[EastCoastAmerican]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wallace

George Wallace was the Governor of Alabama during the Sixties, and was the most well-known segregationist advocate at the time. He lost his first election against the openly racist Klansman John Patterson. Wallace ran on a campaign of economic reform, trying to get the people focused on improving roads and schools. Patterson preyed on racial fears. Wallace found out that using the tactics of fear and hate could get him political power, so he ran on a staunch pro-segregationist platform in the next election. He accused MLK Jr. and other Civil Rights advocates of being Communists trying to destroy American society.

After becoming a born-again Christian in 1978, Wallace apologized for his behavior during his term as Governor in the 60s and admitted that his actions were morally wrong. His final term as Governor was notable for a record number of African-American appointment to government positions.

Some Civil Rights Advocates, such as John Lewis of the Freedom Riders, believed that George Wallace was genuinely regretful. Others believed that George Wallace was still a selfish politician and only changed his demeanor in order to win votes.

What do you guys think?

[Potemkin]

I think being shot five times and ending up in a wheelchair and in constant pain for the rest of his life had a sobering effect on him. Besides, his segregationism was clearly opportunistic - after losing his first election to the governorship to a member of the KKK, he asserted to an aide, "Seymore, you know why I lost that governor's race?... I was outniggered by John Patterson. And I'll tell you here and now, I will never be outniggered again." The assassination attempt and his injuries forced him to re-evaluate his life, and he didn't like what he saw. Besides, dropping his segregationist stance would lose him his core constituency, and there was no guarantee he would be able to replace those votes. I believe he was sincere in his conversion.

[Wolfman]

Does it matter? If I shot 35 people and then said "oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize what a worthless shit I've been" you're still going to prison.

[Potemkin]

Does it matter? If I shot 35 people and then said "oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize what a worthless shit I've been" you're still going to prison.

The difference is that segregationism was not illegal back then; quite the reverse, in fact. Wallace was merely pandering to the electorate of Alabama to get elected. It was typical opportunistic bullshit from a typical opportunistic politician, but at least he eventually 'fessed up to his bullshit and changed his ways.

[Wolfman]

If he was actually against segregation, he could have easily moved to a state where anti-segregationist rhetoric would have worked.

[Potemkin]

If he was actually against segregation, he could have easily moved to a state where anti-segregationist rhetoric would have worked.

It's actually this which convinces me he was sincere. After his conversion, he stayed in Alabama, where anti-segregationist rhetoric was probably not going to go down well with the white voters.

[Dave]

If he was actually against segregation, he could have easily moved to a state where anti-segregationist rhetoric would have worked.

Perhaps he cared for Alabama like you care for Nebraska?

In any case I doubt he was repentant so much as realized that the winds had changed, as many other Southern politicians realized. And like Potemkin said, I doubt he was a die-hard segregationist to begin with. We're not talking about a Southern patriot and defender of the white race here like Harry F. Byrd, but a rank political opportunist.

His shift in stance certainly did no good for Alabama. Look at Birmingham today.

[Wolfman]

Perhaps he cared for Alabama like you care for Nebraska?

The Nebraska Nationalism thing was mostly a mockery of Nationalism and Ethnocentrism. It apparently worked so well that you didn't even realize I was making fun of you.

[Oxymoron]

George wallace fought for freedom of the Scottish people he has nothing to be sorry about.

[Potemkin]

George wallace fought for freedom of the Scottish people he has nothing to be sorry about.

[Dave]

The Nebraska Nationalism thing was mostly a mockery of Nationalism and Ethnocentrism. It apparently worked so well that you didn't even realize I was making fun of you.

A joke so successful that no one got it. You win this round, Wolfie...

[Wolfman]

A few people got it. A few people had to have it explained to them. Most people just didn't care.

[EastCoastAmerican]

Another important factor to take is that the NAACP endorsed in the late 50s, and his adaption of segregationist rhetoric came as a shock to many at the time. Since he was playing up the rhetoric to win votes instead of doing it out of any true conviction to upholding segregation, there may have been a part of him that knew what he was doing was wrong at the time.

If Wallace was a died-in-the-wool white supremacist that believed everything he said, then he probably would not have been so repentant.

[Potemkin]

Another important factor to take is that the NAACP endorsed in the late 50s, and his adaption of segregationist rhetoric came as a shock to many at the time. Since he was playing up the rhetoric to win votes instead of doing it out of any true conviction to upholding segregation, there may have been a part of him that knew what he was doing was wrong at the time.

If Wallace was a died-in-the-wool white supremacist that believed everything he said, then he probably would not have been so repentant.

Indeed. My personal feeling is that it was his 'conversion' to the cause of segregationism which was phoney rather than his 'conversion' away from it. It was a brazen act of political opportunism, and he said as much to his aides at the time.

[EastCoastAmerican]

I remember reading a comment about George Wallace on a message board (I forgot it's name).

"Is a genuinely racist politician any better than a dishonest one that just does it to win votes?"

Both examples contribute to an aura of fear and hate, but their underlying motives are different. The question asks if Wallace's personal beliefs regarding race really mattered in the long run when his actions were negative regardless of the answer.

[Potemkin]

I remember reading a comment about George Wallace on a message board (I forgot it's name).

"Is a genuinely racist politician any better than a dishonest one that just does it to win votes?"

Both examples contribute to an aura of fear and hate, but their underlying motives are different. The question asks if Wallace's personal beliefs regarding race really mattered in the long run when his actions were negative regardless of the answer.

I can respect a man who has genuinely held beliefs which he is willing to defend or even fight for, even though I may deplore the nature of those beliefs themselves. What I cannot respect is a brazen opportunist who pretends to hold certain beliefs simply in order to gain status, wealth or power for himself. The fact that those beliefs themselves were morally odious simply made it worse. To his credit, Wallace himself eventually came to the same conclusion.

[Rich]

Lying is necessary to get any where in politics. Even to keep a relative small political organisation with any strong focus together requires lying. Lying isn't necessarily wrong. Better to have a pretend racist than a real one in Congress. So similarly I admire and applaud Tony Blair for lying over Iraq as the higher good of bringing majority rule to Iraq justified lying in that instance.

[ThereBeDragons]

The Nebraska Nationalism thing was mostly a mockery of Nationalism and Ethnocentrism. It apparently worked so well that you didn't even realize I was making fun of you.

It worked so well that I was thoroughly convinced that you were completely nuts up until I learned today that it was a joke.

[Wolfman]

You either weren't paying attention or were one of the people I had to explain it to. Honestly, when was the last time I even brought that up first in a conversation?

[ThereBeDragons]

IIRC you started at least one thread dedicated to the subject yourself.