1115.org

Not as American as apple pie.

For a long time now, “states rights” has been Republican code for racist ideas that would never fly nationwide, but were still quite popular in places where the 1850s weren’t all that long ago. A smaller, less powerful federal government was needed, they maintain, so that control was more local. If some states, say, didn’t want to recognize a holiday for a certain leading civil rights activist, well that was between them and Chuck D.

But with the federal government completely in thrall, Republicans have gone off message on states rights and the power of the federal government. The result: irony is the new federalism:

House Republicans rejected an effort Tuesday to name a post office in Berkeley after longtime Berkeley Councilwoman Maudelle Shirek after a conservative lawmaker questioned whether the 94-year-old activist represents American values.
[…]
…House Republicans have sought to block the effort, mostly through a whisper campaign about her reported past ties to communist leaders and left-wing causes. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, objected Tuesday to Lee’s proposal and rallied Republicans to defeat the measure in an unusual roll call vote.

So Berkeley, the left-wing oasis of America, can’t name a post office after a black civil rights leader because some cracker from Iowa’s tender sensibilities would be offended? We’ll be keeping an eye out for the next time they try to name a public outhouse after Strom Thurmond.

It seems “states rights” are only important when they are used to promote racism, not celebrate its opponents.