Years ago I claimed that if the United States sawed off the southern states from the rest of America, allowing them to float away into the Atlantic Ocean, we would be a better and greater nation. With Trump as the first white supremacist and illegitimate president in history, I am positive that this is a truism.

For eight years President Obama received hate mail and death threats from the deep south, Texas, and Arizona. The only reason was because he was a black man living in the White House. These racists now have a leader living in the same public housing. Trump is a white supremacist and his supporters have become emboldened. Hate crimes have increased by 800 percent, although you’ll never see that reported on television “news.”

I have always given the sad award of ‘America’s most racist state’ to Alabama. Texas and Georgia have challenged Alabama every year, and 2018 may prove to be a ‘win’ for Georgia.

In the last two days, two instances in Georgia demonstrate stronger efforts to deny equal treatment under the law, and deference to the NRA gun lobby.

Lieutenant Governor, and future gubernatorial candidate, Casey Cagle, is angry with Delta Airlines. After the slaughter of teachers and students in Florida on Valentine’s Day, Delta and United announced that they would no longer offer discounts to members of the NRA. Delta’s largest ‘hub’ is in Atlanta. Cagle said that he will fight against any tax breaks for Delta until they renew their policy. Really?

Let’s look at the statistics. The United States has approximately 320 million people; the NRA has about five million. Are they important in the overall picture of our nation’s policy?

Students at a Georgia high school are alleging that school officials cropped a black cheerleader from the team picture. Of course it was denied by the educators involved, claiming that it was an error made by the machine. Really?

I cannot imagine being a black person living in the south. I was stationed in Mississippi for a part of my short stay in the United States Air Force, but I was on base most of the time. I did see some extremely racist signs, and there was one instance when I was riding in a car with other Airmen. One of them was a black man. A car behind us fired guns over the top of the vehicle. Hatred is a way of life for most of the white men and women living in the south.

So, congratulations Georgia, you just may be the victor in 2018. You have tried harder, and it’s paying off. Alabama is out of contention because they elected a Democrat to the senate. Unforgivable.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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