A Problem of Shrinkage

[Lemur]

The Republican rebirth seems like it's not going to emanate from South Carolina.

State Republican leaders said they do not think online racist jokes by party activists will have a long-term impact on the party’s ability to attract black voters and candidates. [...]

GOP activist Rusty DePass apologized for the Facebook remark that likened first lady Michelle Obama’s ancestors to an escaped Riverbanks Zoo gorilla. On Tuesday, Mike Green, an employee with Lexington GOP consulting firm Starboard Communications apologized for an online joke about President Barack Obama taxing aspirin “because it’s white and it works.” [...]

“I’ve heard he has done a lot of good things in this state, and it would be a tragedy to be remembered by this event,” said Howard, who Tuesday helped push a legislative resolution to express sympathy to Michelle Obama. The proposal was stopped when Rep. Wendy Nanney, R-Greenville, objected to suspending House rules to pass the bill without a committee hearing. Five House members joined her dissent.

The Republican bid to block the resolution also did not help the party’s image. Republican leaders acknowledge they have struggled with the race issue and are working to change the perception of their party.

A stupid move in Tennessee, as well, but that's neither here nor there.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Oh my God.

I hadn't actually seen any seriously racist stuff coming from any Republican leaders. That's pretty lame.

My question is, is this racist **** coming from official or unofficial Republican policy or is it just a handful of really, really stupid people? I'm inclined to not jump on that as being representative of all Republicans. Of far, far more concern to me was the concerted official campaign to label Obama a terrorist who wasn't even an American during the election. That kind of kiddie bull is what actually made me label the Republican party as broken and corrupt. I'm only really interested in official Republican party activities, and from my perspective they have done far more shameful things.

A handful of racists doesn't surprise me anymore. And besides, I honestly think that there are plenty of Democratic racists. Al Sharpton needs to shut his big fat mouth as far as I'm concerned. Not a fan of Jesse Jackson. And Sonia Sotomayor may not realize it, but some of her comments do strike me as perhaps not racist, but certainly coming from a standpoint of racial pride and/or ignorance. There is no reason to think that a "wise Latina" is better than all white males. That's discriminatory as well.

There are plenty of idiots all across the political spectrum. I won't bang the drum of war over a few screw-ups in one party. I'm concerned about official party policy; let the individuals hang themselves with their own words.

[Xiahou]

I actually had to look the gorilla story up- it seemed so absurd. But yeah, he said it. I think it may have been intended as a evolution vs creationism quip that was also frighteningly ignorant of the racist implications of such a statement. Not that it makes it much better, I was just trying to determine what would motivate him to make such a stupid comment.

[Lemur]

I see what you're referring to:

DePass told WIS-TV in Columbia, "I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest."

Then he added, "The comment was hers, not mine," claiming that Michelle Obama made a recent remark about humans descending from apes. The Daily News could find no such comment.

[CountArach]

I actually had to look the gorilla story up- it seemed so absurd. But yeah, he said it. I think it may have been intended as a evolution vs creationism quip that was also frighteningly ignorant of the racist implications of such a statement. Not that it makes it much better, I was just trying to determine what would motivate him to make such a stupid comment.

Yeah I took it to be a Evolutionist comment - but as you said that doesn't make it any less stupid.