Why Gloria Galloway Fails Miserably At Covering Ignatieff's "Cottin-Pickin" Gaffe

Conservative Senator Don Meredith takes issue with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff’s use of the term “cotton pickin’ minute” and wants him to apologize. Not to worry. G&M journalist(?) Gloria Galloway is quick to write about it, all the while explaining that it isn't even a racist comment. She tries a number of explanations, even using Bugs Bunny to cover Iggy's gaffe. Here's a quote from Galloway's article:

The Liberal Leader’s quote was, at the very least, insensitive and, certainly offensive to many people, Mr. Meredith said. The reference, he said, hails back to a time when slavery was acceptable and an entire group of people were held to be lesser than others because of the colour of their skin.

But does it?


"According to American essayist Heather Michon, the phrase “cotton picking” arose in the American South in “sometime the 17th Century to describe a nuisance or something troublesome or unpleasant.” At that time, cotton was a garden crop tended by Southerners, black people and white people alike, Ms. Michon says."

I guess Galloway might need someone to educate her on black history and slavery in the southern U.S. Better yet, she might want to talk to Oprah Winfrey on the subject. I'm guessing if she did, or even took a smidgen of her time to look at the reference made by Ignatieff, instead of immediately hitting the keyboard trying to dismiss the gaffe as baseless, she would realize Ignatieff stepped in it and needs to apologize. Better yet, Galloway might want to head down to Blockbuster Video and rent the movie "The Cottin Pickin Truth".

So for you Gloria Galloway, a quick summary of the term Ignatieff referenced, and what memories or meaning it has to many people.


"The Cotton Pickin' Truth... Still On The Plantation" is a documentary about slavery in the United States of America and the harsh living conditions for many African Americans today as a direct result of being forced to live in involuntary servitude. The documentary features human rights activist - Dick Gregory, former slave until the 1960's - Mae Louise Miller, Presidential advisor and Harvard Law Professor - Charles Ogletree, Capitol Hill correspondent - George Wilson, Glendora, Mississippi Mayor - Johnny Thomas, and many more.

Producers of the film, Tobias "Profit" Smith and Timothy Smith, are a father and son film making duo who firmly believe in putting "the mission before the money." They set out to produce a documentary on former slave Mae Louise Miller in July of 2009. In the process of researching slavery in America, they uncovered people still living on present day plantations in Mississippi. They also discovered that the average living conditions for people in the Mississippi delta are far below subsistence level.

"The Cotton Pickin' Truth... Still On The Plantation" is a shocking and compelling documentary about slavery that calls for rewriting of American history as we know it.