming back to me-

why did this guy even want elective office? Why would he want to be part of the State, the Looter State? Didn't he want to be the next John Galt, the next Howard Roark?

[lagomorph777]

28. My question is:

"Why didn't his neighbor finish the job he started?"

[PatSeg]

31. That's an excellent point

Perhaps he, like so many republican politicians, has daddy issues and needed to outdo his father in some way.

[Jopin Klobe]

2. "... an amendment to quell his (Paul's) apprehensions ..." ...

... I'd like to quell his apprehensions ...

[donkeypoofed]

3. His "apprehensions" my ass; his racism is the problem!!

[paleotn]

4. Too bad his neighbor....

didn't finish the job.

[lagomorph777]

29. jinx!

I posted almost the same thing before I saw your post.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. For all those folks whom

thought Paul was the answer,well,you are seeing the true Rand Paul,a Racist POS. As long as he can milk something in order get a piece of Press coverage,he will keep on peddling his fake bullcrap.

[dem4decades]

6. Tim Scott should flip to being a Democrat. Or look in the mirror.

[CincyDem]

8. I don't understand how he can look himself in the mirror as a Republican. n/t

[dem4decades]

15. True. He must see someone else.

[Grokenstein]

21. Obligatory.

[Grokenstein]

10. Paul's remarks in the article are HILARIOUS/INFURIATING.

"I think most of us, if two people were shoving each other in a bar—one is white, one is black—we don't want someone to go to prison for 10 years when someone falls over and has an abrasion," Paul said. He later said on the floor that the legislation would "cheapen the meaning of lynching," frustrating Booker and Harris.

Bet you thought differently when your neighbor cleaned your clock. You know what "cheapens the meaning" of lynching? Every time one of your Republican buddies cries for the cameras that they're being "lynched" after receiving mild criticism. Where are you then, creep? Standing behind them with a comforting hand on their shoulder, that's where.

"I understand the emotions. You think I take great joy in being here?" Paul said. "You think I'm getting any good publicity out of this? No. I will be excoriated by simple-minded people on the internet who think somehow I don't like Emmett Till or appreciate the history of Emmett Till."

Poor widdle baby snowflake speck of dog shit, us dum-dummies think he's the R-word just because he's the R-word! (He won't even say the R-word, that's how not R-word he wants you to believe he is!)

[SergeStorms]

16. "I will be excoriated by simple-minded people"...

No, Mr. Paul, you'll be excoriated by people who know the difference between right and wrong. You'll be excoriated by people who are not racists, and who believe the deck has been stacked against minorities for far too long. THAT'S WHY you'll be excoriated, Mr. Paul. Oh, and you'll be excoriated because you're a stupid shit who's still living in the 1950s, Mr. Paul.

[riversedge]

11. Kentucky needs TWO new senators

[lagomorph777]

30. +1 The USA needs KY to have two new Senators.

[dhill926]

12. paging his neighbor....

[Javaman]

13. he's on a mission to be the biggest

asshole in our government.

I would say he's on the right track. LOL

[Scruffy1]

14. We should hold an asshole election.

Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul who's the biggest asshole of them all?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

25. Moscow Mitch gets my vote

[llmart]

17. Rand Paul looks like he just rolled out of a gutter.

What is it with voters in Kentucky?

[Stuart G]

18. Rand Paul was re-elected in 2016. That is why he made the motion. It wasn't his idea, it was

someone else's idea. Paul doesn't have to worry about getting elected till 2022. Thank about that one for awhile. Maybe it was his idea. I don't know. His arrogance is because he was reelected in 2016, and he knows most will forget what he says and does by 2022.

(I was wrong about 2018, he was elected in 2016..His reelection will be in 2022. Not 2024..my mistake. Still 2022 is a long ways away...I am sorry I made that mistake.)

[crickets]

19. According to Kamala Harris' remarks in Senate chambers today, this bill had already passed.

Link to tweet

@SenKamalaHarris on Anti-Lynching Bill Amendment: "Senator Paul is now trying to weaken a bill that was already passed. There's no reason for this...there is no reason other than cruel and deliberate obstruction on a day of mourning."

Rand Paul's behavior is abhorrent.

[Traildogbob]

20. So

His neighbor can get away with it.

[Greybnk48]

22. Can we pay his neighbor to beat the piss out of him again?

Go fund me or something?

[Raster]

24. I used to wonder just what it took to...

...get your ass kicked over shrubbery and lawn clippings. Now I know.

#FuckYouRandPaul

[Brainfodder]

23. Just more proof Republicans in congress..... what's the word? SUCK!

Led by chubby chipmunk spawn after it mated with a reluctant turtle, Moscow Mitch?

[COLGATE4]

27. He has my vote for Asshole of the Year.

[Bayard]

32. We need another Amy McGrath waiting in the wings

Amy is going to stomp McConnell in Nov. We are sick and tired of the embarrassment and horror.

Somehow I got on Paul's email list, I think because I've sent so many shape-your-shit-up emails. If they weren't so pathetically untrue, they'd be funny.