The most recent Ford-ism came about earlier this week when he argued against stronger laws against illegal immigration in the state. He told a Senate committee that illegal aliens are a good thing for the state's economy.
Because Mexicans will work hard for their money, he said -- unlike blacks and whites.
"I know brothers -- and I'm talking about black guys -- they are not going to do the dirty work at Boeing, to do that hauling and all that building, that dirty work," Ford said. "A brother is going to find ways to take a break."
White guys, which Ford called "blue-eyed brothers," were not much better, he added.
Whoa, Mr. Ford ... wha'?
Whether he speaks the truth or not here is not the issue. It's not important, just as the truth is seldom important in our Brave New World of Political Correctitude. Rather, what's at issue is whether anyone was offended and who the offender is.
Rather than the expected venom, a lot of the usual screamers are just shaking their heads. Shoot, it's just Senator Ford being Senator Ford.
Ford? Why, he's just messin', that's all. "What am I apologizing for? I made a lot of jokes in my presentation like I always do," he said.
And that's cool. I don't mind politicos who speak their minds no matter what others may think. I don't have any problem with any celebrity who shoots from the hip. That's why I always liked Charles Barkley so much, and part of why the late Sen. Barry Goldwater captured my imagination so many years ago. We need more of that in politics, the corporate world, and everywhere else. And some folks really need to attempt to sprout a life, too.
But check out the reaction to Ford's comments, will you?
The NAACP, which ceased to be relevant decades ago, gave him a flaccid rebuke by calling his choice of terms "unfortunate." Dot Scott, head of the Charleston NAACP branch, said she will not press for an apology, saying it wouldn't do much of anything.
"I am not high on apologies," Scott said. "People usually say what they mean. I don't think it would do any good to even ask him for an apology. There is only one way. It's Robert's way."
She may be speaking the truth here.
Meanwhile, the guilt-ridden liberal crowd seems strangely silent about Ford's comments. I haven't heard a peep from that quarter, and they'd be screaming for scalps if, say, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley made the statement.
So it looks like Ford gets a free drop on this. He just might slip the PC Police noose.
Why is this?
To be honest, I haven't the slightest idea.
I do know this, though. If someone like a Rush Limbaugh, a Bill O'Reilly, a Sarah Palin or a Mike Huckabee said something like this, you just might see a whole bunch of hate mail and inflammatory comments. Even a guy like Tim Scott, the newly-elected black conservative Congressman from South Carolina's First District, won't skate on this, you can bet the hacienda on that.
(Footnote: Later Ford admitted he does need to work on communicating his thoughts better, but his remarks were taken out of context. Standard foot-in-mouth reflex response, yes?)
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