Mississippi Lawmaker Says ‘All The Blacks’ In His Town Get Food Stamps, Don’t Work

Mississippi state Representative Gene Alday is in hot water after stating that “all the blacks” in his town get food stamps, don’t work, and live off of “welfare crazy checks,” Huffington Post is reporting.

The remarks came in an interview with The Jackson Clarion-Ledger about public school funding in Mississippi. Alday, the former mayor of the small Mississippi town of Walls, told the newspaper he opposed more school funding because Mississippi’s education funding problem had less to do with lack of money, and more to do with bad parents.

“I come from a town where all the blacks are getting food stamps and what I call ‘welfare crazy checks.’ They don’t work.”

He then recounted an incident where he had to wait for treatment at a hospital emergency room.

“I liked to died. I laid in there for hours because they [blacks] were in there being treated for gunshots.”

No sooner did Rep. Alday make his remarks on blacks and food stamps than the backlash began.

Walls resident Leslie B. McLemore said she expects such things to come out of Alday’s mouth.

“Obviously I don’t agree with that, but I can’t think of anything I would agree with Gene about. It’s an uphill battle.”

Asked to clarify his food stamp remarks by Mississippi News Now, Alday insisted he was taken out of context.

“I didn’t say anything wrong. The interview, he just took me out of context. He asked for one thing and started asking another thing.”

He then insisted that he isn’t racist.

“I am definitely not a racist, at all. Because, I mean, I get along with everybody. And I’ve spent a lot of time helping people.”

He also went on to tout his record on civil rights, via Huffington Post.

“Yes, it’s true that most of the blacks in my hometown are on welfare. But they’re good people. I don’t have anything against anybody. I’m a straight-up guy. In my little town they had little civil rights walks and I was with them. I’m with everybody.”

Alday’s Republican colleagues in Mississippi are trying to distance themselves from Alday’s remarks. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant condemned Alday’s racist comments.

“Rep. Alday is solely responsible for his remarks. I strongly reject his comments condemning any Mississippian because of their race. Those days are long past.”

Do you think Gene Alday should resign from his job because of his remarks about blacks and food stamps? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

[Image courtesy of: Jackson Clarion-Ledger]