Each decennial census potentially moves the lines of Arkansas' four congressional districts based on population shifts. This, in turn, may affect the biennial legislative session occurring immediately thereafter, because state senators divide into their respective congressional district caucuses to fill seats on two important committees: Joint Audit and Legislative Council.
Such was the case at the beginning of this session when, after recent redistricting, Democratic Sen. Linda Chesterfield shifted into the Fourth District Caucus, where she and fellow Democrat Stephanie Flowers are the most senior. Some tumult followed.
Flowers is best known for her race-riddled rant during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last session. Republican senator and conservative icon Alan Clark--who masterfully chaired the oftentimes controversial committee and was friends with Flowers, opposing views notwithstanding--tried to cabin Flowers' outbursts, telling her in a sotto voce, "Senator, you need to stop."
She had none of it. "No, I don't. What the hell are you going to do? Shoot me?" Flowers exclaimed. Clark tried a second entreaty. Flowers retorted, "Senator, sh-t. Go to hell."
Now came Chesterfield's turn.
In previous sessions, the Fourth District Caucus adopted a seniority rule for filling committee seats, which would've put Chesterfield and Flowers at the top of list for committee seats. But this time, the caucus adopted the better democratic rule of majority vote. Chesterfield was not elected by her peers.
So Chesterfield race-baited her colleagues: "I'm not prepared to be a token, and I'm not prepared to accept the fact the individuals with whom I have worked across the aisles have decided to engage in rank racism in their decision-making."
Chesterfield doesn't have to like the pro-democracy rules-change. But displeasure aside, that's not racism. That's politics.
Indeed, Chesterfield's real concern isn't fake racism. It's simple arithmetic. Only six Democratic senators sit in the Legislature now. They won't win majority-elected committee positions and cannot pass legislation. And, thankfully, their false racialized claims will no longer serve as the brazen bludgeon befitting bygone bullies.
For too many years, weak conservatives cowered like corgis in thunderstorms when leftists--particularly minority Democrats--reflexively spewed false accusations of racism like Chesterfield's. It's quite past due that we righteously rebuke race baiting whenever it rears its ugly head. The left cries that wolf so frequently that the din hovers like the miasma of a grove of Bradford pear trees.
The aforementioned basic mathematics doesn't mean that Democrats won't have any effect in the Legislature.
First, they might help shape Republican legislation if well intentioned. Constructive criticism--yes please. Disingenuous delay--no thanks.
Second, Democrats will exercise a considerably unwelcome influence. Republicans who side with Democrats in opposing conservative bills will near guarantee those Republicans future primary challengers.
Democrats, therefore, will become the canaries in the coal mine, signaling which Republicans are vulnerable to attack from the right.
State Sen. John Payton aptly benefited from this phenomenon in winning his recent Republican primary. He contrasted his sterling conservative bona fides with his opponent's actions in common cause with Democrats on the Education Committee in thwarting free speech on campus.
This coal-miner's canary effect certainly won't please those afflicted with its asphyxiation, but it will appeal to the overwhelmingly conservative primary-voting base that seeks to breathe freedom for the first time.
Sadly, Chesterfield's race-baiting is just a symptom of the grander social pathology that is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) indoctrination architecture brainwashing our children and colleagues into apologizing for their so-called white privilege, indoctrinating our students into believing they're unconsciously biased, and mandating set-asides over meritocracy.
Have you been "invited" to a privilege walk--the parade of the a priori peccant bourgeoisie--propagandizing progressives' perverted pigment-and-plumbing-prioritizing tower of babble? Employees of Arkansas Children's Hospital were recently "welcomed" to march in this emetic event. Thank you, High Sparrow.
My direct forebearers also were instructed to:
- line up based on their demographics;
- proclaim they didn't deserve what they earned; and
- not challenge the false assertion of their privilege because denial itself paradoxically proves their persecutors' prejudiced proclamations, like today's implicit-bias inanity.
What could go wrong?
- Yellow Stars of David on their clothing.
- "Jew" on the windows of their shops.
- Millions murdered.
That's real racism, and contemporary DEI dogma decidedly drives in that direction, inevitable leftist-racist claims of "white fragility" notwithstanding. (Could you even imagine calling any other group "fragile"? Cancel culture would castrate you contemporaneously.)
Now that we have the most conservative Legislature and governor in our history, we are on the precipice of setting aside the institutional racism of set-asides. The bill doing that--SB71, sponsored by conservative stalwarts Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Justin Gonzalez--is in the Legislature right now.
But we--the good citizens of Arkansas whose interests have been long ignored by the old political class trading favors at our expense--mustn't sit idly by and expect this new, vibrant, and courageous leadership to do it all. Call your legislators. Tell them to vote for SB71. Let them know that this carnage must stop. Let your voice be heard.
This is your right to know.
Robert Steinbuch, professor of law at the Bowen Law School, is a Fulbright Scholar and author of the treatise "The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act." His views do not necessarily reflect those of his employer.