TPM Reader TK has had quite enough of BW …
I was raised in South Carolina from the age of 5 and have to respond to the rant you posted. Sounds like the complaint of a “damn Yankee” – probably from Ohio. We are very familiar with the type. They move here for the low taxes, beautiful mountains, gorgeous beaches and laid back atmosphere — and then proceed to tell us how everything was better back in Ohio.
Sure we have alligators. That’s part of a functioning ecosystem.. People come from all over the country to enjoy our coast line. I’m not sorry we’ve resisted the urge to turn all of our alligators into cowboy boots. The same with the snakes. They are there to eat rats. (Although since they haven’t bitten BW, they are clearly failing in one respect.)
And sure there are racists here in SC. There are racists everywhere. I’ve had African-American friends who live here say they get hassled a LOT more in DC and NYC than they ever do in SC. Howard Beach? Arizona? Amadou Diallo? James Byrd? None happened here in South Carolina.
Our politics are ugly because they are controlled by the GOP, but SC also produces fine Democrats like James Clyburn.
BW needs to “kiss my grits” and head back to Ohio.
