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Newspaper ad from Singer’s Corner Drug Store in Canon City, circa 1920s. Owner Claud Singer (1888-1981) was listed as pro-Klan in a biographical sketch. (From Canon City Public Library) |
As a native of Kansas, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Doug Lamborn is out of touch with Colorado History. He hasn’t represented his CD-5 constituency well and this is just another episode of him being off the beaten path.
In speaking about the debt ceiling depate, and saying that being associated with President Obama was like being stuck to a "tar baby," Lamborn shows how little -- or how much --he actually knows. The brain is funny that way.
As has been typical of conservatives to unnecessarily inject racial terms into the political discussion, as usual, Lamborn pretends to honestly believe he didn't realize what he said may have been interpreted in any way as a racial slur. But let's see how that stacks up against history.
As a native of Colorado and one who used to think it was a big deal to go to dinner with my high school journalism teacher for steaks at the Belvedere in Cañon City (I'm familiar with the area, in other words), I want to share with you a couple of important links that the Congressman SHOULD be aware of, but obviously isn't. It’s a brief educational piece from the Cañon City Public Library – and, coincidentally from the heart of Lamborn’s 5th Congressional District.
Written by a University of Colorado Graduate Student many years ago, the essay, linked here, is titled The Protestant Kluxing of Cañon City, Colorado
As will come as a surprise to many, that, during the 1920s, “Colorado had the largest and most influential Knights of the Ku Klux Klan following of any other state west of the Mississippi River,” the essay discusses, “and in the 1924 elections, the Klan gained control not only of state government with the election of Governor Morley, but also of many local governments.”
“Fremont County was one of those local governments with a dominating Klan presence, having a particularly large following of Klansmen and Klanswomen in Cañon City and Florence. These two local Klaverns claimed that they organized to improve the schools, end the liquor problem, stop crime, and promote the state and national Klan agenda.”
Especially prior to the 2008 election, while working in Park County at different public events in support of then candidate Obama, it was clear from conversations I had with several older residents that racism is something that hasn’t just magically disappeared. It was disappointing.
Another link here adds a little additional flavor to the history:
Local History Center of the Cañon City Public Library
Having listened to Lamborns comments on this site: Lamborn Radio Clip, I’m going to be slightly contrarian, but only slightly. Having occasionally said things I wish I could take back, I know what it’s like to “hear” something I say after the words are already out of my mouth. And to me, I detect a brief pause, where Lamborn seems to have heard what he said and thought, “ah oh. I don’t think I should’ve said that on the radio.”
Unfortunately for the Congressman, it was too late. And that same pause shows to me that he also KNEW it was something he should’ve have said, but it naturally rolled off his tongue.
He’s essentially the same age as I am, and it’s not a term I even remembered until this came up.
So while I find myself on the one hand listening and wanting to “defend” that it sounded to me like it wasn’t his intent to be overtly racist, he was clearly familiar enough with the term know he shouldn’t have used it and it suggests it is more deeply rooted than he would perhaps like to believe himself.
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