Your Race and Identity Politics Roundup
THE “N” WORD
Mitt Romney says a police commissioner in a New Hampshire town where he owns a vacation home should resign for calling President Obama the “N-word”:
The former Massachusetts governor joins some political leaders and residents in the predominantly white New Hampshire town of Wolfeboro in calling for the resignation of Robert Copeland.
A resident said she overheard the 82-year-old Copeland use a slur [at] a restaurant in March and wrote to the town manager. Copeland, in an email to her, acknowledged using the slur in referring to the president and said he will not apologize.
“I believe I did use the ‘N’ word in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse,” Copeland said in an email to his fellow police commissioners. “For this, I do not apologize — he meets and exceeds my criteria for such.”
If the “N-word” in question was “nincompoop” then I cannot help but agree. Somehow, I suspect that’s the wrong “N-word.” So I agree with Romney. (You’re not going to hear that around here much.)
It just goes to show you, racism is still alive and well in the United States, especially down there in the Deep South.
Wait . . .
THE “L” WORD
Is this Latino being groomed for veephood?
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro will be nominated as secretary of Housing and Urban Development, two officials told ABC News.
The White House declined to comment on the timing of an official announcement. The position must be confirmed by the Senate. The officials said the news was not intended to be disclosed, but apparently it leaked out because Castro’s associates in San Antonio received calls from the FBI about a background check. It was first reported in a column in today’s San Antonio Express News.
. . . .
If Castro is indeed nominated and confirmed, he will instantly add political star power to the president’s Cabinet. He has been speculated to be a possible Democratic vice presidential pick in 2016
Hillary’s problem, of course, is naming her accomplishments. In addition to playing the identity politics game, she needs someone with an even thinner record of accomplishment than she has. Castro fits the bill.
THE “I” WORD
A state panel has effectively killed a bid to name a Lake Tahoe cove for Mark Twain, citing opposition from a tribe that says he held racist views on Native Americans.
The Nevada State Board on Geographic Names this week voted to indefinitely table the request after hearing opposition from the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, whose ancestral homeland includes Lake Tahoe.
Supporters had sought to name a scenic cove on the lake’s northeast shore for Samuel Clemens, Twain’s real name.
But Darrel Cruz, head of the tribe’s cultural resource department, said Twain was undeserving of the honor because of derogatory comments about the Washoe and other tribes in his writings.
Among other things, he cited Twain’s opposition to the naming of the lake as Tahoe, which is derived from the Washoe word “da ow” for lake.
. . . .
Supporters sought to honor him because there is no geographic feature in the state named for Twain, whose book “Roughing It” put Nevada on the map.
Racists
THE “C” WORD
Speaking of which, did you know that bringing a camel to campus for “hump day” is racist? Now you do.
Mr. P,
Could I be so bold as to suggest a caption contest for this here photo? If you’re looking for content this morning.
carlitos (e7c734) — 5/19/2014 @ 7:45 amConnecticut College in New London may soon be facing a pressure campaign to change its mascot from that offensive symbol of racism it has been since 1969, the Camel, according to your post.
http://www.conncoll.edu/news/news-archive/2010/connecticut-college-athletes-welcome-new-camel-mascot.htm#.U3oq6CinaSo
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 5/19/2014 @ 9:03 amI denounce them racists.
carlitos (e7c734) — 5/19/2014 @ 9:08 amthese washoe losers are petty and stupid i think
happyfeet (8ce051) — 5/19/2014 @ 9:30 amWe can count on Castro being the VP nominee.
He’s the answer to Democrat prayers.
All those Hispanic voters who don’t vote will
Hoss (93f181) — 5/19/2014 @ 9:49 amnow vote.
Indians have no reason to love any white man of the 19th century West, so that’s why should tell them to shut up and go gather pinon nuts in questions like this. We won!
nk (dbc370) — 5/19/2014 @ 9:52 amWas it necessary for Mr. Romney to go public with his feelings about someone else’s contempt for Obama? Why? Is Romney still campaigning for 2012 or still hoping to make minorities like him? It won’t work.
As for blacks they need to get over themselves and realize that not everyone is going to love, worship, and defer to them. That includes the narcissist in chief. The police commissioner has a right to his opinion and to speak his mind.
Gusto Smooth (941ba0) — 5/19/2014 @ 9:53 amTone deaf.
carlitos (e7c734) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:03 amE pluribus unum used to be inspirational and actually mean something in this country. I am sick to death of the divisive and angry identity politics that is increasingly emanating from all sides.
elissa (164cf6) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:13 amhe could run with Red Squaw;
http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/05/mayor-julian-castro-of-san-antonio-had-less-responsibility-than-mayor-sarah-palin-of-wasilla/
narciso (3fec35) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:28 amWhen Affirmative Action institutionalized the economic advantage of identity politics, unity withered and died.
ropelight (aae05a) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:29 amWasn’t Henry Cisneros bout (a) Mayor of San Antonio; (b) a Cabinet secretary; and (c) a convicted felon for what he’d done as Cabinet Secretary?
What could go wrong here?
Skeptical Voter (12e67d) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:30 amCastro is this year’s Henry Cisneros…
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:30 amBTW, the Washoe’s bow and arrow attack on the Donner Party’s wagon towing horse and oxen teams slowed progress up the Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, stranded the immigrants in heavy snows, and set the conditions which eventually resulted in starvation and cannibalism.
Reno is in Washoe county, maybe a name change to Donner county should be considered.
ropelight (aae05a) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:42 amI am little chagrinned that Willard is obliged to opine on every little thing. I’d rather he just went away.
Speaking of which, Target Canada, seems to be leaning toward the exit.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-19/14-headshaking-photos-show-target-canada-has-major-problem
I can’t believe I put in an application last Xmas, what a bunch of losers.
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:50 amHer candidate, is dealing with a rival, with the same taste for shoe leather as Mittens;
http://conservatives4palin.com/2014/05/governor-palin-georgia-voters-please-turnout-karen-handel-tomorrow.html
narciso (3fec35) — 5/19/2014 @ 10:54 amnot to be outdone;
http://www.redstate.com/2014/05/17/breaking-people-read-blogs-in-mississippi-nrsc-blames-chris-mcdaniel-for-mississippi-literacy/
narciso (3fec35) — 5/19/2014 @ 11:04 amWas he in uniform/on duty or out of uniform? If he was out of uniform, I don’t see how the state can enforce a specific set of opinions police officers should be allowed to have. If he was in uniform then, yes, firing him is definitely in order.
CrustyB (69f730) — 5/19/2014 @ 1:22 pmIf he was in uniform then, yes, firing him is definitely in order.
He doesn’t get a different set of opinions when he dons the uniform. For a position of trust and the power to use deadly force, you want better.
Kevin M (b357ee) — 5/19/2014 @ 3:05 pmIf the Republicans ran a VP candidate mostly because he was Hispanic, the Democrats would call it pandering. And they’d be right.
But it works. The Dems ran a moron as VP the last two times, and they got nearly all the moron vote.
Kevin M (b357ee) — 5/19/2014 @ 3:07 pmThe Democratic bench is very, very thin in Texas: When you can’t win a single state-wide election for twenty-plus years, you simply don’t have any players who are veterans at that level. So instead you get the like of Wendy Davis and Julian Castro. I don’t doubt that national Dems are looking to groom Castro for higher office, but it’s likely to be a higher national office, an appointed one like a Cabinet seat. That in turn isn’t going to impress many more voters back home; Castro has little chance of parlaying a vote of confidence by Barack Obama into winning a Texas-wide race (e.g., for governor or U.S. Senator).
Beldar (fa637a) — 5/19/2014 @ 3:50 pmF word.
mg (31009b) — 5/19/2014 @ 4:16 pmComment by Kevin M (b357ee) — 5/19/2014 @ 3:07 pm
110% in selected precincts.
askeptic (8ecc78) — 5/19/2014 @ 4:17 pmSpeaking of Texas, they still have teh crazy.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/05/19/texas-man-faces-possible-life-sentence-for-making-and-selling-pot-brownies/
carlitos (e7c734) — 5/19/2014 @ 4:27 pmcarlitos,
I’m just curious, bud, what types of sacrifices to your western industrialized life have you made in order to reduce your carbon footprint ?
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 5/19/2014 @ 4:31 pmthey only have qualms, about the qualified;
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/05/awful-bob-beckel-says-condi-rice-is-not-authentic-black-person-video/
can you believe, he was actually a State Department official.
narciso (3fec35) — 5/19/2014 @ 6:39 pmI’m not sure Bob Beckel is the type of person I would turn to for an opinion on black role models.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 5/19/2014 @ 8:22 pmWell if you ever wondered what happened to the SLA principals:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-illinois-senate-approves-bill-aimed-at-u-of-i-lecturer-20140519,0,3330761.story
elissa (164cf6) — 5/19/2014 @ 8:45 pmI live in Texas and I had never heard of Julian Castro until a few weeks ago what with the sudden internet comments about him. Texas is a big state.
His mother is a big lefty Dem in South Texas who has agitated down there for a long time. He was elected mayor of San Antonio, which is not a surprise. However, he’s not that well known outside his base. Kind of like that twit Wendy Davis.
Henry Cisneros anyone? Remember him? Former mayor of San Antonio. He was going to be the next big thing
How about Ted Cruz? I think you may know him.
Texans have no problem electing Hispanics or women.
Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 5/19/2014 @ 8:46 pm“””””””a resident said she overheard the 82-year-old Copeland use a slur [at] a restaurant in March and wrote to the town manager. Copeland, in an email to her, acknowledged using the slur in referring to the president and said he will not apologize.””””””
Good for him, he stood his ground. The fact that someone overhears private conversation and turns him in or reports on him to the local authorities, it has a chilling effect on the lines of…..the old Soviet style KGB. Informers turning in their parents to the local commissars. So now he has to report to some unknown person ‘did this word meet with your approval in the public sphere at Joe’s diner today at breakfast?’ ‘How bout this word, when I used it in between the eggs benedict and dried whole wheat toast and blueberry muffin?’
No? Guess he’ll be busted for a thought crime! Small town americans just doing the jobs of the White House, informing on their local citizenry.
This is still America, right? The one that we all grew up in, with free speech, especially in private conversation, right?
Or is it?
Kenneth Simmons (a10c17) — 5/20/2014 @ 5:44 pm