Southern Strategy Backfires; Lott Resigns

Leaders within the Republican Party, including President Bush, forced Sen. Trent Lott to resign his leadership position on Friday. His ill-advised comments have publicly exposed the reason why Republicans repeatedly fail to make inroads with Southern minority voters.

Those minority voters have known that Republicans in the South are different from other Republicans. The growth of the Republican Party in the once-solid Democratic South is the result of various long-term, conscious plans to entice conservative white Southerners into the party by using racial “code words.” Republicans elsewhere were content to accept these new Southern Republican voters and the raw political power that came with them, only if the party’s “dirty little secret” would remain a private matter. Only in that way could the Republicans continue to market and sell themselves to voters as “uniters, not dividers.”

That myth is now dispelled; the emperor has no clothes. Republican leaders are embarrassed by the public exposure of their cynical plan. Lott has paid the political price for making the secret public. Nonetheless, the sacrifice of Lott will not cleanse the party of Lincoln of its sins, especially in the South.

Stephen L. Baker

Houston

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The fall of Lott tells us not to let our minds ponder or elaborate illogical and prejudicial thoughts. In an unguarded moment you may blast it out and ruin your brilliant career.

Andrew Weeraratne

Marina del Rey

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The Times has published a large number of letters and commentaries attacking the record of the Republican Party on race without allowing any rebuttal. You know as well as I do that the 1964 Civil Rights Act would not have passed without the majority of the Republican Party in both houses of Congress. The record on race of the GOP from 1933 to 1964 far surpasses that of the Democrats. Sen. Everett Dirksen (R-Ill.) was the true father of the Civil Rights Act.

Lott is resigning, as he should. The Times should apologize to the Republicans it has smeared. Unlike Lott, I doubt that you will do the right thing.

Michael T. Kennedy

Mission Viejo