Do Associations Matter?

My momma always warned me that I would be judged by the company I kept and she often said that there is guilt by association.

Following the recent presidential election, I have begun to wonder if those old sayings still hold true today or if they simply no longer apply. In the not too distant past, a political candidate that hung out with Tony Rezko, William Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, and ACORN would have been toast, but none of those past associations seemed to matter to the voters. Is this the norm today or does this trend only apply to Democrats?

I dredge up this news because of a blurb written by Kevin Hogencamp in the last edition of the Albany Journal. He compared the views of the KKK to those of the League of the South (LOS).

For the record, I am not a member of either organization. However, I have heard a speech given by an LOS member. The speech did not attack other races or stress white power. The speech focused on states’ rights and preserving a social and moral fiber that was once common in this country. The speech did not call for a physical session from the United States, but it did suggest a cultural session from the areas of pop culture that have brought decency down in the name of entertainment. If you were offended by Letterman’s crude comments toward Governor Palin’s daughter, you understand.

One of our Republican candidates for governor, Ray McBerry, is the head of the Georgia Division of the League of the South. States’ rights have been in vogue recently with the likes of Montana, Texas, and a few others passing laws that void federal regulation on firearms produced in these states where the weapon does not leave the states. McBerry has talked the talk for many years now.

From what I know of the League of the South, they are not a racist group. Some of their ideas may sound radical to those that are not used to hearing their words. For instance, most members of the League do not pledge allegiance to the flag. I’ve asked them about that and they have many reasons. The first is that the pledge was written by a socialist, and it was written as a jab to the southern states reentering the union following the War Between the States. That is why “indivisible” is specifically mentioned in the pledge. They will also say that there are about three different versions of the pledge because it has been changed over the years. Which pledge is more appropriate? They will say that the pledge is to the flag, not the country, and we are the only nation with such a pledge. If you question their patriotism because they refuse to say the pledge, they will say that Washington, Jefferson, and even Lincoln were dead after the pledge was created. If they can be good Americans without reciting it, then so can LOS members.

I will be interesting to watch this candidate in the election for Governor. I do believe that our last best hope in reigning in the federal government is for the states to exercise their rights under the Constitution. McBerry will lead that charge, but will voters in Georgia find his association too radical for him to be a viable candidate? Do associations matter anymore or do they only matter for conservative candidates. It will be a great debate!