In this electronic image of a poster with head shots of U.S. Presidents, take a look at the “photo” that was selected for Obama. Let me help you. Check out the lower right-hand corner. The image was a joke sent out in an email by an aide in the Tennessee state legislature. I think you can assume that the aid was a GOP staff member–but don’t be fooled to think that there are no Democratic aides that would make a similar blunder.
This goes into the file labeled, “What in the world were they thinking?” I’m torn between assuming, on one hand, that the people who end up in this file are just a few knuckleheads AND that this is emblematic of the depth of racism in our society on the other. (People really do seem to make a lot of racist jokes…or so I’ve heard.)
Here’s another one for the file.
Shortly after the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a Boston police officer and member of the Massachusetts National Guard sent out an email–and to lots of people, I should add–in which he called Gates a “banana eating jungle monkey.” Ouch.
By the way, there is a sub-folder in this file that is titled “What the F are they thinking?” and this one probably goes there. The police office, Captain Justin Barrett (he’s not a twenty year old rookie), asserted that he felt remorse and was sorry for the email and that he is not racist because, afterall, he has friends from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. “It was a poor choice of words,” Barrett said. “I didn’t mean it in a racist way. I treat everyone with dignity and respect.”
Can I disentangle this just a bit. It seems to me that if I went to a KKK meeting and asked someone in a hood to define “negro,” they just might say something like, “Negro? Why yes, son, that would be a ‘banana eating jungle monkey’.” What else would they possibly say that would be acceptable to the racist hoards waiting to reclaim the country from the brown skinned barbarians?
Here’s another one for the WTF file:
Unfortunately, this guy only had the funds to pay an entry level, mail order public relations clean-up person and so he couldn’t come up with something more convincing than blaming it on supporters of Charles Darwin. That was a pathetic attempt to spin this slip and it went nowhere. My god, brother, have some respect for our intellect.
I find myself saying some pretty off-the-hook things at random moments and yet I never seem to slip into this level of racist banter. I guess since I don’t have the thoughts, the words never leave my lips. But I have to wonder if this how many of us think in our private moments. And then when these private moments get loose in the public domain, they spin about until we’re all dizzy with the feeling of impending dread of having to suffer another media circus.
Sometimes the “attack of the racists” goes a bit too far — like the condemnation of the poor schmuck who a few years back correctly and unwisely used “niggardly” in a meeting among colleagues. He got hammered pretty hard because his office mates didn’t know what the word meant. (Of course, he might have been baiting them because without the “dly” the word is pronounced just like the N-bomb.)
Other times, however, I suspect that people who engage in what is so obviously offensive and racist behavior clearly deserve what they get. “We don’t give a damn if it’s part of your cultural heritage; we don’t do that any more.” Sure there can be a very fine line between these two reactions, and I don’t want to be the judge of who crosses it. But sometimes enough if enough.
After reading the blog I had different thoughts about how to feel. A lot of feelings were running through my head reguarding different races and racism. I agree that everyone is always going to make fun of the president reguardless of whether they are in favor of them or not. I think that this blog was wrong because there is a lot of racism between white police and black citizens especially this year. There have been many shootings and death among civilians and police officers. Obviously we have not grown a lot as a country because people are still dealing with the issue of racism. Living near the city I have learned to deal with racism however I do not believe that any person should ever have to deal with the hardships of racism. For some reason we cannot get passed the fact that even though we everyone is different in their own way, we should never look at someones color and judge them because of that.
I think that this blog should have never been created and whoever did was obviously someone who does not feel strong about our country. There is always more to a person than the color of their skin. President Obama has already had a strong influence on the public and how he is going to run the country. I don’t believe that someone should ever be looked at because of the color of their skin. Because our president is black does not mean he should in anyway be treated differently or anyone believe that he has nothing to offer. He has already had a strong influence on the way people are living their lives a lot of different cultures have looked up to him as an influence.
Race should never be an issue it should be about who the person is and how they will change the society. No one should ever look at as someone what color they are but who they are. There are people out there that are more concerned with the color of someones skin instead of who they are. Many people in society today don’t look at who the person is but automatically judge them for where they come from and not for who they are.
The fact that someone had the audacity to show the president in this manner was unacceptable and should never have been viewed or shown. I believe that people are stuck in a world who think that it is right to treat others like this and don’t know right from wrong. Its something that should never have never even been brought up and the fact that people are even thinking about this disgusts me. We need to have respect for the president and not only him but what he stands for.
[Reply]
In response to the most recent “What Are They Thinking?” post, I find the electronic image e-mail incident ridiculous, but not surprising. The reason I wasn’t shocked was because I don’t think people involved in government (in this case an aide in the Tennessee state legislature) are some of our brightest people, not even state representatives in Washington. I find a lot of what they say to be contradictory, but that is a whole different issue. In the e-mail, the poster contains headshots of all of our presidents in chronological order, with Obama being represented last as just two eyeballs that stand out in a black background. The viewer is clearly supposed to see that the latest president is black, and of course it is an exaggeration because Obama is not very dark. In reality, a lot of white people are at least as dark as him. The reason I find this e-mail ridiculous is because Obama is only half black. So in this case we most likely have a white man making fun of Obama for being black even though Obama is just as white as he is black (the true differences in percentages are trivial). There are also the people who are proud that Obama is the first black president, which isn’t false (he is part black), but I don’t like hearing the statement not because it’s inaccurate, but because it almost implies the president is entirely black, which isn’t the case. From what I remember, Barack barely knew his father and was raised during his early years mainly by his white mother. But regardless of this, Obama deserves respect for his accomplishments.
Back to the e-mail sent by the Tennessee state legislature aide, I don’t really understand why people like he or she feel the need to distribute something like that. Did the recipients find it funny? I think it takes an idiot to actually laugh at the image, and it’s just another example of how stupid some racist jokes get. I’m not condemning all jokes that poke fun at a particular racial or ethnic group because as long as you truly are joking I don’t think it’s a big deal, as long as it doesn’t get too demeaning. I partially chose to write about this blog entry because lately I enjoy race related jokes less and less. Most of us have probably shared a good amount of these jokes, hopefully more so at a younger and more immature age, but some of us probably have a friend that still is constantly sharing new racial jokes every once in a while. I have a friend or two that are like this and perhaps years ago some might have been funny, but with time they got so stupid I can’t even pretend to laugh anymore. So, to think that a hypothetical middle-aged man (the e-mailer was probably a male) is sending e-mails like these to his colleagues is pathetic. It’s just another example of what some of the people who are running our country are like…
[Reply]
Just when hopes of there being change, some pessimistic-egotistical- unscrupulous- down low racist advocate makes a comment about our first lady having gorilla ancestry. As if he could’ve possibly said something more bluntly racist as that. I don’t care if he wrote it on a social website blog. As a premier political figure in the state of North Carolina, he should most certainly know better than to be so loose with his personal demeaning thoughts of other ethnicities. I can’t comprehend what could have possibly fooled him into thinking there wouldn’t be a national reaction about this situation. His apology wasn’t enough, after all, he tried to justify his wrongdoings on a statement Michelle Obama “made” about all of our ancestry stemming back to Apes. Is he that racist that he can’t even accept full responsibility for his pitiful racists remarks?
Is this not a melting pot country? With all the cultures that this world encompasses you would figure we have at least come to learn to mind our mouths when discussing a race other than our own, especially if it’s not uplifting that cultures race in a positive manner. Last November 4, 2008 Election Day I had a terrible “First Time Voter” experience. After a day of 5 straight classes, my friends and I stood online waiting to cast our votes for the Presidential Election. We were standing alongside an elderly Caucasian couple. As the line grew closer to the door and it came time for one of our groups to go in front of the other. Now, of course my friends and I were going to let the elderly couple go in front of us. In no time when a friend of mine stepped in front of them to whisper something to a fellow friend in front of us, the wife began to make a scene about my friend trying to cut the line. Humored by the lady’s remarks, my friend laughed and stepped back replying something not so pleasant under her breath, only meant for us to hear. Apparently the wife caught what she said and then began to turn up the heat. She went on and on about how we young “colored” teenagers have no respect for others and how distasteful we are when it comes to talking to our elders. She even went into how we’re wasting our parents hard earned “labor” working wages on sending us to this university. In a state of shock, I couldn’t help but speak my piece and have that woman stand corrected. Her husband took offense to the tone in which I replied to his wife, so he saw fit to put his hands in my face and put me back in my place. At that time my first thought was to react and I wound up mushing the man in his face. Apart of me felt bad, but then again no man, no matter his age or color, should ever put his hands in a woman’s face. After people took notice to the confrontation and settled things down, the wife replied “…and you expect for us to vote for your people, you must be something close to crazy”. Right at that instant I wanted to go in for the kill and call the lady every racial slur I could conjure up. Instead, I laughed it off and told her when she’s ready to join us in the 21st century and realize “MY PEOPLE” (meaning Barak Obama) is one of the reasons the majority of us are standing in this line, then she can speak to me. Until then, keep it quiet! We obviously didn’t let them in front of us at that point; I lost all respect for that couple. If I took anything out of that experience, it would be, no matter what advancements we may be making in this world, there are still those who refuse to break the chain of “tradition” and join the link of “modernization”.
[Reply]
“What are they thinking?” could not be a better title for the post. After seeing that first photo of all of the presidents, and then what should have been Obama, all of my memories of the ridiculous emails sent out and poured into the media during the election came flooding back. I, being a very open liberal agnostic couldn’t believe the number of Barack Obama “Anti-Christ” emails I received. Although those were sent by people who are prejudice against Muslims (which, for the record, I am very well aware that Obama is not) or those who felt it was more socially acceptable to have those types of prejudices rather than be blatantly racist against a black man, they still offer the same themes as the ones circulating today. It’s sort of frightening when you realize that these are not just the thoughts of radical, ignorant conservatives. That “photo” of Obama was sent by a legislative aide, who granted may have a minor role, is still an authority figure, and was hired by an even more important individual. Even Representative Joe Wilson’s “you lie” comment during Obama’s address on health care cannot be entirely separated from race. The GOP can call the comment whatever it likes, but it’s hard to believe that if this had been a white a president, a southern member of the House would be so fast to heckle him like it’s a comedy club (I was waiting for Democrats to start the “asshole” chant that you hear at so many football games). The moral of the story is there are a number of racist people in positions of authority in this country, and apparently, we’re okay with that. Of course when we hear of the comments a public apology is forced, but a few months later, no one cares anymore. Do we really think that Captain Justin Barrett made his first ever racial slur when he was talking about Henry Louis Gates Jr.? Calling someone a “banana eating jungle monkey,” then saying that you treat everyone with dignity and respect, makes you look like a hypocrite, along with an ignorant racist. And why did the media make such a huge deal when Barack Obama said that the Cambridge police acted “stupidly?” Maybe he could’ve used a better choice of words, but when people act as though this was not an issue of race, they’re simply blind. If a white award winning Harvard Professor were being accused of breaking into his own home, and was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct, it probably would’ve made headlines for entirely different reasons. The point here is that, yes, we may have elected a black president, but this country is still home to a number of authority figures with very racists beliefs, and unless we hold them accountable (or elect more intelligent officials) that probably won’t change any time soon.
[Reply]
What were they thinking is exactly what should be said about both the picture and the statements made about the first lady. Obviously these people think that they are funny and are trying to get a rise out of the media or whoever sees these ridiculous antics, but they need to be put in their place. First let me start off with the picture that contains all of the president’s portraits. I think there is no other way to put it then pure racism. For one thing to portray a black man in that sense, but even more so a man of such authority. Barrack Obama is the president of the United States of America and opinions aside should receive the respect he deserves. NEWS FLASH!! A Tennessee legislator created this image, all this is saying is that there is a huge racism problem out there and it should be dealt with. It is one thing to think that someone resembles a gorilla, but to say it is pure ridicule and hurtful. And the fact that the political activist Rusty (whatever his name is) put that comment on face book a clear site that millions of people see a day, he has no excuse but he meant what he said. There is nothing funny about making rude remarks about the first lady whether your opinion about her or not. As Mojo Pin stated, also to me none of these were knew I remember hearing about them and thinking how can someone be so cruel and say things about someone that has done no harm. The fact that he was simply referring to her speech on evolution really got me, to think he could actually turn it around and say it was all a joke and basically blame it on her and say she said it herself first. No it wasn’t a joke he is just a very un-tasteful man that should keep his ridiculous accusations to himself. Mayor Bob Coble is one hundred percent right! There is nothing funny about Depass’s comment. And yes the comment was removed, but the damage was already done.
Bottom line is that there is way too much racism still in the present day world and especially in the past couple of years. Its annoying that it takes ridiculous people like DePass and all the other idiots out there to bring it to our attention, NEWS FLASH Rusty! Face book like I said before could be the largest public site in the world, and to think that no one would see it and react to it makes him a mindless man. And the poster is just absurd and the fact that someone even thought of our president that way is pure disrespect!
[Reply]
There is a fine line between what is accepted and what is not. Does it seem to differentiate between ages? Younger teenagers feel that it is their right so say whatever first comes to their mind. Usually, they get into this routine when their diversity is at minimum. Teenagers in middle school started calling each other “niggas” simply to symbolize brotherhood. When I think of brotherhood, I simply think of the ghetto where it is mostly single parent families, who most of the children rely on each other almost for survival. Many do not have father figured in their lives, therefore the boys stick together. Nevertheless, it is not something to be proud of, except the fact that great bonds were made and that trust is well respected. So, I understand that people in general like to have a close friend with a very close bond. I HATE when people even a black person to another call themselves “niggas.” This argument of America took long enough for us to completely abolish slavery, then why do we keep it living in today? Let alone as a slang world that people should call each other? By the time a person attends college this term is usually relaxed and no one disrespects one another. It should be one of the only times someone has the opportunity to meet many other people from different cultures. Usually, because if a white person would call a black man this, he has a superior chance of getting jumped and beaten. When a middle aged man is shouting about how slaves should be picking cotton from his field. He simply sounds uneducated. Not diverse at all, however, I feel like everyone has a little bit of racism in themselves. There are so many stereotypes embedded into ones head. I had watched a video in one of my first sociology classes. It was a study performed with young girls just back and white, a table, and a black doll and a white doll. The interviewers asked, “Which doll would you like to play with?” ¾ of the children picked to play with the white doll, both races. When the black children were being interviewed one stuck out. This started off with the question of “Which doll would you like to play with?’’ and then “Which doll is the good doll?” black child answered, raising the white doll. “Which doll is the bad one?” answers, by picking up the black doll. Which is incredible, to think they are being raised to think this; the interview was with children no older than six years of age. Is this being racist or simply funny to people?
[Reply]
The poster of the presidents is completely racist. There are racist picture and videos all over the Internet that are consider funny. Are they funny? Some how it is acceptable to post these images on the Internet. People feel like they can do this because their names are not tied to these photos or videos. Really they are not acceptable and need to stop. Will they stop? No. These photos are definitely hurting our society and our youth. Many times people in my life would show me something they would find funny online. Really they were completely racist. Many of these images were shown to me when I was in high school. People still look at these images and show their racism by laughing or agreeing with them.
It is almost not socially acceptable to same something racist but we still laugh and send around these stupid pictures. Maybe I don’t say racist things because I don’t think of people with different colored skin as different. With my group of friends I still hear racist slurs. The thing that hurts me the most is not being able to do anything to change their minds. The most I can do is not be friends with them, but I know they will find a friend who will agree with their viewpoint.
When the news reports about the man called Michelle Obama a gorilla, they will make man apologize. Do you think that humiliation changed him? Maybe he won’t ever print his racist and vial opinions anymore but he will still think the same way. Lots of times peoples viewpoints on subjects are set at an early age. It is much hard to change someone’s views the older they get. This man probably didn’t say this to get publicity, he probably didn’t think it was that harmful or a bad thing. Many children hold the beliefs of their parents and maybe this man is just stating the opinions of his parents. These three stories showed up on the Internet but where are all the others that happen on a daily basis. These images and post happen everyday, not all of them are reported in the news. As a man in this society, I here these things said on a daily basis, not all of them as blatant as the ones reported in the media.
I am going to be hypocritical by saying we need to step up and tell people it is wrong. People need to be submersed in other culture through out their life. Being in another culture might help people realize that people are different but they are still people and are not any less then any other person. These people are the ones that make me depressed and make me think the world cannot be changed.
[Reply]
I am well aware that “jokes” about race and stereotypes circulate all the time. Jews are cheap. Mexicans are lazy. Black people are uncivilized. Asians can’t drive. Women should stay in the kitchen. Whites are racist and self-important. No one is safe in the stereotype category. People are even stereotyped for their hair color! Blondes are dumb, and I’m not even going to start on red heads. Wherever there is diversity, there are jokes. What I don’t understand is why.
We see very well educated people making these comments without considering the possible repercussions. The fact that someone we consider to be an upstanding member of society would circulate a picture that mocks the President of the United States baffles me. The fact that it mocked the President for his race blows my mind even more. How could someone esteemed enough to be elected as a member of our legislature do something like that? It’s an embarrassment to anyone and everyone who voted for him.
If this is what he deemed appropriate to distribute, than what are we not hearing? It makes me wonder what is passing beneath the radar that is not made public for us all to be offended by. What’s being said at the dinner table of this member of legislature? It makes me embarrassed to be a member of the same race as he.
It sickens me to hear about GOP activists such as Rusty DePass relating the FIRST LADY of the United States to a monkey is enraging. What is more infuriating to me is that he thought it would be a plausible excuse to say the comment was made out of jest. REALLY!? The blunder of that is nearly as bad as the statement itself. To say that it was a joke implies that there is humor is the degradation of other races. I don’t see the humor. I have friends that are of a wide variety of races, and I asked them to see if it was just me, but none of them found the statement to be amusing neither. Maybe we just don’t have a good sense of humor.
None of my friends understood the humor of Captain Justin Barrett either. To depict a black professor as a “banana eating jungle monkey” because of his skin color is racist by any definition of the word. For him not to take responsibility for his actions and claim instead that there is no way he could be racist due to have friends of other races, is just embarrassing. He should be ashamed. Rusty DePass, Captain Barrett, and anyone else who feels that making jokes about people being inferior due to their race is amusing should be ashamed. We are in the year 2009; get enlightened.
[Reply]
Racism is an element in this country that I believe will always exist, no matter how hard we try to exterminate it. The use of derogatory terms and name calling of people of color or other races will continue to offend the community that they are directed towards as long as there are ignorant people to say them. It comes as a surprise to me that someone as important as a political figure would be caught, on facebook of all places, making racist comments towards the First Lady of the United States. Though it may be funny for white people to laugh at jokes or comments like this, they also have to realize how offensive they are for the race being targeted.
I remember how popular racist jokes were back in high school. It seemed like the easiest way to get a laugh out of someone was to crack one of these jokes, but you’d have to look over your shoulder first to make sure no one was around that would get offended by it. I’m not going to lie and say that I have never made one of these jokes myself, but you have to grow up at some point and realize how much of a bigot you sound like after saying one. The fact that Rusty DePass made a comment that I may have made in high school is pretty sad and somewhat sickening.
He is supposedly a respected man in Columbia, South Carolina who has done many good things for the community. I’m sure that this random post on facebook has now tarnished his image in the area and hurt his chances at running for any positions in the future as I doubt that he would get any votes from black people. This video also shows how it is not just black people who may have been offended by DePass’ comments, but white people as well. Mayor of Columbia, Bob Coble, is shown condemning DePass and demanding an apology for what he said. One can easily speculate how Coble was just speaking up after this as a political move, since DePass is a member of the GOP and Coble a democrat, but I like to think that he did it for the sheer fact that he is a decent human being.
That is my main concern after watching this YouTube video, how on earth can a man who represents one of largest political parties in this country slip up and say something as bad as this? I expect this out of immature kids and just straight up racist individuals, but not men that may reflect the ideas of thousands of people due to their political affiliation. Way to go Rusty DePass, you really dropped the ball on this one.
[Reply]
Hello!
[Reply]