"This is Alabama. We Speak...

[GirlAfire]

...http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/apr/29/tim-james/alabamas-tim-james-says-government-report-backs-hi/">English

I thought I had imagined things when I saw this ad running on TV. I thought that, somehow, I was mistaking what the speaker was saying. But, apparently, I was not dreaming.
Perhaps it is because I'm a bit young, but I have never seen such ugliness in a political ad here in AL.

[Syrinx]

1. bigotry is the fuel that feeds the Republican party

From coast to coast. Thank God for Arizona and South Carolina, since they prove that Alabama isn't the worst of the bunch anymore.

But Tim James is pretty bad. What qualifications does Tim James have to be governor? He's never been elected to any political office at all, that I'm aware of. He's the son of one of the worst governors in Alabama history, "Fob" James. Way worse, in my opinion, than even George Wallace. Fob James once mocked the very idea of evolution by imitating, a little too accurately, a gorilla.

Tim James is a pampered little asshole that never wanted for a thing in his life, thanks to his father's sporting goods manufacturing company, and the workers that it took advantage of. Now he wants to represent the "little guy?" What a hoot.

I hate Republicans.

Really, I hope his strategy doesn't work. He's appealing to racism, simple and to the point. It doesn't cost a cent more to provide the drivers test in 12 languages than it does to provide them in one. In Tuscaloosa County, at least, they administer the tests with computerized machines that already have the tests translated into the twelve different languages. It may have cost a few thousand dollars to translate the test to begin with, but that's all done now. He just wants to throw that money down the drain.

We know what he's up to. And it's pretty damn ugly. Par for the course, for a Republican scumbag.

[GirlAfire]

2. Unfortunately, it just may...

...work here. I really find it hard to find any redeeming quality of Alabama politics. I really haven't been much into local or state politics, so I know not enough and may be completely wrong about that.

I've heard from people who actually agree with this, saying "if you're in America, you should speak English." I was so shocked, I couldn't even say anything. He actually said English is the United States' official language. Wtf. I can't believe seemingly enlightened, decent people sympathize with this man or his sentiments on this issue.

And, for some, Politifact's judgment about his claims won't matter. It would speak directly against their preconceived notions about those savage "others" anyway, so that it is completely false won't matter.

[JoeyT]

3. There have been uglier, but they used dog whistles

instead of being quite so blatant.
There have been a bunch of them with pretty nasty messages when the implications are taken into account.
For instance, in our local Sheriff race one candidate has a radio ad on the local country station that rambles for about 2 minutes about "family values" and "people just like you". It all adds up to "That guy is black. I'm not. Vote accordingly."