--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Republicans, white and black, heaped…" description: "\"“Republicans, white and black, heaped scorn upon “respectables” who did not participate directly in the violence but “could not stop their sons from mu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/eric-foner-20891_democracy_republicans-white-and-black-heaped-scorn_1397631.jpg" --- # Republicans, white and black, heaped scorn upon… ![“Republicans, white and black, heaped scorn upon “respectables” who did not participate directly in the violence but “could not stop their sons from murdering their inoffensive neighbors in broad daylight.” Yet their complicity went beyond silence in the face of unspeakable crimes. Through their…” quote by Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/eric-foner-20891_democracy_republicans-white-and-black-heaped-scorn_1397631.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/eric-foner-20891_democracy_republicans-white-and-black-heaped-scorn_1397631.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/408/eric-foner-20891_democracy_republicans-white-and-black-heaped-scorn_1397631.jpg) > ““Republicans, white and black, heaped scorn upon “respectables” who did not participate directly in the violence but “could not stop their sons from murdering their inoffensive neighbors in broad daylight.” Yet their complicity went beyond silence in the face of unspeakable crimes. Through their constant vilification of blacks, carpetbaggers, scalawags, and Reconstruction, the “old political leaders” fostered a climate that condoned violence as a legitimate weapon in the struggle for Redemption.”” [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes how post‑Civil War Southern leaders used racist rhetoric and political labeling to justify and perpetuate violence against Black citizens, framing it as necessary for “Redemption.” **In simple terms:** Southern leaders used hate speech to legitimize violence against Black people after the Civil War. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge rhetoric that normalizes oppression. Themes racism political manipulation violence historical memory Mood critical reflective Type historical political When to use this quote - political speeches - media commentary - educational curricula - community activism Key Concepts white supremacy reconstruction era politics social control Questions to Reflect On - How did these narratives shape public policy? - What can modern societies learn about resisting dehumanizing rhetoric? A Different Perspective The analysis may overlook the agency of Black resistance and the complexity of individual motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Political Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-leader/) [Political leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-leaders/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [“Not that I condoned violence, but if anyone was deserving of it, it was people who could hate and harm people on the sole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-gadziala/not-that-i-condoned-violence-but-if-anyone-was-deserving-of-it-it-was/) [Jessica Gadziala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-gadziala/) > [A lot of Republicans are white Christians, but the Republican Party is reaching out to Hispanics, and reaching out to blacks, and reaching out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/a-lot-of-republicans-are-white-christians-but-the-republican-party-is/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [After the Reagan years, there were only three people of color in the Republican Party. Their slogan was 'Republicans - the Other White Meat.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-clinton/after-the-reagan-years-there-were-only-three-people-of-color-in-the/) [Kate Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-clinton/) > [Violence is not and has never been a legitimate means to a political end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-wheeler/violence-is-not-and-has-never-been-a-legitimate-means-to-a-political/) [Ted Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-wheeler/) > [ “It was not because they \[Harris and Klebold\] were deviants, but rather because they were overconformists to a particular normative construction of masculinity, a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kimmel/it-was-not-because-they-harris-and-klebold-were-deviants-but-rather/) [Michael Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kimmel/) > [No other form of violence is legitimate. It is never acceptable to use violence to solve a problem. 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This is our people's right to resist Israeli occupation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-mashal/this-is-not-violence-this-is-legitimate-resistance-this-is-our-people/) [Khaled Mashal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-mashal/) > [“If a blanket could be used to keep one person warm, then it stands to reason that all the blankets in the world are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-a-blanket-could-be-used-to-keep-one-person-warm-then-it-stands-to/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Political leaders are sucking blood of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakhi-sawant/political-leaders-are-sucking-blood-of-the-people/) [Rakhi Sawant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakhi-sawant/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. 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That is why Jefferson said, you have to own land. Southerners said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/a-man-working-for-wages-his-whole-life-is-not-really-free-that-is-why/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [There are those who view the abolitionists as just maniacs, apolitical fanatics who helped to cause the war, and Lincoln is the model of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/there-are-those-who-view-the-abolitionists-as-just-maniacs-apolitical/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [“New laws also redefined in the interest of the planter the terms of credit and the right to property—the essence of economic power in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/new-laws-also-redefined-in-the-interest-of-the-planter-the-terms-of/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [Colonization was the idea that once slavery ended African-Americans should be encouraged - or required, in some people's view - required to leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/colonization-was-the-idea-that-once-slavery-ended-african-americans/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [ I don't \[even\] know the number of books on Abraham Lincoln. 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I've spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/it-is-a-well-known-fact-that-abraham-lincoln-spent-much-of-his-spare/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [Look, Mrs. McGillicuddy, it's not my fault your son jumped out a dorm room window on Christmas eve. I've written over fifty books as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/look-mrs-mcgillicuddy-it-s-not-my-fault-your-son-jumped-out-a-dorm/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [Who owns history? Everyone and no one--which is why the study of the past is a constantly evolving, never-ending journey of discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/who-owns-history-everyone-and-no-one-which-is-why-the-study-of-the/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [For historians, hindsight can be a treacherous ally. 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