May 2, 2021
The saga started earlier this week when the Republican-dominated state legislature was debating a bill banning the teaching of racism or sexism in public schools. How do you teach American History, among other subjects, without having serious discussions about those subjects? Who the hell knows. But that’s what
State Rep. Ray Garofalo wants to do with House Bill 564.
Even fellow Republicans recognized this bill as an attempt to white-wash our past, micromanage teachers, and stifle free speech. Garofalo insisted that wasn’t the case at all:
He wanted students to learn about slavery! In fact, he wanted them to learn everything about slavery! He wanted them to learn “the good, the bad and the ugly” aspects of slavery.
Stephen RobinsonMay 03, 2021 02:39 PM
GOP Louisiana state Rep. Ray Garofalo
Last week, Louisiana GOP state Rep. Ray Garofalo walked into a rake while arguing for his own bill banning critical race theory from all levels of public education. He said, If you are having a discussion on whatever the case may be, on slavery, then you can talk about everything dealing with slavery: the good, the bad, the ugly. But we re not discussing Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns. There was nothing âgood about slavery.
Republican state Rep. Stephanie Hilferty interrupted Garofalo to clarify that slavery was exclusively bad and ugly. This somehow proved controversial, and Citizens for a New Louisiana quickly labeled Hilferty a âRINO, because apparently there s no room in the GOP big tent for an unambiguously anti-slavery position. Citizens for a New Louisiana claimed Hilferty, appearing on CNN, twisted Garofalo s words and tried to âcancel him (insert eye roll emoji here).