 Sisters Joyce McCain (left) and her sister Lillie McCain descended from slaves that belonged to Sen. John McCain’s great-great-grandfather. |
Flint Journal – October 17, 2008:
Lillie and Joyce McCain harbor no resentment for the presidential candidate who shares their name.
Growing up in Mississippi on what was once the plantation land of Sen. John McCain’s great-great-grandfather, the sisters always knew their family had descended from slaves belonging to the McCain family.
But in the modern-era South, the two families –Â the white McCains and the black McCains –Â have reached out to each other, united in their shared history and comfortable with their diversity.
“There’s no sense in looking back,” said Lillie McCain, 56, a long-time psychology professor at Mott Community College. “I’m not aware that we’ve ever had any animosity. We’ve always accepted each other.”
The tale of the two families is particularly meaningful on the eve of this historic election, in which Sen. Barack Obama is the first black presidential nominee of any major political party. Lillie McCain and her siblings are supporting Obama because they feel he’s better suited for the job, but they have nothing but respect for John McCain.
Lillie McCain jokes that her family once predicted that Teoc, the Mississippi plantation owned by John McCain’s family, would make national headlines if the Arizona senator ever became a serious presidential contender.
They were right.
Update: Just to be fair, Obama’s relatives owed slaves too. Thanks RSweeney!
According to the research, one of Obama’s great-great-great-great grandfathers, George Washington Overall, owned two slaves who were recorded in the 1850 census in Nelson County, Ky. The same records show that one of Obama’s great-great-great-great-great-grandmothers, Mary Duvall, also owned two slaves.
Part of America’s economic history which today’s Southern Strategy bigots deny ever existed.
Part of Africa’s economic history which today’s race card carrying politicians deny ever happened.
Well I never. Now, at first blush, I agree with #1. And at first blush, wtf are you talking about Paddy? Every african link I can think of is really stupid, irrelevant, or a shameful attempt to throw out a red herring.
Prove me wrong, make your post meaningful.
#3 “Prove me wrong, make your post meaningful.”
That’s like asking me to prove that water is wet.
The post is self explanatory for anyone with an IQ of >99.
The dailykooks website may be a better fit for you.
“And at first blush, wtf are you talking about Paddy?”
Paddy’s argument is that because some black Africans benefited from slavery, white people have no reason to feel guilty about it.
#5. Umm, you didn’t really nail it. Try again.
Pretty cool. It just means that we are all truly connected by few degrees of separation. It’s not a distant past to be proud of but I’m sure we all have them.
#9. Yep.
I have a secret but I’m not going to tell anyone what it is unless you guess it directly using exactly the same words I would.
(Hint–I’m actually a retarded wingnut with delusions of insight. Hmmm. I guess I blew it in that you could say just about any stupid retarded thing and have me pretty much cold.)
I can’t tell which way this is supposed to lean. Left or right.
On one hand you got two votes for Obama and on the other hand you get a not so sleight nod that could throw light on the connection between McCain and the Geogre Wallace connection made earlier in the last week.
Nonetheless, I agree that story has an overall good message.
Arriving from a viewpoint of a nation that have been literally enslaved during very similar time period as Black people in America (and likely worse, just imagine what the term “blood tax” could mean in such situation) I am sick and tired of this argument being pulled out again and again. Where I come from, slavery is history (in our case we rebelled on and on until we won) and only history. To ask one whose slave his ancestors were would be met with the “Are you an idiot?” response, not a news story (and yes, nitpicking idiot could trace history and find the answer – but why – it’s all done with long time ago and irrelevant now). So, dear Black Americans, stop with this. You are not slaves anymore and even in the past it was not only Black people who were slaves in general. Enough.
I think retribution has been paid but all the money went Oprah.
#13–dusan==what should people think if where they come from they are still suffering from the effects of slavery? How about if your family name was “given” to you by someone else?
How about when you trace your family roots to find out “where you come from” and you find a bill of sale on your grand daddy?
I’d think “some interest” in the subject would be only natural==as is yours to the opposite.
#14 Oprah is an Ibo. They were traded to Cuba. She should talk to Spain about reparations. LOL
Since Obama’s father was a Kenyan national, Obama was not a descendant of slaves. But since his mother was from Kansas and has a long history in America (he and Dick Cheney are distantly related), he might be descended from slave owners as well.
Wonder if anyone has looked into that?
According to researchers at the library of congress (as reported in the Baltimore Sun and reprinted in the Chicago Tribune), several of Obama’s mother’s family were indeed slave holders in the 19th century.
I wonder if we will see a nice story on their descendants.
#18–Pedro==Me? You can surprise me by informing me why it would be surprising to have an interest in your own family roots.
That “interest” is an isolated emotion having little to do with anything else than having an itch scratched.
Ever have an itch?
#15 “How about when you trace your family roots to find out “where you come from” and you find a bill of sale on your grand daddy?”
Would be interesting at most. Whoever you find a “bill” on is long dead and buried.
21–Paddy==so, you would not find it “interesting” that your family was once owned by Brad Pitt or by the Possible President of the USA?
My goodness. So defensive about normal healthy human curiosity and search for meaning.
I guess talking about reparations will have to wait until it is fairly raised. If fair tax already has you apoplectic, it would be fun to take your blood pressure when we determine your fair share of pay back.
Cracker.
#5, and why should I feel guilty about Slavery? I didn’t participate in it, and as far as I know no one in the US that is alive has either. I am not responsible for the sins of my father, or great-great-great grandfather.
Those that were responsible are long gone. Its history, and while history can have an effect on those that are alive today, it is not the responsibility of the current generation to atone for the wrongs that were done by the generation long ago.
In short, people, black and white, need to let it go, but never forget the lessons learned.
#22 bobbo
Reparations have been flowing since the beginning of Johnson’s great society. As for a specific appeasement tax, the only thing that would be accomplished is greater animosity and hatred toward the recipients.
#24–contempt==is what many if not most people have for others. Why should black people be any different than white people-sell you down the river for a little (more) money?
Anybody have any other personal demons they’d like to project onto “having an interest in a subject?”
Cracker, crackers!!
#22 “it would be fun to take your blood pressure when we determine your fair share of pay back.”
I guess “reparations” could be paid. Since the people who want it say that they were personally effected (silly at best) they would have to be willing to be returned to Africa, so they wouldn’t have to suffer living in this terrible country…
#26 bobbo
Did you have a point or was that just a incoherent rant?
contempt==yes, I am patiently maintaining my position that any normal person like the McCains of this story would have some “interest” in their own family story. My own roots are traced back thru Canada to Northern England where Great X10 Granddaddy was a tax collector. I’ve seen the family grave plot in Yorkshire. It doesn’t mean anything, but its interesting to me.
I don’t know why anyone would heap all kinds of BS like “forget about the past, we don’t owe you reparations, and we don’t feel any guilt at all” on some other family having a similar feeling of interest in being related to Famous Prisoner McCain.
No reason for anyone to read my entries from the start, but thats all I’ve ever said. Just another human interest story about how we are all the same, absent injection of some political virus.
So… reparations… Hmmm…
How ’bout we Native Americans demand reparations for the genocide perpetrated on us, or the outright theft of the majority of the North American continent? Even better, maybe we should demand that ALL you people just go home (where ever that ancestral home is)?
Reparations (and the continuing argument about them) are foolish. The past is just that. Quit bitchin’ and move on.
#29 bobbo
Anyone who does accept the challenge of looking into their family tree usually finds it interesting if not exciting.
To forget the past is a tragedy and forces us to repeat the same mistakes. On the other hand forcing someone to pay reparations for something they didn’t do is something different all together. You might even call it extortion.
#31–contempt==I agree completely and for all the reasons I have, I think the same of land remaining as “reservations” or “homelands” or “native areas” in the USA and around the World (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa). Everywhere whitey goes, we seem unable to admit we conquer peoples and cultures. We leave just enough left over to screw over any descendants dumb enough to go for “cultural/racial heritage” rather than simply all being of the same human race.
IOW–divide current Indian Land up among current tribal members and let them fully integrate. No more salmon fishing or whaling or eagle feathers. No more sacred mountains.
Regardless of the historical “roots”–it is all extortion.
From Lillie McCain, the subject of the story:
“It’s important to remember where you’ve been,” she said. “I’m thankful for where I am.”
I’m thankful for where I am also. “If you’re in good elk habitat, you’re right about where you wanna be”
I can’t remember where I’ve been though.
#1, moss,
Too bad you are so correct as so many of the trolls that follow you attest.
#2, Cow-Paddy,
Part of Africa’s economic history which today’s race card carrying politicians deny ever happened.
More incoherent babbling.
#7, pebro,
And so? Wasn’t this issue fixed after slavery was abolished?
No.
#8, Dallas,
Once more I bow to acknowledge your succinct, well chosen words.
#21, Cow-Paddy,
Would be interesting at most. Whoever you find a “bill” on is long dead and buried.
Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.
#23, Boob
I am not responsible for the sins of my father, or great-great-great grandfather.
True, you are not. Yet, if you salute the flag, swear allegiance and / or claim to be a proud American then you can not deny that this black episode is part of America’s history.
#24, craphead,
Reparations have been flowing since the beginning of Johnson’s great society.
Where the eff do you trolls come from? The slave descendants are still second class citizens in much of the country. They are still profiled by law enforcement. They still receive harsher sentences compared to other Americans.
No, they have not received any special treatment from the government.