A man has a vision where he sees God. He describes the experience to his minister, who asks him to describe God. The reply, "She's black."

You might be right that conservative racist Democrats can only be found in the South. There are certainly racist Democrats who may not be conservative in other parts of the country. Anyone who tries to claim that Democrats are all accepting and tolerant is either misinformed or a fool. Racism is a sad fact across political and geographic boundaries, and it's by no means limited to any one race.

Maddox was widely known in the South for his "Pickrick Drumsticks", which were sawed off axe handles. Their avowed purpose was to beat any blacks who dared to enter his restaurants. How much of that was just for show isn't certain, but this article claims his reputation doesn't necessarily match his record.

Does he still consider himself a segregationist? The answer is yes. He believes in the right to segregate one's business. He proudly admits that he is an active member of the Council of Conservative Citizen - the right-wing group that current politicians like Barr and Lott disavowed when their links to the organization are exposed in the media. He opposes "the amalgamation of the races." He speaks out against the "New World Order."

No, he will not repent like George Wallace, who recanted at the end of his life and acknowledged that he did things for political gain. Maddox says he has no regrets, no need of repentance for anything he's done or said. "I was Lester Maddox," he says. "How could I do anything different?"

Maddox isn't the last of his generation, but as an Alabama native, I hope it's a dying breed. At the end of July, I'll be going back to Alabama for the first time in 3 years. It'll be interesting to see what, if anything, has changed.