October 19, 2009

Sen. Lourie Calls On DeMint, GOP to Denounce Inflammatory Rhetoric

Columbia, SC - One of South Carolina's two Jewish members of the state General Assembly, state Senator Joel Lourie of Columbia, today called on Senator Jim DeMint and South Carolina Republican Party chairwoman Karen Floyd to denounce the inflammatory comments made by Bamberg County GOP chairman, Mr. Edwin O. Merwin Jr. and Orangeburg County GOP chair, Mr. James Ulmer. Senator Lourie issued the following statement:

"The words of these key republican leaders are disgusting, unconscionable and represent prejudice in its purest form. To say that I am shocked and outraged is an understatement. Mr. Erwin and Mr. Fulmer need to be sanctioned immediately and removed from their positions. I call on Chairwoman Karen Floyd and Senator Jim DeMint to denounce their comments and request that they apologize."

"At a time when we can least afford more negative attention for South Carolina, we have two individuals who unapologetically espouse racist and stereotypical attitudes."

"I am also disappointed that the Times and Democrat would print such an inflammatory piece. I believe that newspapers still have a responsibility to edit their content and reject editorials that promote such blatant intolerance."

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Mr. Merwin's and Mr. Ulmer's Op Ed in the October 18, 2009 Orangeburg Times & Democrat: