Round 2 Allen/"Macaca" LTTE's Richmond Times-Disptach

[underpants]

Macaca Incident: Senator Allen's Critics Press Their Case

Richmond Times-Dispatch Aug 25, 2006


Editor, Times-Dispatch: Regarding your editorial describing Senator George Allen's racial slur as a gaffe: Why treat him with kid gloves? A gaffe is a faux pas -- a social blunder.

Allen's racial insult of an ethnic minority is a great deal more serious. At worst it was a blatant display of racism aimed at courting favor with a group of all-white good old boys. At best it was cruel and insensitive bullying of a native Virginian. Allen is unfit for public office. Gordon I. Peterson. springfield.


Editor's note: This letter and the others appearing today were postmarked prior to George Allen's personal apology. (REALLY? What difference does that make? I guess we need an editorial to explain what that has to do with anything)

. . .

Editor, Times-Dispatch: It didn't take George Allen long to break his pledge to run on "positive, constructive ideas" with his remarks to a cameraman working for the Webb campaign. Like the cameraman, I am a person of Indian descent, and I am disappointed by what the senator said to him. Such remarks make people who move to this country feel unwelcome.

As a longtime resident of Southwest Virginia, I see Allen's remarks as a cheap opportunity to get votes here. Not only were they offensive to ethnic Indians like me, they also were offensive to the many Caucasians in the region who are friendly to us. People like Allen should know that dividing people on the basis of personal backgrounds is no way to win elections. Amit Thakkar. richlands.

. . .

Editor, Times-Dispatch: George Allen has discredited himself to represent the people of Virginia with his racist statements directed to a follower of opponent Jim Webb.

In addition, Allen's support of the illegal invasion of Iraq further disqualifies him to represent Virginia. He has no military service, yet he sends men and women to fight and die in an illegal and unjust conflict that cannot be won. He is a disgrace -- but, because of special interests and single issues, unfortunately will be re-elected. Gerald Bowman. richmond.

. . .

Editor, Times-Dispatch: Is it me, or does George Allen just not get it?

He wants us to believe he wasn't smart enough to know that "macaca" refers to a genus of monkeys. I can believe that.

But what he doesn't see is that in today's world of American diversity, one doesn't make up a nickname to deride someone just because he is of a different color, origin, gender, or sexual orientation. I don't care if the word is macaca or any other demeaning appelation. Can't Allen respect his fellow citizens? Or is respect given only to straight WASP males?

Allen is not someone we need leading the country or holding Virginia back from being more progressive. I hope the people of Virginia realize this and remember it at election time. Edward P. Toloski. richmond.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&%09s=1045855935005&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190176963&path=%21editorials%21letters

[underpants]

1. Related-Wash.Times's Blakely offers excuse not offered by Allen campaign

It might shock you that at this point there is any excuse that hasn't been offered by the Allen campaign but Tony Blakely came up with one :shrug:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200608250001

On the August 23 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, Washington Times editorial page editor Tony Blankley stated that "n Italian, I'm told," the word "macaca" -- twice used by Sen. George F. Allen (R-VA) in singling out S.R. Sidarth, a volunteer with the campaign of Allen's Democratic Senate challenger Jim Webb -- "means a clown." But, among Allen's numerous statements and explanations his campaign has offered during the ensuing controversy, " 'macaca' means 'clown' in Italian" was not one of them.

Blankley's assertions echo those of a Washington Times reader quoted by columnist John McCaslin in his August 21 Washington Times "Inside the Beltway" column. According to McCaslin, "Joseph Luchi, a translator who lives in New York City" and claims to be "fluent in Italian and of Italian descent," wrote to McCaslin claiming that "y mom used this word about myself and my sister many times. It means 'fool, clown, dummy.' " Luchi's letter continued: "It is quite possible that the senator heard this word from his mom when he was misbehaving. ... My mom used this word to chastise us when we were not doing the right thing. Many Italian mothers that I was around used this word." Allen's use of the term "macaca" was, according to Luchi as reported by McCaslin, "not flattering, but it did not mean 'monkey,' but in the vernacular ... 'dummy, clown.' And I can hear my mom now calling that kid a 'macaca' (clown) for running around with a camera and following the senator around Virginia with that silly haircut."

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. That sounds completely made up

I grew up in an Italian household. My father is an Italian citizen and spoke to us mostly in Italian. I have never heard the term "macaca" come out of his mouth, and certainly not to indicate what Luchi claims. Hell, for all I know it is some obscure dialect from a village outside Palermo, but I defy anyone of Italian heritage to confirm Luchi's claim. Now, my father used the term "scemo" (pronounced "shay-mo") a lot to indicate what Luchi is claiming, or "testa di legno," but never, ever "macaca." I'd also think it "macaca" would be a weird thing to say, since so many Italian sentences are started with the verbal placeholder "ma," and "caca" does indeed mean shit. Point being, I don't believe it. This isn't even getting into the fact that Allen's mother is not Italian at all.

[underpants]

4. Speaking of caca

My thinks they are just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.

What they should have done was leave it alone and it would have been a "blogosphere" thing that the masses never heard of.

Oh well as Madison said in "Madagascar" "If you have poo thing it now!"

[gratuitous]

7. Man, they're really reaching, aren't they?

George Felix Allen's mother spoke French, not Italian. And what's with the crack about "that silly haircut"? Are we back to the canard that Sidarth had a mohawk or a mullet? Because he doesn't.

But facts rarely get in the way of Republican justifications.

[Bandit]

8. It hardly makes any difference when you start name calling

you lose credebility. It is just flat out rude and certainly not Dignified, which the Republicans claim they are, to call people names no matter what the name might be and if it happens to be a racist name as in this case it is doubly so.

[Mz Pip]

9. Clown

Oh that's so much better, Tony. :eyes: Nevermind that Allen never used that definition as an excuss. Even if he had, it would still be inappropriate.

Blankley later mentioned that the Washington Times would probably endorce Allen. :puke:

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Dhalgren]

2. This is the best point made so far:

"But what he doesn't see is that in today's world of American diversity, one doesn't make up a nickname to deride someone just because he is of a different color, origin, gender, or sexual orientation." THIS is the point...

[godai]

5. Can't you easily imagine Etty calling people macaca?

She seems totally spoiled and arrogant and hated living in Virginia in the 1970s. This guy is a joke and needs to be sent back to the cave that he crawled out of. Vote Webb and bring back the Democratic majority to the Senate!


From the New Republic Article:
http://www.truthcaucus.com/2006/05/01/lizzatnr


"Even the elder George Allen wasn’t Southern—he grew up in the Midwest—but the oddest part of the myth of George Allen’s Dixie rusticity is his mother. Rather than a Southern belle, Etty was, in fact, French, and, as such, she was a deliciously indiscreet cultural libertine. She would do housework in her bra and panties. She wore muumuus and wraparound sunglasses and once won a belly button contest. According to Jennifer, “Mom prided herself for being un-American. ... She was ashamed that she had given up her French citizenship to become a citizen of a country she deemed infantile.” When her husband later moved the family to Virginia, Etty despised living in the state. She was also anti-Washington before her son ever was, albeit in a slightly more continental fashion. “Washingtonians think their town resembles Paris,” she once scoffed. “If Paris passed gas, you’d have Washington.” "

[underpants]

6. Oh that is just too good

thanks

[Nay]

13. Well, I agree with Etty on one point - I despise living in VA, too, and

thuggish dolts like Allen keep me feeling that way.

[Contrary1]

10. According to Babel online translation:

fool = sciocco
dummy = fittizio
clown = clown

Oh, and macaca = macaca

[yellowcanine]

11. Didn't Blakely used to work for Newtie? He should know about clowns,

then.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

12. Bottom line: Dude revealed himself on tape as a racist, bullying fratboy.

No amount of doublespeak can erase that, especially to anyone who's seen the tape. The manner, and demeanor, of the comments and how the target was addressed is unmistakable.

The best thing is that every time this news story is covered on TV, they usually show the tape, and more people can see what an a-hole Allen is.