MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE
by Michael Wolraich
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Hits of the Day
Virginia Governor Raph Northam Has Men In Klan Garb and Blackface on His College Yearbook Page
By rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 5:54pm |Under fire for an abortion bill, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has to explain a picture of one man in blackface and another in Klan garb that appears on his college yearbook page. Republicans are having a field day. No comment yet from the Governor on the picture.
Link to the abortion bill controversy from Vox
https://www.vox.com/2019/2/1/18205428/virginia-abortion-bill-kathy-tran-ralph-northam
URL:
https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article_67fdd682-2662-11e9-a7d1-c7ed70e09b50.html
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VIRGINIA GOVERNOR RAPH NORTHAM HAS MEN IN KLAN GARB AND BLACKFACE ON HIS COLLEGE YEARBOOK PAGE
By rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 4:54pm |
https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/virginia/article_67fdd6...
Under fire for an abortion bill, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has to explain a picture of one man in blackface and another in Klan garb that appears on his college yearbook page. Republicans are having a field day. No comment yet from the Governor on the picture.
Link to the abortion bill controversy from Vox
https://www.vox.com/2019/2/1/18205428/virginia-abortion-bill-kathy-tran-ralph-northam
by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 5:56pm
This picture was in 1984, not 1954.
Ari Melber of MSNBC reports that Northam says he is in the picture. He acknowledges that the picture is racist.
Northam does not say if he is in blackface or in Klan garb.
by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 6:28pm
When I was a teenager I made racist, anti-gay, and sexist jokes. Mostly I was anti-gay but I'm sure I made an occasional racist or sexist joke. Probably every white male 55 and older did. I don't even think I was actively racist, anti-gay, or sexist in that I didn't hate blacks, gays or women. I wasn't a white supremacist and I didn't have views about women as hysterical or irrational. When I called someone a fag I wasn't thinking about two men having sex. Just as when you say, "fuck you" you're not thinking about intercourse. I just didn't really think about any of it. Everyone made these types of jokes and called other men cocksuckers and fags.
At some point it changed. I realized how stupid and wrong it was. I don't even recall when I actually thought about it and realized how incredibly ignorant I was.
Northam has made an abject apology and his life and work has been a testament to equalatarianism. But for the stupid joke in college he's been clearly anti-racist. Therefore I give him a pass.
by ocean-kat on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 6:40pm
Trump et. al. cannot be criticized and Northam let off the hook.
Edit to add:
Northam was 25 and in medical school. He was not a teenager.
by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 7:14pm
Trump tried to keep blacks out of his hotel when he was a young man. If he took responsibility, offered an apology, and spent the majority of his adult life trying to make up for his mistake I'd give him a pass. But he never took responsibility, never apologized, and never changed. Frankly if we had a go back machine that could look at everything you did as a young man I'd bet you did things that would embarrass you now.
by ocean-kat on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 7:25pm
Northam could have made the photo public and explained his thinking about the picture at the time he was campaigning. He still hasn’t said if he is in blackface or in Klan garb.
by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 7:48pm
As I expected you didn't address my supposition that you've done things as a young man that you're ashamed of now. Self reflection nor an admission of fault just isn't your way. But of course you'll always find ways to condemn others when they get caught. No matter what the rest of their life demonstrates.
by ocean-kat on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 7:55pm
Ocean-kat, I am not Governor of Virginia. I don’t have a picture in whiteface or a Nazi uniform. I don’t see how Northam survives this.
Here is where we are:
https://www.axios.com/ralph-northam-yearbook-photo-blackface-kkk-resign-5cca1252-b548-4623-a891-5bc060201af0.html
by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 8:06pm
Julian Castro calls on Northam to resign
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/428152-julian-castro-calls-on-n...
Kamala Harris calls on Northam to resign
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/428154-harris-calls-on...
This picture appeared in a medical school yearbook. No one in the school objected to the picture. The school is tainted as well.
Edit to add:
The Governor of New Jersey, the head of the Democratic Governor‘s Association, is on “All In” with Chris Hayes. He is friends with Northam, but thinks that Northam will have to step aside.
by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 8:50pm
just so you don't feel alone, ocean-kat, I'm seeing a lot who feel like you do on my Twitter feed, I sens that the level of purity testing in this particular case (as to both judgment of his life since and apology now) is so much that it could be counter-productive:
As for me, comes to mind that Al Franken fell on his sword for similar litmus testing as to political correctness of acts in another life. Which way is better politically?
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:44am
Roger Stone & Leeann Tweeden plotted for weeks on how to take down Franken. Mueller now has Stone's emails and texts for when this happened - a question of when that bit of subterfuge is made public. I know I know, still wrong to pretend to grope a lingerie model who plays a bimbo onstage when she's asleep in a Kevlar vest - I'm sure it horribly offended her sensibilities.
by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 7:28am
Some of the strongest voices against bigotry are from those who have made an intellectual and personal struggle to reach the point of enlightenment. They know how those ideas are imbedded at a young age, and they can be effective in challenging those ideas.
The last three decades speak for themselves, and I think it is wrong to discard good people who have evolved on their thinking.
But, the unforgiving Calvinists will likely rule on this because few Democrats will risk being tarred by the ACTUAL bigots on the GOP.
I voted for Tom Periello. Ralph was not my choice, but I disagree with what is going on here.
by CVille Dem on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 9:06pm
Robert Byrd was a recruiter for the Klan. Byrd evolved, but we saw the evolution in public. There was a story told about the evolution by Byrd himself. There is a sense of betrayal because Northam did not face the photos until forced. Now we learn that one of his nicknames at VMI was “coonman”. By not being honestt, he loses trust.There would be a question of ”What else is he hiding?”
Edit to add:
If the picture came out during the Democratic Primary, would Northam have been the winning candidate?
by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 9:50pm
Oh boy, if you lose people like C'Ville Dem because of purity testing, you don't have a viable party. Mho.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:47am
Was that an insult? I’m pretty sure I have been consistently anti purity-testing all along. Al Franken, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama to name a few.
Anyway, it seems that the overwhelming reaction to this probably means that Northam will have to resign because he can’t be effective after this. Fortunately, Fairfax is an excellent replacement, and can run again because he won’t be term-limited.
by CVille Dem on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:51am
Northam wasn’t set up. He was 25 when the picture was taken. It was 1984, the year Jesse Jackson was running for President. He didn’t make the picture public and offer an explanation. He had to be exposed. I have no problem condemning McConnell and legislators blocking revamping the VRA. I have no problem condemning Confederate statues. I also have no problem condemning Tamika Mallory and Louis Farrakhan.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 9:16am
It doesn't matter what you say about Farrakhan today. If you or any black politician supported him or had anything good to say about him 35 years ago they should resign. It doesn't matter what those politicians have done or said since them. There is no forgiveness. That is the standard you stand for with Northam.
By your standard Jesse Jackson had no right to run for president nor to have any role as a leader in the black community. He not only supported Farrakhan he spoke at Farrakhan's "million man march." If his support for a vile anti-semite wasn't enough to disqualify him his own anti-semite comments should.
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 10:09am
Northam knew the picture existed. He is apologizing for getting caught. He has lost moral authority. He has a competent Lt Governor. By the way, Northam left the then Lt Governor candidate, Justin Fairfax, off of some of campaign literature. This irked some Progressive groups.
https://thinkprogress.org/virginia-gubernatorial-campaign-fliers-929fce27e960/
The standard is to let people know about your baggage.
Edit to add:
The Republican Florida Secretary of State resigned after a picture of him in blackface 15 years ago surfaced
https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/24/politics/blackface-florida-state-secretary/index.html
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 10:21am
Black politicians who supported Farrakhan know they did it too. I'm sure there are many who have not revealed that and come out pre-emptively to confess that support and condemn his anti-semitism. In fact many black politicians will not condemn him today, not just 35 years ago. While I would forgive a black politician who supported Farrakhan 35 years ago and condemned his anti-semitism today I would never vote for a politician who supported him today. But you, who takes a zero tolerance position on racism from 35 years ago, should not support any politician who ever supported Farrakhan.
You'd have to be blind to not know Jackson supported Farrakhan. Did you support his run for president? Did you condemn him and advocate for him to resign all his leadership roles in the black community? Why not?
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 10:29am
My “great” choice in 1984 was Walter Mondale. Jesse had no government experience, so I didn’t take him seriously. He also made a “Hymietown” comment.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 10:46am
It doesn't matter who you chose as the better candidate. I chose Hillary but I still supported Obama. This is just one more attempt to avoid admitting your hypocrisy. When you learned that Jesse Jackson supported Farrakhan did you publicly call on him to resign his leadership roles in the black community? When he spoke at the "million man march" did you condemn him and call for his resignation?
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 11:07am
What do you mean exactly when you say that Jackson supported Farrakhan? He didn't endorse Farrakhan's anti-Semitic views. I think Jackson was a target of guilt by association, and I don't really believe in that.
by Aaron Carine on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 11:54am
Would it be acceptable for a politician to take part in a rally so long as he doesn't endorse the racist views of the leader who called for the rally and was the inspiration for it? I'll ask it again. If a white supremacist calls for a march on Washington would it be acceptable for a politician to be a featured speaker at that march and not condemn the white supremacist who called for the march or his racist views in his speech? How would that be different than Jackson being a featured speaker at Farrakhan's million man march?
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:19pm
If there were a white supremacist or neo-Nazi march I wouldn't expect a respectable politician to take part. But that would be different from what the Million Man March was about. It was about the legitimate concerns and grievances of the African-American community. So I'm not sure that those who took part were obliged to take the opportunity to denounce Farrakhan, whose anti-Semitism had nothing to do with the point of the march. I don't think speaking at the march without denouncing Farrakhan was so egregious that Jackson should have withdrawn from public life.
by Aaron Carine on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 1:39pm
If a march on Washington was called for by a clear and virulent racist it wouldn't matter what it was about. The simple fact that it was called for by a racist would be enough that no democratic politician would take part. But for you it's ok for a clear and virulent anti-semite to call for a march on Washington and for politicians to take part so long as it's not "about" anti-semitism. Well it's not ok for me.
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 1:59pm
I see both of your views as fine. It's really nothing to debate about, it bothers some people and others it doesn't. The point is: Jesse Jackson was a grownup about coalitions and knew exactly the decision he was making, he knew that it would turn some people off.And he judged it still worthwhile to be in the Million March program. All political figures make judgments like that. They know some people will be angry and they will lose those people. Everyone is free to think it is despicable or give him a pass, or appreciate he was there, trying to make it a more diverse group ideologically than just Farrakhan. Where I think one shouldn't kid oneself is that he didn't know some people would think he was hanging with a racist, he knew, he still judged it worthwhile, the overall goal was more important to him, he thought the march was an important enough idea to let that go and lose trust among another group.
This is quite different from what someone did as a private citizen in their youth before they were trying to get votes or support. This Northam example is more like a politician who admits he smoked marijuana in his youth but who now supports it being illegal as a grownup politician.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 2:58pm
Ocean-kat, Jesse Jackson was not elected to an office, so I did not ask him to resign from a public office that he never held. I did vote against him during the primary in 1984. Jesse’s baggage was there for all to see. The picture on Northam’s yearbook page was not public knowledge. Yesterday, Northam said that he was one of the men in the picture. Today, Northam says that he is not in the picture. Jackson’s baggage was public. Mondale was supported by Coretta Scott King and Julián Bond. Northam had an offensive photo on his yearbook page. The public was unaware of the photo. He had a VMI nickname of “coonman”. The public was not aware of that fact. Voters might have made a different choice had they had been fully aware of the situation. Northam would be Governor Coonman. He is already known for leaving Justin Fairfax off of campaign literature.
There is no equivalence between Jackson and Northam. Jackson was a known entity. Jackson got half the votes compared to both Mondale and Hart. Northam has been exposed. There are already protests outside of Northam’s office.
Northam was 25. Douglas Wilder was running for Lt Governor of Virginia. Jesse Jackson was running for President.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:18pm
Another attempt at avoidance. If a person had leadership roles in respected institutions and organizations and he supported a white supremacist would you decline to call for his resignation because he was not elected and it wasn't a public office?
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:31pm
Not avoidance, simply addressing the situation facing us. When I cast my vote, I had the necessary information about Jesse Jackson. I had no problem with him at the Million Man March. I did have a problem with his lack of qualifications and his Hymietown comment.
Jackson apologized. His apology didn’t alter my vote.
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/27/us/jackson-admits-saying-hymie-and-apologizes-at-a-synagogue.html
Northam has a press conference at 2:30. We will see if anything changes. As I noted, the Republican Secretary of State resigned for similar blackface behavior.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 1:58pm
Of course you had no problem with the Million Man March and little problem with Farrakhan's anti-semitism. Farrakhan is more clearly anti-semitic than Trump is racist and for the same reason. It works with their base to demonize and then scapegoat the other. There's an unbelievable level of hypocrisy about Farrakhan in the African American community. It's the equivalent of me turning a blind eye toward David Duke's racism if he ran a soup kitchen for poor whites.
Of all the ignorant things you've posted on this thread your comment about Michael Ertel is by far the stupidest. A photo from 13 years ago is considerably different than a photo from 35 years ago. That photo was so recent I didn't even take the time to review his position on race related issues.
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 2:27pm
The picture was just exposed. We don’t know if there is anything else out there. At the press conference, Northam says that he is not one of the two men in the picture, but darkened his face to portray Michael Jackson at a dance contest. His memory is slowly returning. Is there more to come?
https://www.axios.com/ralph-northam-not-resign-virginia-democrats-yearbook-photo-5bc5c4ef-59be-478b-9ad3-d84ccf1a7dfb.html
His full record on civil rights is about to get picked apart. This is a gift to Trump and the GOP.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 3:17pm
It's basically the same as "I didn't inhale". It's just that the outrage this time would be coming from liberals instead of conservatives. If he were my governor, I wouldn't care what he did 35 yrs. ago. I'd actually like to see reformed felons able to run for office if they have been doing good work for a couple decades.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 3:33pm
He initially apologized. Now he says that it was not him. Oh, but there was that Michael Jackson thing, and I dunno why I was called coonman.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 4:01pm
I didn’t say or imply that he was set up. Ocean’s example fits my line of thinking, but you seem to be pretending that you don’t understand his point.
what I said is my opinion of the situation. I’m not trying to change your mind.
by CVille Dem on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 11:45am
Yesterday, he took responsibility. Today, he says that it wasn’t him.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:23pm
oh no, I meant the opposite. I was referring to that you said you didn't like what was going on. If the party loses people like you.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:40pm
NYT says it was from the 1984 yearbook page from Eastern Virginia Medical School.
M E D I C A L......SCHOOL. ...where respect for people, and professionalism, is supposed to be practiced.
by NCD on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 11:01pm
We can go ahead and cancel him. I'm going to wrote more about this tomorrow.
by Danny Cardwell on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 11:03pm
I will look forward to what you have to say.
So far, to me, seems the reaction is definitely ramping up divisiveness, so much so that I wouldn't be surprised to learn later that digging up the photo was a Russian op. Seriously. That's coming from someone who usually hates conspiracizing. What is the motive of the person/ people that dug up this picture from his previous life? They obviously know what kind of smears work best in our current cultural situation to divide. Are they digging into other southern progressive Dem backgrounds as well? Etc.Not expecting you to address that, just offering my thoughts.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:55am
p.s. Seriously, the more I see reaction and the more I think on it, this looks like an op to turn Virginia back into a red state like it was for a long time.
If accidentally running across this picture in a yearbook, what kind of person would run to the local media to publish it? Wouldn't most people think "oh my gosh look at that, he sure has changed" or at worst "hmmm, I wonder if I can trust him, he might still be a racist" and then put it away?
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 2:07am
The picture was exposed by an opposition research group. Northam is now calling people to find out if he was in the picture
Bizarre
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/northam-mum-about-his-plans-after-a-flood-of-calls-for-his-resignation-for-racist-and-offensive-photo/2019/02/02/5883402a-26e9-11e9-90cd-dedb0c92dc17_story.html?utm_term=.d4958f48dc33
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 10:52am
Oh Lord. I'd be a coward if I didn't take a position.
I am forced to agree with Ocean Kat's position. And am sure that
if I were black I'd agree with rmr.
25 is getting pretty late but certainly well into my 20s I was still capable of unthought through actions.
Jesse Jackson, of course, put it gracefully after the "hymie town" incident - " the Lord hasn't finished with me yet."
by Flavius on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:19pm
Back from less Calvinist days:
Eddie Murphy Hymie Town from joseph crews on Vimeo.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 12:53pm
The deciding factor for me is that from all I've read Northam has been anti-racist for all of his 30 year career. If that turns out not to be true I'd support calling for his resignation. As arta's tweet thread post show, there are many of us who have fought for racial, gay, and feminist values for decades who could not pass this litmus test from 35 years ago.
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 1:23pm
How many people wore blackface or appeared in Klan garb?
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 2:00pm
At like a Halloween party in the 70's? Probably plenty! Probably even guys like Eddie Murphy. I bet there were one or two Klan costumes at Studio 54. Nuns in garter belts, too. The Village People probably thought once or twice about having a Klan character. A brother of mine had a penis costume, was a big hit then, used it more than once, wouldn't really fly with the MeToo crowd now I would think.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 2:39pm
Ted Danson appeared in blackface in 93 at a Friar's roast of Whoppi Goldberg. Whoppi knew he would and encouraged him to do it. All the other black performers also knew and made no complaint. I'm ok that times have changed and I support those who want to eliminate all blackface humor. But I do think we need to think more deeply than this knee jerk reaction to this 35 year old photo
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 3:23pm
with you 100%
not the least of which the digging into the 35-yr. old past thing is also the thing of not being able to get anyone but saints to run for public office
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 3:25pm
I always value Whoopi’s opinion like her defense of Bill Cosby/ snark
https://people.com/celebrity/bill-cosby-breaks-silence-to-thank-supporters/
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 4:07pm
Does her defense of Cosby also mean her criticisms of Trump are wrong?
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 4:22pm
It means her defense of Cosby was in error. Since she is not infallible, we assess her statements one by one. Her support of Danson’s blackface is simply her support. In the case of Northam, multiple Virginians who have worked with the Governor have called for Northam to step down. Northam has become a distraction.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 6:20pm
The multiple Virginians are not infallible therefore there opinions are worth no more or no less than Goldberg's defense of Danson. If my link to Goldberg defending Danson is only worth "snark" your links to others calling for Northam to resign is also only worth snark. You are absolutely the biggest hypocrite I've ever met.
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 6:37pm
Cut the crap, you have been doing what aboutism to the hilt. Whaddabout Whoopi. Yadda. Yadda. Northam cannot function as Governor.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 7:58pm
These are your standards. You set them. You need to live by them. I didn't criticize any of your links to people who support your views by "snarking" about some error they might have made. Your only comment to my link was "snark" about some error Whoppi might have made. You're a hypocrite.
The standards you set for 35 year old racism is zero tolerance with no forgiveness. But for Farrakhan and anti-semitism and Jackson and Booker's support for him it's just not a problem or issue for you. Stand by your standards across the board or face it, you're a hypocrite.
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:28pm
My standard is not no forgiveness. I gave the example of former Klan recruiter the late Senator Robert Byrd.
So far, Northam is apologizing for getting caught.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 9:21pm
Distract from what? Calling Dems on wanting legal "infanticide"? Sounds like an improvement.
Does anyone believe Democrats are more racist, more like nazis, than the Trump's GOP? Nobody, except the Gop hard core Fox hate radio base.
Northam of course, has not handled this well, Booman:
....He needed to explain how and when he changed and what helped him make the transformation. And then he needed to more forcefully repudiate his past actions and the culture that led to them.
There are a lot of people who were raised the wrong way, or who came up in a really intolerant culture.....
NPR Saturday just raked over the right wing nut at the website that dug this up and he denied Steve King, who it was pointed out, he and his website rabidly support, is a racist, but he was drooling with glee that this 35 year old travesty of a "joke" meant Northam is unquestionably unqualified to serve.
by NCD on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 7:55pm
Thad point is we are not talking about reproductive rights, we are focused on blackface. Democrats have asked for Northam’s resignation. He will continue to be a distraction from serious issues.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:00pm
Booman at link makes the argument, if it's not already too late, Northam needs to make a much fuller explanation and condemnation of this past behavior and the culture that engendered it. It looks like he is too late.
Republicans, of course, are experts at distraction from ever addressing serious issues, they'll just move on to their usual others.
by NCD on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:15pm
so you just admitted it's not a serious issue.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:50pm
Good try
it’s serious enough that there are calls for his resignation and it is serious enough to be a distraction.
by rmrd0000 on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 12:26pm
Northam of course, has not handled this well
I find it very comparable to Bill Clinton's "I did not inhale". Nobody believed that, on any side of the issue it was a joke. Back then it was still sort of a litmus test on whether you were patriotic or one of those pot-smoking draft dodging hippies (and oppo dug up stuff on the latter, too, forgot his silly excuses on that.) He still won.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:09pm
Yes, as I noted in above, snd check Booman, Northam has done a terrible job explaining himself.
by NCD on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:17pm
Remember that there was widespread criticism of Danson's blackface episode. The criticism would be even more severe if he had done it this year.
by Aaron Carine on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 4:16pm
And some support from African Americans. The criticism would have been even less severe if he had done it 35 years ago
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 4:31pm
well stated reality of the situation, I think, in two tweets:
Now what does the Dem party do about it? The opposition is going to play the p.c. game to force the purity tests that turn off a lot of swing voters to the Dems. The opposition is actually quite desperate about those swing voters, they were losing them because of Trump. Forcing Dems to act as p.c. police is one way they will see as trying to turn them off to Dems. They'll keep doing it. I will not be surprised at more digging into pasts for #MeToo issues as well. Divide and conquer.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 3:14pm
An example of a recently converted Dem supporter, because of Trump (including public support as a pundit on MSNBC,) getting royally turned off by this:
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 3:19pm
more from the above:
and he retweeted this reply:
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 4:18pm
for those who want to seriously follow this story rather than or in addition to opining, there is a good list of the local journalists here in replies to Glenn Thrush's call for recommends:
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 4:45pm
The most amusing "gay" jokes I've heard were when I was the only straight.
And racial ones - about me- returning unexpectedly to my otherwise all- black work site.
Someone- say VS Naipaul- could construct a sliding scale based on factors such as
o the audience (what noise does it make when a tree falls in a forest?)
o by accident or by intention
o age of the joker
o and of the subject
o the stresses of environment : ("What do you do when someone throws a pin at you?" Look for an
Irishman with a grenade in his teeth)
....but that would be very german
When all else fails apply common sense,
by Flavius on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 6:38pm
you're such a good ol' honky, Flav.
(You getting into the ethnic slur thing makes me recall seeing Bill Donohue on the tube in the 90's working himself into a near heart attack over this or that supposed cultural slur against Catholics. Which really doesn't have much to do about what we are talking about here, because religion is a choice. Still, I'd like to mention the weird part--many American Catholics tend to make fun of themselves so they wouldn't get with Bill's program, which seem make him even angrier. Thence come the big scandals, and he's disappears from the national attention...)
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 7:44pm
strange new world:
including from the replies:
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 5:26pm
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 5:59pm
There is another blackface picture in the yearbook. It is not Northam, but it is from te same medical school that put the blackface and Klan images in their yearbook. What typ e of school were they running? Northam’s nickname was coonman. He admits to wearing blackface. He cannot remain in office. This is not a circular firing squad, this is holding an elected official to account. If people who were at Studio 54 and wore blackface, this is the time for those thinking about running for election to come clean.
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 6:10pm
So you think Corey Booker should come clean for promoting Farrakhan and demand Booker condemn and reject him? Are you going to make as loud a noise about Farrakhan and Booker as you have about Northam?
by ocean-kat on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 6:31pm
Are you referring to Cory Booker and the Million Man March?
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:42pm
Well all I can think of is that you should start making your list of litmus tests for Dem candidates, so they know what they should reveal about what they did since the day they were born before they start running. Might as well make it a requirement for party membership. A very exclusive club of saints, no more Northams and no more Bill Clintons. And then everyone could vote or not for them, the saints party, problem solved?
(And fuggeabout those Kennedy types! Back in the day before oppo research and unnamed sources who tattled. Stuff like hire their brother who worked for Joe McCarthy to be attorney general and had affairs with movie stars and mob molls and interns and such, dead secretaries in the car in the pond....)
Personally, as an Independent this is how I see it going: I don't really care what you do to the Dem party, I'll just sit and analyze what you are doing to it. And then I watch you whine after losing that everyone you knew in your tribe voted for your saints.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:02pm
Obviously, I don’t see this as a litmus test. If this were a litmus test, the bar...blackface...is set pretty low. The picture was release. Northam apologized for being one of the guys. Next day, he wasn’t one of the guys, but he did do blackface. His college nickname was coonman. He doesn’t know why he got his nickname. Today more blackface images from the 1984 medical school yearbook are emerging.,This is not a litmus test, this is WTF?
What criteria are you using to say if the Democrats declare there is nothing to see here, that there won’t be consequences in future Democratic elections in the state. If further questions should be answered and Northam stays in office, how is that not going to divert attention from important issues?
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:26pm
Comes to mind: why is this the business of anyone that doesn't live in the state of Virginia?
I find myself having the most respect for the national Dems who are not voicing a public opinion.
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 8:43pm
Trump loves the whole thing, natch
Probably Putin too.
Edit to add: This is even becoming a sub-meme:
by artappraiser on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 9:03pm
Virginia is a purple state. The national party wants Virginia voters to know that they are paying attention to the state. That is why Democratic Presidential candidates have spoken out. Even Bernie Sanders called on Northam to resign
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/428190-bernie-sanders-northam-should-resign-so-virginia-can-begin-a-new-day
Sanders group Our Revolution never endorsed Northam, while they did support his Democratic opponent
https://ourrevolution.com/press/our-revolution-endorses-perriello-governor-virginia/
Republicans loved it
https://www.rga.org/blow-dem-unity-bernie-sanders-refuses-back-virginia-dem-gov-nominee-ralph-northam/
by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/02/2019 - 9:09pm
Why? because some Breitbart/Bannon pal tossed this turd in our midst
(including some fake framing & wrong "facts", of course),
& one thing Dems can't resist is a circular firing squad.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-tip-from-a-concerned-ci...
by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 2:48pm
Is it too conspiratorial of me to think it was a related news item that Trump may bring up abortion in the SOTU?
by artappraiser on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 4:13pm
Meanwhile, he's milking the buzz so his base can rationalize that claims he is racist are nonsense: Trump: People saying 'something very special' happening with race in US @ TheHill.com.
by artappraiser on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 4:25pm
VA gov dressed as Michael Jackson, danced Moonwalk, refuses to apologize.
by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 2:17am
Northam said that he was one of the men in the original photo. He then remembered that he used black shoe polish on another occasion.
Medical students thought wearing blackface was hilarious, then went into hospitals to treat black people.
University of Virginia medical school (another medical school in the state) study shows that physicians are less likely to administer pain medications to black patients. Agrees with prior studies.
https://news.virginia.edu/content/study-links-disparities-pain-management-racial-bias
Who in the medical school administration thought the photos were appropriate?
by rmrd0000 on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 12:37pm
At the news conference he said he remembered this because it was so hard to remove shoe polish from his face. His wife had to stop him from moon dancing at the news conference at the request of somebody in the crowd. Where did the Democratic Party get this guy? Would the med school take him back?
by NCD on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 1:31pm
I'm still scratching my head wondering, "didn't we finish with all this by the 70s?"
by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 1:50pm
oh sure stress the pedophile angle now, why not, the nation is already talking about his white supremacist leanings and preference for baby killing.
by artappraiser on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 2:11pm
it's like she said, I repeat the quote
When it's looking like all else fails, they distract the actively political with culture wars and the left is a sucker taking the bait every time. The target resigns: little win. Manage to keep up the "discourse", moderates retire from Congress in disgust, others don't run in the first place, centrists stop voting in disgust, end up with more red states: big win.
There is a reason they aren't hunting for 35-yr. old gay bashing photos, because the culture has changed and it wasn't achieved through politics but through media and "Hollywood".
Strikes me that the worst thing that could have been done here is make it national. Let Virginia work out it's own remaining troglodyte issues by itself. They're on the path and will get there eventually without national "discourse" judging whatever else they feel they have to do. They voted for what he presented in his campaign, not a 35-yr. old yearbook photo, and they rejected Gillespie (and on that, note what Mr. King of Culture Wars says.)
by artappraiser on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 2:55pm
back to your initial comment, PP. Note how Judge Janine still manages a subtle kind of racist dog whistle with reference to the Moonwalk thing while calling Northam Dr. Mengele over abortion. Simply amazing:
Jeanine Pirro Dubs Northam ‘Dr. Mengele’: ‘Moonwalk Your Butt Out of the Governor’s Mansion’
@ Mediaite, Feb 2nd, 2019, 9:36 pm
The right wing agitproppers are just so far better at culture warring, the possible coalitions of the angry, it's natural, instinctive to them, been doing it for years. Trump is a strong amateur but not a pro. Probably because his comes more from doing his own P.R and his narcissism. than listening to conservative talk radio.
by artappraiser on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:11pm
Democrats are holding themselves to a higher standard than the Republicans
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/03/us/politics/democrats-race-virginia.html
Dr. William Barber was on the Tom Joyner Morning Show (a radio program). He has no problem with calls for Northam resigning. He wants politicians who cut food stamps, healthcare, etc. to also have their feet held to the fire.
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 8:38am
Israelis wrap Corbyn's purported "anti-semitism" around AOC's neck.
https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/AOC-slammed-for-call-with-Corbyn-579610
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/24/corbyn-english-irony-vi...
(tl;dr - complaints about Israel = complaints about all Jews; noting Isreli brutality to Paletinians = "anti-semitism")
The right plays this guilt-by-association thing much better than us.
If they're caught, they just feign ignorance or tell us to fuck off.
If we have a whiff of something, we shoot first, ask questions later,
somehow expecting they'll show less chutzpah & hypocrisy next time.
When confronted by a mix of Jewish (sometimes Israeli or Israel-aligned), Black,
Hispanic, LGBTQ, Women's Rights, et al, we're stuck in a snowstorm.
Corbyn's big offense is considering Palestinian rights period - including
possibly recognizing their state, but criticizing the Israeli government's
heavy-handed approach to a long-standing problem.
As then follows, by belonging to a private Palestinian Facebook group
where anti-Semitic comments were made, Corbyn is suddenly guilty of all.
(that AOC shouldn't talk to the leader of the UK's Labour Party is rather outrageous
in itself - this isn't a fringe controversial character like Farrakhan).
But if we keep our kneejerk reaction to purity tests going, we're just going to be
owned time and time again.
by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 9:43am
Democrats are not getting owned. Max Boot, explains.to te Conservatives
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/02/03/era-democratic-compromise-is-over/?utm_term=.03ee2128eea4
Calls for Northam’s resignation will sit well with the base of the Democratic Party in Virginia and help take away the morality issue from Republicans.
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 10:22am
What do you mean? Republicans will suddenly discover morality? Virginia voters who wouldn't have voted before will now vote? "sit well" vs. make a positive improvement?
by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 11:19am
The majority of Democrats want Northam gone. Black voters heavily supported Northam and feel betrayed. If there was no call for Northam to resign, many in the axe would be disappointed and discouraged. There is a competent replacement available for Northam. Northam cannot govern the state.Republicans are not going to discover morality, but they tout morality as a reason for voting for the GOP. Northam remaining in office would be an example of Democrats having double standards.
If Northam stays in office, how do you see him governing? Apparently, Virginia is entertaining a period call crossover where the House and Senate hash out bills. This requires a fully functioning Governor. Northam is not that guy.
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 11:29am
Re: There is a competent replacement available for Northam. Maybe not if the blackmail with research into ancient history continues to pay off. Fox News right now:
Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax denies sexual assault claim, amid political storm
by artappraiser on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 11:54am
The WaPo had the story. Let see why they didn’t publish it. Weren’t you the one arguing not to take Conservative bait?
Edit to add:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-lt-gov-justin-fairfax-denies-sex-assault-allegation-from-2004/2019/02/04/05fb0f6c-272b-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html?utm_term=.987f67f376e4
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:09pm
She will get to make her accusation publicly. If it is credible, Justin Fairfax will be toast.
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:11pm
Yes, I was arguing that. And I am still if you pause for reading comprehension.
by artappraiser on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:13pm
Your post regarding Fairfax. If he committed rape, it’s not ancient history.
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:18pm
A wingnut publication found an offensive picture in Northam’s yearbook. Northam imploded.
The same wingnut publication got permission to release a social media post accusing Fairfax of rape. Apparently, the WaPo had the story but didn’t have enough evidence to publish the story. We await further details from the WaPo and the accuser. I don’t see any other options. I don’t see how there could be zero response to the accusation. Fairfax denies the charge. The WaPo needs to tell us what their investigation turned up.
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:38pm
Looks to me like one wily conservative website has managed to destroy all trust in the government Virginia just elected by poking at currently politically correct litmus testing:
Sad if so. We'll see
by artappraiser on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 3:28pm
There's an internet meme which shall now be designated the Kavanaugh/Northam rule. Pics or it didn't happen.
by ocean-kat on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 3:51pm
The public believed Ford over Kavanaugh. The GOP Senate did not want to upset Trump.
http://fortune.com/2018/10/04/kavanaugh-ford-credibility-poll/
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 3:57pm
And the real world consequences of the public opinion poll mean exactly what? Northam will likely have to resign and Kavanaugh won confirmation to a life time appointment to the Supreme Court.
by ocean-kat on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 4:10pm
Democrats made gains in the midterms. For many, Kavanaugh played a role.
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 4:20pm
Keep in mind there can only a feeding frenzy if it sells
papersmedia timeclicks. On the Kavanaugh, it's supposed to be Senators voting. On the Gov. and Lt. Gov. of VA, who would you say? The mob so far? So I've helped feed enough now. Shamefully so. I am going to try to bow out of feeding. Let me just say this final word: as there is no party registration involved in voting in VA, one can never know the party loyalties of the electorate there.by artappraiser on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 5:17pm
See this is how Fox spins the WaPo article to its readers. This is how this smearing works. Comes to mind the Russia bots learned how to do it well, so did the "vast right wing conspiracy" with Paula Jones:
Washington Post pushes back on Justin Fairfax denial of sexual-assault claim, publishes graphic details
by artappraiser on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 3:33pm
"from the hypocrisy of the Clinton era" - hypocrisy? What hypocrisy - we liked fucking. Counter that with a whoremonger who supposedly embodies modern Christianity - now *that* is hypocrisy - in the Trump age, not mine. Bill Clinton was perfect for the age where we had to make up stupid lies about how much coke and acid and speed and quaaludes we ingested, not to mention booze. Virginity? Everyone who could lost it before 16. This wasn't Paula Jones fake "I don't know nuttin bout birf and babies Miss Scarlet" - this was kids who wanted to get laid bad - best friends getting banged in a hotel room together and such. There wasn't such squeamishness in the south back then, and I imagine it didn't exist anywhere else until the right and Nancy Reagan embarked on the "Just Say No" bullshit, ironic for Hollywood types used to infidelities and breaking up marriages, but we always have a perverse sense of who we choose as leadera.
by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:19pm
Interesting on that front, Rick Wilson and Alex Burns agreeing on who is Virginia's saintliest:
by artappraiser on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:23pm
Wow, I thought he was tainted as an old Clinton pal. The older I get...
by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 12:37pm
The Virginia Democratic Party fears that leaving Northam in office puts winning the state legislature at risk.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ralph-northam-jeopardize-democrats-control-state-legislature_us_5c5861e9e4b0871047561202
Edit to add:
A Fox News analyst advises Northam to stay put and oppose the “lynch mob” out to get him.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-analyst-to-northam-dig-in-because-republicans-will-eventually-defend-you-from-the-lynch-mob?ref=home
You can’t make this stuff up.
by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/04/2019 - 2:57pm