Blackfaced coonman

I apologize but you'll understand the choice of title after reading this:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ralph-n...-in-blackface/

VA gov. implicated in racist yearbook scandal, depicted on photo of a man in blackface alongside a man dressed as a KKK, identified (voluntarily, I presume) in one place as "Coonman". VA GOP outraged—presumably not just because they're mad they didn't discover this first. Democrats and orgs representing various groupings of black Americans have already called for his resignation so the next couple of days will be interesting. Note that "coonman" is not a drinking game

At first I thought, that it's a bit harsh to demand a resignation for a youthful transgression. But it seems it wasn't such a one off thing at a time that blatant racism as exposed no longer was 'regular'.

This makes me feel ashamed of the GOP opp-research people. How do you MISS this during an election cycle?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LittleFuzzy

This makes me feel ashamed of the GOP opp-research people. How do you MISS this during an election cycle?

---

Different parts of the GOP vary from state to state but generally the GOP focuses on bashing people based on positions they hold. IE you are for baby murder, or you want to let illegals swarm across the border, or you are weak on defense etc. The Democratic party are typically the ones who practice the politics of personal destruction.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lewkowski

Different parts of the GOP vary from state to state but generally the GOP focuses on bashing people based on positions they hold. IE you are for baby murder, or you want to let illegals swarm across the border, or you are weak on defense etc. The Democratic party are typically the ones who practice the politics of personal destruction.

---

Ah, sweet delusion. No. Opp-research for both parties looks for anything they can use that might turn the tables on their opponents. The closer a race is (or the more certain they're losing) the more likely they are to use material. It has absolutely nothing to do with which party they are. The only degree to which that matters is that what may be scandalous for a member of one party isn't necessarily going to do much to alienate voters from someone in the other party, or motivate your own supporters more than they already are. Abortion-related material is often not that useful a discovery to employ against a Dem candidate, for instance. Or apparently being guilty of fraud, against a Republican presidential nominee.

Quite the mess. First he makes an apology for the picture, then says it's not him. Then admits to wearing blackface in a Michael Jackson dance contest. :picard:

I don't see this as (D) vs (R), or whether opposition research or full vetting was done. Racism is a real problem for the US, one we've papered over for generations but haven't really addressed, so it keeps rearing its ugly head. :(

For context, it's been pointed out that "Dukes of Hazard" was a popular TV show at that time, with a car named The Robt. E. Lee and a confederate flag in the Sheriff's office (or part of the state flag?). I'm not sure if that really matters, because wearing blackface or Klan hoods was NOT considered acceptable, not even for costume parties, and it surely wasn't appropriate for a Medical School yearbook!

I understand that people make mistakes, and when public figures make them it gets magnified. (Didn't Prince Harry wear a Nazi costume a few years back and get ripped in the news?) But I don't know how a Governor can recover from this, especially in a southern state with a long history of racism, or if he even should. I think he should stop trying to say he wasn't racist (but just insensitive) back then, or how so NOT racist he is now, and just resign.

Virginia AG and third-in-line for succession, who I'm told has urged Northam to resign over the blackface scandal:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DyvEcxqWwAEDaKO.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DyvEdT2WkAAVhQL.jpg

Lt. Gov Fairfax faces allegations of sexual assault:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DyvLAcKX0AAKpk5.jpg

What a time to be a US voter

Another one: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/...-yearbook.html

Even in the late 60's I'm pretty sure that was considered inappropriate and shouldn't have made it past yearbook staff/administration approval, especially at a 'military' school. How many more yearbooks have blackface photos....:hmm:

Virginia keepin' it real racist:

https://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Co...506560451.html

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D0qc38nW0AIbVFI.jpg

I guess it was intended as a criticism of antisemitism or something...?