SC

Behold! The Sweetgrass Skyway

SOUTH CAROLINA’S “LEADERS” BATTLE OVER BRIDGE NAME || By FITSNEWS ||  Regular readers have frequently heard us refer to sessions of the S.C. General Assembly (a.k.a. the State Senate and House of Representatives) as “taxpayer-funded adult day care.”  That’s a reference to the chronic emotional immaturity of the vast majority of…

SOUTH CAROLINA’S “LEADERS” BATTLE OVER BRIDGE NAME

|| By FITSNEWS ||  Regular readers have frequently heard us refer to sessions of the S.C. General Assembly (a.k.a. the State Senate and House of Representatives) as “taxpayer-funded adult day care.”  That’s a reference to the chronic emotional immaturity of the vast majority of these “leaders” – who love picking your pocket but hate getting called out for it.

Exhibit A?  This guy …

Anyway, the shrill factor ratcheted up this week when S.C. Rep. Wendell Gilliard pushed a ceremonial measure through the S.C. House of Representatives – one aiming to rechristen the iconic Arthur Ravenel, Jr. bridge (which spans the Cooper River between Mount Pleasant, S.C. and downtown Charleston).

The bridge’s proposed name?  The “Sweetgrass Skyway,” a reference to the Lowcountry’s sweetgrass basket weavers – most of whom are (like Gilliard) black.

Gilliard’s measure was approved unanimously by the S.C. House – which apparently didn’t bother to read it before voting.  Had they done so, they might have realized what it did.

Now … the bridge’s name hasn’t actually changed.  For that to happen, Gilliard’s legislation would first have to pass the S.C. Senate.  That hasn’t happened – and one State Senator has vowed the measure will not even make it to the floor of his chamber for a vote.

And even if it did, a decade after it opened the bridge’s name is clearly established now as the “Ravenel Bridge” – or the “Cuz-way” to locals (a reference to Arthur Ravenel’s “Cousin Arthur” nickname).

So the whole issue is irrelevant … but that’s not stopping lawmakers from losing their cool over the dust-up.

“I’m not talking to (Gilliard) right now,” S.C. Rep. Jimmy Merrill told The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier this week, accusing his colleague of tricking the House into approving the bill.

Gilliard didn’t like that allegation one bit …

“To make a remark like that was very unkind and disrespectful,” he told the paper.  “I tend to expect more from (Merrill).”

Ummm … okay.

Frankly, we don’t expect more … from any of these idiots.  In fact it’s ongoing nonsense like this that keeps lawmakers at each other’s throats when they ought to be working together to pass broad-based individual income tax relief, free market education reforms, caps on government spending and draconian new ethics regulations.

But hey … this is South Carolina: Where there’s never time to fix long-standing problems but always time to piss and moan over perceived indignities.

***

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55 comments

inciteful February 1, 2015 at 5:20 pm

…and here I thought his mother named him after IT!

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TontoBubbaGoldstein February 1, 2015 at 8:09 pm

What is the difference between a wicker basket and a wicker box?

A wicker basket is similar to a sweetgrass basket.
“Wicker box” is Elmer Fudd’s girlfriend’s favorite thing for Elmer Fudd to do.

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Wick her February 1, 2015 at 9:26 pm

Around 14 ago or so, when I was dating my wife & had no kids and more hair…we went to the Charlotte Renaissance festival as “date”.

There was a buxom blonde, showing off her “assets” in traditional Ren. fair style with a low cut dress and push up bra. She was hawkeyed too, I was trying to steal a good look and she belted out loudly from her candle making booth(with my now wife at my side), “Care to dip your wick sir?”

The look on her face was priceless as she almost shouted it, with a very big & mischievous smile on her face. I was actually struck silent, which is a rarity for me.

My wife, spoke up, “No thank you, he’s already done so.” as she pulled me in another direction.

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Buz Martin February 2, 2015 at 1:22 pm

Ah, yes. I worked that festival in those days, both as a “street character” and clerk in an art booth. I well remember that buxom blonde wench, and she flat-out loved asking that bawdy question.

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E Norma Scok February 1, 2015 at 10:11 pm

Wicker baskets are bought from Wal Mart or Pier one, the “made in China” label removed, the price is quadrupled, and old black women sell them to unsuspecting Yankees from the side of highway 17 as “genuine” sweetgrass baskets?

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Susie Q. February 2, 2015 at 10:39 am

Smell them and you can tell the difference. You can’t from the weaving.

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No way! February 2, 2015 at 11:42 am

I don’t want to smell black women. I might get slapped.

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RogueElephant February 2, 2015 at 12:27 pm

We tried selling cockleburs as porcupine eggs once. We couldn’t get the Yankees to pay over a dollar for one. LOL

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Buz Martin February 2, 2015 at 1:26 pm

That’s bogus. I’ve watched some of them wieve those baskets for hours at the time. For many years I made my living selling folk and outsider art and crafts in the Pawley’s area. People like to spout the kind of bullshit you are claiming here, as a way of putting down the Gullah people. There is absolutely nothing to it.

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E Norma Scok February 2, 2015 at 1:31 pm

I’m sure glad nothing ever changes. Since you saw it once 25 years ago, then now it couldn’t be different.

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Buz Martin February 2, 2015 at 4:08 pm

I had the gallery in this century, fool.

I do know there are hucksters of every color, creed and political persuasion. It’s nothing but blantant bigotry, though, to claim that every one of the women who sell sweetgrass baskets in that area is a charleton.

I don’t give a damn what they call the bridge, and the entire Ravenel family can go to hell for all I care — father, son, the whole lot of them. Sure hope the child is spared Hell, though, and is not too scarred, from having twisted over-privileged trust-fund baby freaks for parents.

9" February 1, 2015 at 10:59 pm

Micky Mouse was talking to his psychiatrist about Minnie Mouse,and the shrink misunderstood him;’I didn’t say she was crazy,I said she was fucking Goofy!

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Buz Martin February 2, 2015 at 1:23 pm

A classic. One of my favorite jokes, ever.

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steve February 1, 2015 at 8:11 pm

Ravenel is a racist, among other things. I am 100% for Sweetgrass Skyway Love it. Rename it.

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E Norma Scok February 1, 2015 at 10:14 pm

How might one pick the bigger racist between Wendell Giliard and Arthur Ravenel?

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steve February 2, 2015 at 11:28 am

He did not propose, “The Wendell Giliard Bridge.”

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CNSYD February 2, 2015 at 9:19 am

and Sharpton and Jackson are great American statesmen and peacemakers, right Steve?

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nitrat February 2, 2015 at 9:58 am

What bridges are named after them?

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steve February 2, 2015 at 3:08 pm

I’d rather the bridge be named after a basket than a racist.

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Burp February 2, 2015 at 6:59 pm

Your head is bad.

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Try To Keep Up February 2, 2015 at 10:00 am

Oh, come on. He can’t help it. All white people are racist. White people are racist by virtue of being white and ‘privileged’.

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PCAlum February 2, 2015 at 10:37 am

You wanna rename the bridge, fine….but the sweetgrass skyway sounds like something out of my little pony

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RogueElephant February 2, 2015 at 12:29 pm

Like most of what politicians do.

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Buz Martin February 2, 2015 at 1:19 pm

T-Rav never had a chance of beating Graham. Screw-up or not.

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BillBrasky February 2, 2015 at 11:56 am

If you want to play that card, fine, but having lived in Charleston, I can say that Arthur Ravenel has done a hell of a lot more for the 1st District and the state of South Carolina than any sweetgrass basket weaver down at the market. I didn’t see people bitching about Strom Thurmond’s name being plastered on everything when they asked him to get the funding to build whatever they needed (a road, bridge, federal building, etc.). Get the F*%k over yourself and grow up Peter Pan.

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RogueElephant February 2, 2015 at 12:34 pm

I voted for him twice for governor before I had to vote for that Beasley character. Great statesman IMO. If his son hadn’t screwed up we might be rid of Grahamnasty too.

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I See Everything February 2, 2015 at 6:56 pm

Sweetgrass Skyway sounds homosexual, immaturity, stupid, idiotic, and most of all – fucked up, like you. And stop using proxies to vote for your own post.

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TontoBubbaGoldstein February 1, 2015 at 8:35 pm

TBG sure hopes that they’re not going to try and rename the “T-Rav White Lines” on the Cuz-way…

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E Norma Scok February 1, 2015 at 10:13 pm

The weird part about that bridge is that being I’ve been local since I was born here, and have never heard anyone but Fits call it the “cuz way”.

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Lenny February 2, 2015 at 9:26 am

ditto….where does Folks get his bogus info from?

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CNSYD February 2, 2015 at 9:41 am

From the image in his mirror.

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Torch February 2, 2015 at 1:47 pm

From T-Rav.

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The Colonel February 2, 2015 at 7:18 am

When I saw the article title, I thought this was another legalize pot article….

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FastEddy23 February 1, 2015 at 10:20 pm

Mmmmm … Competitive Logrolling while the poor continue to suffer under heavy non-progressive taxation and good-old-boy backslapping.

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Self Respecting Woman February 2, 2015 at 1:11 am

Just rename everything; bridges, roads. buildings. All the pp whom they were named after are scum. Charge $5000 for naming rights – that would bring in a hell of a lot of tax revenue

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Kudos! February 2, 2015 at 8:30 am

Love this comment!

+10

We have/had buildings & bridges named after crooks. Everyone needs to stop ass sniffing/boot licking gov’t employees. They are no different than the average Joe schleping off to some thankless job every morning to feed his family and stay off the public dole.

He does more for us by being self sufficient than any of those employed by gov’t do.

If they want to name buildings & bridges I’d suggest they start with Biblical figures. “Moses Highway” or “Jesus Conventions Center”, etc. et al

But, I like your idea very much. Let corporations voluntary pay to have their name on such things if they like. It’s a win/win for the taxpayer & corporation.

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Jack February 2, 2015 at 9:46 am

$5000??? That is a pittance. These blue bloods will pay way more than that. Not to mention the Corporations. Ask Walmart and Boeing what they will pay for the naming rights. The Dreamliner Skyway? Walton’s Crossing?

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GrandTango February 2, 2015 at 7:21 am

SILENCE on the GAME. You liberals are PRICELESS. ..LMAO…..in your cowardice. …

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Crooner February 2, 2015 at 9:04 am

At least Mr. Sweetgrass Skyway isn’t a living politician who can still embarrass the state. The old saying goes “you don’t brag on a dog ’til he’s dead.”

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RogueElephant February 2, 2015 at 9:13 am

Leave the bridge named as it is. With all that is wrong in SC why do these “legislators” waste OUR time with such crap ?

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Glass half full February 2, 2015 at 11:26 am

Seriously though, maybe this is a good thing. Let them pass meaningless shit all day long since they are always making more laws instead of striking down bad ones.

It actually lessens our burden to have them fighting with each other over meaningless shit.

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RogueElephant February 2, 2015 at 12:21 pm

You definitely have a point.

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GrandTango February 2, 2015 at 9:35 am

At least FITS came on here whining about low voter turn-out on Nov. 5, after he got his @$$ kicked…

GREAT DAY in football, and y’alls lord-god pundit FITS is AWOL…cannot answer the bell???..How unprofessional…(big surprise there)….

Has FITS QUIT???…over the pain of the Patriots WINNING…Beating the CRAP out of your beloved, Dope-Smoking Seahawks???

And what about the Humble Malcomb Butler, compared to that @$$-hole Richard Sherman that the media loves…

Sucks to be a liberal….does it not????…Hahahaha…

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Nölff February 2, 2015 at 9:38 am

Reading comprehension: How is ANY of this related to the article? I enjoy reading other’s comments and you fart all over it.

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GrandTango February 2, 2015 at 9:45 am

You do know I say what I want to say..and don’t realy give a S#!t what you and the rest of the Dumb@$$ liberals think…
That’s the beauty of NOT being an official, or scared you won’t like me. I don’t have to be politically correct, or march to the uniformed BullS#!t they use to control you NAZI-esque liberals…
Now have a Blessed Day….LMAO…

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Try To Keep Up February 2, 2015 at 10:07 am

LMAO!!! The question posed to you was ” How is ANY of this related to the article?” and in typical liberal internet bully fashion, you continue talking about stuff not related to the article and even throw nonsense about having to be “politically correct”. You can only be “politically incorrect” if we know what the hell you’re talking about in the first place. Otherwise you’re just “colossally stupid”.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(insert another GT rant below)

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nitrat February 2, 2015 at 9:54 am

If people would stop carrying on conversations with the troll idiot, he would lose interest and go away.

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Try To Keep Up February 2, 2015 at 10:03 am

Ah yes, Elizabeth Warren and all those northeastern conservatives…err, wait…oh, nevermind.

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Eat A Dick February 2, 2015 at 12:45 pm

Has Fits quit?

I don’t know, I was soooo busy reading your blog…

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GrandTango February 2, 2015 at 1:34 pm

That you, FITS???…LMAO….

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I resolve to laugh February 2, 2015 at 9:39 am

You missed the best part where Merril claimed he and his colleagues were too busy handling important matters to worry about resolutions like this. HAHaHAHAHAHAHA!

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Tazmaniac February 2, 2015 at 9:40 am

You this involves some piece of a$$ Giliard is trying to hit.

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nitrat February 2, 2015 at 9:52 am

Merrill obviously has no sense of humor about being caught not reading bills. Pissant.
Sweetgrass Skyway is certainly way more poetic than The Ravenel Bridge. Although, I don’t quite get the ‘skyway’ part.
And, after all, the Ravenel name has been permanently besmirched by Thomas and his trashy life.

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west_rhino February 2, 2015 at 9:55 am

So Wendell used the Pelosi playbook, worked on the house side like that old Emory and Henry play works for the HBC.
still waitin for the Ernest Hollings toll plaza on the Mt. Plastic side…

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Timmy Tebow February 2, 2015 at 4:51 pm

Let’s meet in the middle, shall we, and call it the “Pompous Pampas Grass Parkway!”

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