RSS Feed MenuYesterday, as I was driving around my hometown of Richmond, Virginia with my mother, who said she thought racism had worsened since the election of the country’s first black president. We both then reflected on how there seems to be a growing number of white people who simply loath the fact Obama is president. These people seem to have decided a black president is more than they can stomach.
A quick recap of the summer to date: Sherri Goforth, legislative aid to Tennessee State Senator Diane Black (R-Gallatin), emailed a racist photo of President Obama; Rusty Depass, Richland County GOP Chairman and former chair of the South Carolina state election commission, compared Michelle Obama’s ancestors to gorillas; and Mike Green, a GOP communications consultant from South Carolina joked on his Twitter page: “Just heard Obama is going to impose a 40 percent tax on aspirin because it’s white and it works.”
The latest luminary to take center stage as the “best and brightest” GOP racist is Audra Sigler Shay, a blond, white 38-year old army veteran, mother and event planner from Louisiana. Shay is vice chairman of the Young Republicans and a favored candidate to be elected chairman of the Young Republicans at the group’s national conference in Indianapolis Saturday. Last week in an apparent move to stir up the base and support for her campaign, she posted a comment on her Facebook page about Wal-Mart endorsing the Obama administration’s mandate for employers to pay for workers’ health insurance.
What ensued was a flurry of racist comments posted on her Facebook page which Shay condoned.
Eric S Piker wrote at 1:54pm: “Obama bin lauden is the new terrorist. . . muslim is on there side. . . .need to take this country back from all these mad coons. . .and illegals”
Audra Sigler Shay at 2:02pm: “You tell em Eric! Lol”
To say this is repugnant and offensive is to state the obvious! What’s even more incredible is Shay, a candidate endorsed by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, seems to revel in her Facebook friend Eric’s remarks. Her laugh out loud (lol) comment sounds like she’s slapping Piker on the back in support of his good racist humor. As I noted in my previous post, coon is a racist word used to refer to blacks as shiftless buffoons. It also means a building used to hold slaves for sale during America’s slave trade.
Shay immediately de-friended Cassie Wallender, a national committee woman of the Washington Young Republican Federation and Sean L. Conner of the DC Young Republicans for their comments condemning Shay for allowing Piker’s comments to take root on her page. According to the Daily Beast’s story, Shay deleted the comments, wrote on her Facebook page they were unacceptable but she kept Piker as a friend. Apparently, the comments weren’t that reprehensible to her but she had to pretend like they were because they found their way into the public domain.
Later, at 10:31pm Piker returned with his racist vitriol, “. . . this is still America. . .freedom of speech and thought is still allowed . . .for now any ways. . . . and the last time I checked I was a good ole southern boy. . . and if yur ass is black don’t let the sun set on it in a southern . . .”
What is shocking isn’t the bigoted comments but this undeniable pattern of behavior wildly propagating within the Republican party. Even more appalling is the persistent, seemingly intentional lack of acknowledgement or rebuke of these actions from the Republican party, its leadership or rising stars. At a minimum, Governor Jindal should withdraw his support for Shay before this weekend’s election.
As Maggie reflects in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof:
Laws of silence don’t work. . .
When something is festering in your memory or your imagination, laws of silence don’t work, it’s just like shutting a door and locking it on a house on fire in hope of forgetting that the house is burning. But not facing a fire doesn’t put it out. Silence about a thing just magnifies it. It grows and festers and in silence, becomes malignant.
The racist fringe of the GOP is infecting the party like a malignancy and quite frankly turning it into a marginalized party of losers. Apologies made after the fact by these bands of bigots only remind the public of how terribly broken and void of credibility the GOP has become.
With many Americans, particularly independent voters, growing increasingly disenchanted with president Obama’s high deficit, big spending agenda, producing zero jobs, a Republican resurgence could be within reach. But if the GOP refuses to publically acknowledge and rebuke this racism flourishing in the party and develop a reinvigorated platform capable of attracting political converts, there is no hope for a comeback but only continued rule by the “foaming in the mouth crazies.”
Recently, my mother was power walking through our neighborhood as she often does and said hello to a woman pulling weeds in her front yard. The woman, who happened to be white, didn’t respond. Determined to be neighborly, my mother followed with “how are you today?” The woman uncomfortably stuttered saying “uh, oh just working” but never looked my mother in the face. In telling me the story, my mother said “They don’t even want to acknowledge we exist.”
The GOP needs to acknowledge there’s an electorate beyond its good ole boy and girl base and appeal to it. In doing so, the Republican party will either force the racist radicals to fall in line or crowd them out of the tent with a “new majority.”
America’s political landscape has changed and is changing. We elected a black president, we may soon have our first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. The 1964 Civil Rights Act isn’t going to be reversed and the word “coon” has no place in political discourse. Deal with it. The Grand Old Party would be wise to start encouraging its members to criticize politicians on their positions rather than their ethnicity. After all, evolution is about the survival of the fittest, not the racist.
mymy // Jul 8, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Of course racism is bad. What I don’t understand as I said before is the GOP backing off every time the race card is played.I’ve heard a group of very liberal NY City woman say horrible things about Porto Ricans and Haitians,but I would never take from this all liberal NY woman are racist.
AlexK // Jul 8, 2009 at 2:04 pm
It’s Southern bigotry, not a Republican or ‘white’ problem.
mymy // Jul 8, 2009 at 2:23 pm
ALEXK so bigotry in NY or south Boston is just fine so long as it doesn’t have a southern accent.Al Shaptons bigotry is fine also because he is amusing and gets TV time
Oneon1isto // Jul 8, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Yeah uh, Alex…the most overtly racist people I’ve ever met hail from PA. Just saying pockets of bigotry spring up wherever.
I think the difference between Al Sharpton and Crystal’s examples is that he’s been made illegitimate over time, and the Dems reflect this. He lost his pull with the party long ago and they’ve moved past him. The problem with Crystal’s examples is that they’re not lightning rod figures–they’re party rank and file. And they’re not being moved past or run out of town. In some cases they’re being celebrated, and at best they’re being ignored.
If my corporation had these people they would’ve been fired long ago.
mymy // Jul 8, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I remember seeing a recent picture of Al Sharpton with Pres Obama at the White House.Just checked he was there 5-09.
Oneon1isto // Jul 8, 2009 at 2:55 pm
My God, so were the Foo Fighters!
mymy // Jul 8, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Have no idea Who the Foo Fighters are,but if the are Race hustlers they shouldn’t be there either.You say the Dems have gotten past Rev.Al,well he was having meeting with the Pres. It just doesn’t appear they have moved away as much as you want to believe
ottovbvs // Jul 8, 2009 at 3:17 pm
AlexK // Jul 8, 2009 at 2:04 pm
“It’s Southern bigotry, not a Republican or ‘white’ problem”
…….Substantially true(although it’s not unknown elsewhere as One on one points out) but the South is the heartland of the GOP these days which is why it looms large! And these folks are basically mainstream southern Republicans not freaks.
ottovbvs // Jul 8, 2009 at 3:20 pm
balconesfault // Jul 8, 2009 at 1:35 pm
“That seems to capture the Paris Hilton phenomena completely.”
……..make sure you are in the elite seems to be the answer!!
mymy // Jul 8, 2009 at 3:21 pm
WOW this is amazing.you are ready to paint an entire region of the country as racist and more than happy to dismiss them .Well if this is the new big tent idea I’m not sure there is much of a future in it.
ottovbvs // Jul 8, 2009 at 3:39 pm
mymy // Jul 8, 2009 at 3:21 pm
……You know if you’ll excuse the pun you’re awfully black and white about this. No one is saying the an entire region of the country is racist. What’s being said is that for a variety of probably historic reasons there is a high incidence of racism amongst southerners. You don’t believe that to be the case while others do and on the basis of the information presented by Crystal there is some credibility to the claim.
Oneon1isto // Jul 8, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Mymy #32: The Foo Fighters are an alternative rock group…they were invited to play his July 4th BBQ. My snide point was made to basically show that Al Sharpton isn’t inner circle just because he garners a meeting with the President. He wasn’t instrumental during Obama’s campaign, and was probably more a hindrance. Same with Jesse Jackson. He is most decidedly not in the inner circle of cabinet members and officials who unduly influence the President.
Once again, pointing to Al Sharpton and saying “he’s crazy and says stuff about white people” does not refute Crystal’s examples that are readily apparent within the party structure of the GOP. I refer back to my earlier statement: “they do it too” does not excuse anyone’s behavior.
VA Shepherd // Jul 8, 2009 at 5:42 pm
ottovbvs // Jul 8, 2009 at 3:39 pm
“on the basis of the information presented by Crystal there is some credibility to the claim”
What information? Her feelings? She wrote “there seems to be a growing number of white people who simply loath the fact Obama is president. These people seem to have decided a black president is more than they can stomach.” What does she base that on? Does she have a sixth sense?
There’s no shortage of rascism in the other regions of the country or other communities (black, hispanic, asian). Labeling Southern whites as rascist is just another form of discrimination.
mymy // Jul 8, 2009 at 5:50 pm
OTTO”its southern bigotry, not a republican or white problem” ” substantially true” those statements seem pretty comprehensive. Oneon The statement “you blue eyed devils better not be callin my office” was made by a congressman. I’m not here to defend racist statements ,but you sure do paint with a broad brush around here.
sinz54 // Jul 8, 2009 at 8:12 pm
One other point that should be mentioned is that the advent of the Internet, including blogs, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc., is enormously amplifying the national (and even global) reach of the loudmouths and the lunatics.
The vast majority of Republicans are neither racists nor bigots nor conspiracy theorists. But (or perhaps “therefore”) they’re not loudmouths trying to rant nationwide via the Internet either.
In the old days, Ms. Shay would have held a meeting of Young Republicans in some rented meeting room. Perhaps some bigot would have shown up ranting about blacks or Hispanics. But she would just have quieted him down and continued with the meeting.
Today, the bigot’s rant will likely end up on YouTube, and the whole world will see what went on. That Ms. Shay is not a racist, and that most of the time her discourse is civil and professional, won’t matter. The bigot’s rants will be what everyone will see.
Lefties say some pretty hateful and crazy stuff on the Internet too. But conservatives are late to the Internet party. They’re still not experienced in the use of Internet media to catch their Leftist opponents in embarrassing moments. And so a lot of this stuff doesn’t get out more.
dacookson // Jul 8, 2009 at 9:27 pm
sinz54 makes a good point. I disagree with Crystal’s mum, the US isn’t getting more racist from what I can see. Certain people are just being more vocal and we get to hear about it much easier than before. The line there seems to be a growing number of white people who simply loath the fact Obama is president. These people seem to have decided a black president is more than they can stomach is either an unjustified assumption or a muddy piece of writing. The central point she’s making, that racism exists within the GOP and that it needs to be tackled and condemned publicly if the party is to increase its electoral appeal, is valid and correct.
AlexK // Jul 8, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Of course Al Sharpton is also a racist. What’s your point? Don’t justify a wrong with a wrong.
AlexK // Jul 8, 2009 at 10:26 pm
BTW, I happen to think that racism is not a serious problem and that these are just loud, impolitic people — the ’screaming minority.’ A lot of them are just joking, too. Lord knows I’ve made racist jokes before, although I’m about as anti-racist as it comes, being fiercely individualistic.
sinz54 // Jul 9, 2009 at 8:22 am
dacookson: I agree.
What is happening is that for the first time in their lives, conservative citizens under the age of 45 are learning what it’s like to live under a doctrinaire liberal government. And they hate it, they absolutely hate it with every fiber of their being. And they’re responding emotionally–with conspiracy theories, and even racial slurs.
VA Shepherd // Jul 9, 2009 at 9:39 am
sinz54 // Jul 9, 2009 at 8:22 am
So unlike how liberals dealt with living under President Bush.
sinz54 // Jul 9, 2009 at 12:56 pm
VA Shepherd:
It’s actually not the same.
Liberals had become grudgingly accustomed to living under conservative administrations since Reagan’s in 1981. So for them, the Bush Administration was not that much of a shock. In fact, Bush’s original “compassionate conservatism” could have been more palatable to them than Reagan’s hard-right policies had been.
Liberal anger at Bush came from an entirely different source: The disastrous November 2000 election and recount mess in Florida, which left many of them convinced that Bush had stolen the election away from Gore. I remember that prior to the election, liberals had disagreed with Bush on policy, but they certainly didn’t hate him. The hate began after the Supreme Court intervened, with a ruling that essentially left Bush the winner.
GOP & Race: Don’t Blame All for Sins of a Few // Jul 9, 2009 at 3:57 pm
[...] all the claims of Republican and conservative racism (including on this site), I thought I would point out a couple of things to those who claim conservative racism is overly [...]
brutus1791 // Jul 9, 2009 at 4:11 pm
LMAO. What more can I say? Every one of Cheryl’s pieces are a deplorable waste of electrons…
ottovbvs // Jul 9, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Just went over to a noted conservative site and picked up this sample of comments on the Obama kids who are apparently doing the sights in tees and shorts in Italy. No racism problem on the right at all Crystal you’re a waste of electrons:
“Were being represented by a family of ghetto trash.”
“Looks like a bunch of ghetto thugs. A stain on America.”
“Looks like a typical street whore.”
“What we now are sending the ghetto over to represent us. and if so who the hell is that flea bag who looks to be dragged from the trash dumpster.”
“you could go down any ghetto right now and see exactly the same.”
“could you imagine what world leaders must be thinking seeing this kind of street trash and that we paid for this kind of street ghetto trash to go over there”
“the world must be laughing like mad right now at that we have this kind of street trash in our white house.”
“Wonder when she will have her first abortion.”
sad isn’t it that we now have ghetto street trash over there representing us in Europe.
“AND NONE I REPEAT NONE of the Palin kids never even ventured into the public arena making anykind of statement comparable to this Obubbo’s daughter”
“This disgusting display makes me more and more eager for the revolution.
They make me sick…. The whole family… mammy, pappy, the free loadin’ mammy-in-law, the misguided chillin’, and especially ‘lil cuz… This is not the America I want representin’ my peeps.”
Of course not! They have black friends!
WHERE………IS HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!
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Uncategorized | The Progressive Republican // Jul 11, 2009 at 12:41 am
[...] with white Republicans either saying or condoning racist talk has shaken my belief somewhat. Writer Crystal Wright has the sad rundown: A quick recap of the summer to date: Sherri Goforth, legislative aid to Tennessee State Senator [...]