Mother Jones - Comments for "The Importance of Being Ernie"

injuns

Sen. Chambers, I have learned firsthand what a racist is, and I despise it. I need to learn what I can do to fight racism and what steps I can take to correct the situation. My job is on the line. I work for a racist, a blatant racist, a man who doesn't even try to hide his ignorance, and therefore, because of my passion for the Native Americans I am at risk of losing my job of the past 8 1/2 years. People need to learn the history of this "country" as it really is. How do you set about educating the people who rule? How do you change a whole mindset? How do you talk to a person who is a "slave-owner"? A hillbilly at best? Someone who needs to relieve his bowels, and can do so much to the disdain of his back acres? You know, where he keeps his negroes. I am not being sarcastic. This land dislikes white america as much as I do. I have laid my job on the chopping block because of my desire to help the Indigenous people. And my owner, in no uncertain terms, has requested me to cease and desist from helping in any way, shape or form, them "Injuns". STOP RACISM NOW.

injuns

Love him or hate him, Ernie

Love him or hate him, Ernie Chambers will go down as one of the greatest driving forces in Nebraska politics. Young senators over the years learned that if they try to introduce a bill that is not done correctly, Chambers will hang them out to dry. So state senators are forced to write legislation and read through it over and over to make sure it's "Ernie proof". If not, they know they will be called out on the carpet for it. Hmmm, state senators having to make sure that the bills they introduce are correct...does that sound like such a bad thing?

He tried to sue God. What a muppet. I understand he's an atheist. That figures. And he thinks the Nebraska statehouse passed legislation limiting the tenure of its members so as to squeeze him out. Maybe he's right. Then again, if you have served in an elected body for 35 years you have served long enough. Or at least I think so anyway. Perhaps Obama will reward him with a cabinet job come January 2009.

Love the lawsuit against God, but I think the judge missed the boat on the case. Rather than citing lack of address for serving God, lack of Jurisdiction over God should be the judgement. Keep up the good work!

Poor Nebraska, life seems so hard. If only everyone knew the real struggles of the white man. Ernie is a saint. God bless him.

Mr Chambers Come to Puerto Rico! We could use men like you!

Thank God this clown will have to soon go out and find a real job. Good luck (NOT!). He is a 100% Grade A whack job that should be locked up for his own protection.

Listen to you people.... How can you say such a thing about such an extremely racist person? He's trying to sue God. Are you kidding me? He's wasting his time, and our money. Its a blessing that his term has finally come to an end. I assume most of these comments are people who live outside of Nebraska, that dont' have to deal with his turmoil.

Ernie Chambers is perhaps one of the most brilliant men I have ever heard of. I do think that some of his views and claims of racism are a bit off, but he has done his job. He has represented the people who vote for him to the best of his ability. He takes their concerns to heart and brings them to the unicameral. He will not talk to lobbyists about education, and has almost always voted to improve education and schools. He graduated from law school with my grandfather, Creighton Law none the less, so he's not an uneducated man. I do not agree with him 100%, but he is someone to respect, and who has been committed to his job

Yes, there's nothing keeping the poor down except endemic racism, poverty, poor education, lack of opportunity, drugs, crime and even pure bad luck.

I've worked in Ghana and Brazil, building houses, schools and hospitals for the poor. These are people who lack electricity, running water, modern healthcare and often food.

Are they poor because they want to be? Or are they the unfortunate victims of years of imperialism, racism, and exploitation? No one wants to be poor, but sometimes poverty is unavoidable due to circumstances.

Of course, being predominantly white and middle class, I doubt most of you would understand that.

We need more of Earnie Chambers, not less.

WAKE UP, did they teach you any logic in school? Why do you THINK he did that? He is REPRESENTING that area, what do you think the median income of a working adult is in that are? How can he REPRESENT people when he doesn't live that life....oh yes....that's why we have the problems we have...

The world be a LOT better if we all lived more simple.

Hey, he might be angry, because he GETS it. If you haven't been poor, really poor, haven't grown up black in Nebraska. Stop yammering, start thinking.

He is himself. No one agrees with everything he does. If you did, you wouldn't be needed. He does his best, he is not always perfect, but he's given his life to something bigger than himself, something bigger than whining about taxes.

By the way, I'm a white woman.

I wish every politician was like this man.

As a native Nebraskan I am proud and privileged to have Mr. Chambers serve in my state's government for so long. I wish there were more politicians like him, which makes me want for him to run for a position on the national level; though I know that probably will not happen. It is unfortunate that alot of Nebraskans do not, and will not ever, appreciate the work he has done.

I am a white,educated, middle aged female in great health and who has aged gracefully. You would think I would NOT be for Ernie based on that previous comment right?

Ernie is Ernie. Without Ernies in the world to stir up conservative thought processes there would never be change in our world. After all Yeshua (Jesus) was placed on earth to change the conservative and very corrupt Jewish tribes. On a historical standpoint Yeshua is remembered for his radical behavior and "stirring up the pot". And so will Ernie!
Have you ever thought Ernie was being sarastic by the "suing God thing"?

Go within yourself (when all is quiet in your mind) and ask yourself what was Ernie's real purpose for filing a lawsuit against "God".

Let me tell you this...When Ernie moves to the other side and sees all the reflections of his life on earth, he and the divine will have felt he did make a difference on earth!!!

This may be to complex for you to understand right now, but I just ask that you try to read more into what people say---than just what is placed on on the surface.