I'm sick of Democrats eating their own. It needs to stop now.

[whopis01]

We are two days into Black History Month and I am being told that I need to forgive and ignore blatant racism because it was 35 years ago.

I am being told that it is ok that a man who has graduated from college, is finishing medical school, and getting ready to enter the Army as an officer was making a youthful mistake by dressing like that. And then selecting that photo for his yearbook page.

I am being whitesplained to, being told that people change and I need to not be upset by this.

I am being told that it is critical that we keep this man in office because it would “be bad for us” if he resigned.

Why would it “be bad for us” if he resigned? What would happen? Sure, the black guy would become governor, but beyond that what would happen?

The Democratic Party is eating itself by telling black people like myself that our history and our struggle is less important than keeping the white guy in office.

And I am sick of it.

[Codeine]

1. Well said.

[Roy Rolling]

41. "Whitesplained"?

Really? Is that what a discussion is? Dividing Democrats along racial lines? Making a case for the hurt that photos like this cause to African-Americans by using language that offends white people, too?

That is an escalation, not a solution.

Other than that, I hear you.

Peace.
Let it be.

[redstatebluegirl]

51. It is not dividing, it is fact.

I am white, but have worked with minority students for over 40 years, the only thing worse than mansplaining is whitesplaining, and it goes on here as well, both of them.

[whopis01]

68. Well forgive me for saying something offensive to white people.

I guess I should have just taken the advice they gave me and realized that wearing blackface and dressing in klan robes is no big deal if it was done 35 years ago. That's what they have been trying to explain to me.

[bigtree]

2. k&r

[manor321]

3. Lots of us called for his resignation. So have numerous prominent Democrats and organizations.

A few misguided people here who don't get it aren't the majority.

[whopis01]

6. I know that

I will admit I was being intentionally dramatic about it. But only because it really was upsetting to see that phrase “Democrats eat their own” applied so many times to try to justify supporting one person over an entire demographic.

But I know it is a minority. But a vocal minority can cause lots of problems.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. K&R and I'm sorry white people are so bad at working through their shit.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. VA exit polls

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2017-election/VA


In his gubernatorial race Northam received 42% of the white vote and 87% of the African American vote and with it his margin of victory.

To jeopardize the backing of our most loyal constituency for some trifling politician is the height of madness.

[whopis01]

7. Yes. Thank you!

I don’t see how people can be so short sighted about this.

[Zoonart]

9. Absolutely this...

"trifling politician" is absolutely right. Well said.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Let's see.

African Americans are thirteen percent of the population but accounted for over 25% of Barack Obama's and Hillary Clinton's vote total. They vote for the Democrat over 90% of the time, and even when the Republican is black and the Democrat is white they still vote overwhelming for the Democrat.

It's an easy choice and a moral one too.

[MineralMan]

8. Northam should ask the black voters of Virginia what to do.

Then, he should do that. They are the people he mocked. Let them decide.

K&R for your post!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has called on him to resign

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus initially declined to call for Northam's ouster on Friday, saying they were "still processing what we have seen about the Governor" but labeling it "disgusting, reprehensible and offensive."
But in a major moment later Friday evening, the caucus called on Northam to resign in a shift that signaled he was losing some key supporters.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/01/politics/democrats-call-on-northam-to-resign/index.html

[MineralMan]

13. I suspect that opinion is shared by a majority of VA black voters.

Governor Northam has his answer, I believe. I'm pretty sure he's going to follow that advice.

He won't like it, but I can't see that he has another choice, really. The state will be governed by a black Governor, once he resigns. There is zero loss in his resignation and considerable gain, all around.

[RVN VET71]

18. The caucus has deliberated and I doubt that their reasoning is specious

If Northam wants to try to keep his seat, he'll have to meet with them and see if he can persuade a change of mind. And if he can't, he's got to go.

(I posted earlier about Justice Black and Senator Byrd -- and I still think both men provide examples of how much a person can change, even former members of that toothless, hooded, white neanderthal organization. But when the people who voted you in now find it impossible to work with you -- or respect you -- because of your past avowal of racism, you have to go.)

[MineralMan]

19. Having a black Democrat as his running mate, no doubt,

played a strong role in his win. So, his resignation will put that man in the Governor's seat. I can see no downside to his resignation, really, based on that and what Northam's difficulties will be going forward if he does not resign.

I'm white, male, and not a resident of Virginia, so my opinion really should carry no weight there. For me, it is the voters of Virginia who should decide. Since the black vote was crucial to his election, that's who he should ask what to do.

[RVN VET71]

23. Agree 100%

Apparently the black caucus of the state legislature has called for his resignation. If he cannot convince them otherwise, he has to go.

[Revanchist]

26. Not a running mate, the two offices have separate elections

Va can and has, elected a Gov and Lt Gov from separate parties. The race of the Lt Gov may have lead to increased Democratic turnout but the campaigns were completely separate.

[MineralMan]

28. Thanks for the info.

[MaryMagdaline]

34. That's even better then. Fairfax owes him nothing and he

Will not be tainted by Northam.

[whopis01]

57. Absolutely.

Fortunately it is even so early in his term that graciously bowing out now won't put the party in a bad position for the next election.

[EffieBlack]

66. Exactly

Most of the people throwing fits at the thought of his stepping down probably had barely heard of him before yesterday at 5 p.m.

[MaryMagdaline]

32. Exactly. Their call. Our job is to back their decision

[Squinch]

11. Kick. Well said.

[radical noodle]

14. K&R

[JayhawkSD]

15. I agree with you entirely.

Related opinion. I have no particular opinion of Ocasio-Cortez, and do not live in her district, but I am disgusted with those who say that "she should not be primaried in 2020."

Both parties use primary elections as a threat to incumbent legislators. "We will primary you if you do not adhere to party policy," meaning that they will run an opponent against them in the primary election. Usually incumbents run unopposed, or are opposed only by people who are unknown and who have no money to mount a meaningful challenge. But that happens only when the incumbent toes the line on party policy, and does what the "party leadership" tells them to do.

I think every incumbent legislator should, at the end of their term, "be primaried." They should have to run for reelection against multiple challengers who are well financed and as fully prominent in the public eye as possible, even to the extent of having the political party of that incumbent supporting them. The process of assuring that incumbents run essentially unopposed in primary elections is how we achieve oligarchies, and result in government that is not responsive to the wants and needs of the voting public.

As with the policy discussed in the op, running incumbents unopposed is all part of a political party keeping itself in power.

[Basement Beat]

16. Agreed. Keep on telling the base of the party

that we should just shut up and let it slide and see where that gets the Democratic party in the future. We can do better and we will demand better.

[MineralMan]

25. Very good point!

[MaryMagdaline]

36. Really.

[BlueIndyBlue]

17. This!!

Thank you for your OP. I have been reading some threads here and wondering what message board I am reading. He was 25 and a medical student. He knew better. He now says he doesn't even know which character he was in the photo! How does one not remember either donning blackface or a KKK hood? Really??? My main problem however is that he knew this photo existed and never as he matured addressed it or used it as a teachable moment for others. We all have done things in our distant and not so distant pasts that we are not proud of but maturity is shown by owning up to it especially if you are in positions of leadership and public trust. Black people such as myself, do not view these images as just youthful indiscretion or a silly drunken photo. It is a symbol of white supremacy and privilege. Some of the comments I've read here that equate the photo as not as bad as [insert the offense] in comparison are so out of touch.

We are one of the most loyal voting bases of the Democratic party. To not expect to hold one of our leaders to a higher standard than Repubs when it comes to race is shocking to me and exposes the reason that many of my brethren turn their back on voting. They don't see either party as a safe place and just walk away. Demonstrating that we hold this base with respect and listen to their opinions even when it is painful for the party will start to chip away at that indifference.

[djacq]

20. Gov Northam will have to resign. (Copied from another post)

As an African American and a Virginia Resident, I and my family "was" proud voters for Northam. The African American vote, especially with black women, brought Northam that win.

Doesn't matter if it was 35 years ago. Doesn't matter if he is of good character now. He's a good governor and I'm quite sure Northam is a good man, a good doctor, a good veteran, and NOT a racist.

But that image is there and we all see it. But you also can't dismiss the images of African Americans during Slavery, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow. Watch the 60 Minutes segment on Lynching and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Look at the images of unarmed young men being killed.

Should I tell my two adult black children to dismiss the images of their heritage? So, why should I or any DU member here should easily dismiss images of Northam in either of the two individuals.

I can't take back my vote but Northam can do the right thing and resign.

[fountainofyouth]

21. Well said, indeed

DU needs to hear more voices like yours.

[rocktivity]

22. It's worse than blatant racism -- it's blatant bad judgement and priority-setting

Last edited Sat Feb 2, 2019, 02:33 PM - Edit history (1)

the kind you should NOT expect from someone "who has graduated from college, is finishing medical school, and getting ready to enter the Army as an officer."


rocktivity

[Tipperary]

24. K and r.

Lots of whitesplaining going on in here.

Disheartening to say the least.

[stopbush]

27. Reading your title line, I assumed you were going to be defending the governor.

[UTUSN]

29. I, too. The O.P. took a fresh turn on the phrase "eating our own".

[MaryMagdaline]

30. Amen.

Stand your ground. White people don’t like paying a price for being racist? Quit being racist.

[yardwork]

31. Enthusiastic KnR

[SansACause]

33. Don't you think people can change after 35 years?

I'm certainly not the person I was 35 years ago. I grew a lot in those intervening years. I once supported Ronald Reagan. I look back now and see how mistaken I was. I'm not saying the OP is wrong to be upset, just that 35 years is a long time to figure out what you used to do was stupid.

[MaryMagdaline]

38. Converts can be great party leaders a la Elizabeth Warren

But they should let us know they are converts. Northam should have told party base, African Americans, he was a racist shit who changed his ways. Failure to do that, and risking loss of Democratic governorship, shows his arrogance is the same, even if his politics have changed.

[whopis01]

44. Of course people can change

But is it really that important to keep this one guy, who may or may not have changed as Governor of Virginia?

Is that the best we can do?

This guy who first apologizes for being in the photo, and now has moved on to claiming it is not him and it is a "mix up of photos" in the yearbook?

I don't believe for one moment that someone who has never dressed in blackface or as a klansman would look at that photo and think - "maybe that was me - I had better apologize for it". Could someone who did dress like that forget they had done it. Absolutely. It may have meant little to them at the time other than being a joke. But could someone who would never do think forget that they hadn't done it? Never.

So now he claims it wasn't him and someone just mixed up the photos after first apologizing for it. So on top of everything else, he is a liar.

But let's keep him in office, because it would look really bad if a Democratic Governor had to step down to let another Democrat become Governor.

[Pisces]

35. The people telling you that on this website are trolls or bots. He has to go!! No ifs ands or butts!

[Skidmore]

37. Good grief.

Love how "youthful indiscretion" is being redefined to cover yet another man's blatant wrongdoing. At age 25, you are no longer a puling baby. If he was old enough to be trusted to make life and death decisions as a surgeon, he was old enough to understand social values of the time.

[MaryMagdaline]

39. one man's youthful indiscretion is another man's 20 to life

[c-rational]

40. Well said! nt

[ProfessorGAC]

42. I'm White And Was Around 20 Once

It would NEVER have occurred to me to do what he did.
If this pic was from when he was 11 we might have a different conversation
But, he was at full adulthood when he did this.
He deserves the heat he's getting!

[ChiTownDenny]

43. I agree.

That photo is abhorrent. And for anyone with the vapors, his seat will remain Democratic.

[Politicub]

45. Self-delete

For me lacking reading comprehension.

Northam needs to go. Full stop.

[Codeine]

46. Re-read the OP. nt

[Politicub]

47. Thank you for that

How embarrassing on my part

[Codeine]

49. The people spreading the excuses should

be the ones who are embarrassed, not you. You just assumed it was one more in a long list of posts defending the asshole.

[olegramps]

48. He claims he isn't the either of those in the photo.

[Codeine]

50. And yesterday he said he was.

He’s trying to weasel his way to some kind of sad little victory here, and he’s failing.

[olegramps]

74. Their filthy pass is catching up with the racists scumbags.

I have lived in the South and have numerous relatives that still reside throughout Georgia. northern Florida and Mississippi. Two of my nephews can't carry on a conversation without saying N-this and N-that. Yes, things have improved and they can't get away with their flagrant displays of racism. The talk in a private circle is just shielded from public display. Just to prove my point, these photos were published in 1984 not 1954. Who ever published this trash, if they are still in business, should be boycotted and condemned.

[whopis01]

55. He does now. After apologizing for being in the photo.

So, we would have to believe that a man who had not dressed up as a klansman or in blackface was shown a photo and told this was him, and his first reaction was to apologize for it. Then later come along and say that it wasn't him?

I could believe that someone once dressed like that, and forgot about it. Maybe it meant nothing to them at the time other than a joke and over the years they forget about it.

However, I have a very hard time believing that someone who never dressed as a klansman or in blackface would think, even for a moment, that maybe they had and should apologize for it.

[IronLionZion]

52. I like how your title draws in people expecting something very different

If even one whitesplainer takes a strategic pause to consider a POC's perspective and stop whitesplaining, it's well worth removing Northam from office.

And if any whitesplainers get woke, they should be encouraged through positive reinforcement.

[The Liberal Lion]

53. AMEN!

[whopis01]

56. I will assume you are uninformed and not purposely repeating the lie that is being pushed on us

But either way, please quit pushing the lie that this was a high school thing and thus unimportant.

When this photo was taken, this adult man (yes - adult man) had:

1) Graduated from high school

2) Attended college

3) Graduated from college

4) Went to medical school and was in his final year of medical school

5) Was about to enter the Army as an officer (later that year)

He was not a child at this time. He was an educated adult male months away from being a doctor and an officer in the military.

It is not a childhood photo. It is not a teenage decision.

[CTAtheist]

58. Thank you, I edited my post

I was under the impression it was a highschool yearbook, not a college one.

[MineralMan]

64. In that case, you must not have read the stories about it.

In every one, the name of the Medical School was mentioned. Children do not attend medical school.

Perhaps more reading before posting is in order.

[CTAtheist]

67. Yes, that was my fault.

I believe the only thing I saw was "yearbook photo" and I just incorrectly assumed it was high school. I am not even sure my college had a year book, although it probably did and I just wasn't aware. I thought year books were a highschool thing.

I've corrected my post as a result. Thanks for your reply, I missed that last reference in my previous edit from whopis01's reply.

[whopis01]

70. Thanks

Thanks for being a reasonable thinking person.

And I apologize if I came across poorly in my first response to you. So many people keep pushing the 35 years ago + high school = no big deal. It got me worked up.

So many people are just argumentative and never take in new information or revise their opinions. (I probably get that way at times too). But I appreciate you taking in the info and adjusting your response. I must remember to try to be equally as reasonable.

[EffieBlack]

59. You joined DU and 20 minutes later are an expert on who is and isn't a troll here?

Welcome aboard. Enjoy your stay.

[CTAtheist]

60. Sorry, I wasn't implying the trolls were members here.

Last edited Sun Feb 3, 2019, 08:05 PM - Edit history (2)

I meant, Democrats are being influenced by trolls (republican, russian, etc) and then take up their cause (in this case, calling for Northam to resign).

Totally apologize for not making that more clear.

Also, just FYI, I've lurked on DU since 2001 (right after Bush v Gore).

[EffieBlack]

61. So glad that this particular issue drove you to finally join and weigh in after nearly 20 years

[CTAtheist]

62. It's behavior like yours that put me off for so long.

Instead of engaging the points, you launched two ad-hominem attacks against me.

1. Who am I to speak on this forum?
2. Its not acceptable that I lurked a long time before joining and posting.

Neither of those two responses have anything to do with my post or its point.

So, yeah, it took me 20 years to decide to register to post here. I chalk it up to the fact that I'm older and thicker skinned, now.

[EffieBlack]

65. Yes, I'm sure that's what it is.

As I said. Welcome aboard. I look forward to hearing more from you.

[namahage]

71. Kind of hard to be lurking since 2000

when DU was started in 2001.

Welcome to DU.

[Empowerer]

72. Oops!

[namahage]

73. You must have a low opinion of Democrats

if you feel they are all being trolled into supporting troll causes.

Are you sure you've got the right site, or did you mean to post on a site that was in existence in 2000?

[MineralMan]

63. "Childhood photos?" Really. That was while he was in medical school and was

24 years old. Not a child at all. He was an adult at the time.

Unless you extend childhood into the 20s, he is responsible for his adult actions.

Welcome to DU, I guess.