LAT editorial: Senator George Allen disgraces himself with racial slur

[DeepModem Mom]

EDITORIAL
The Un-American Senator
George Allen disgraces himself with a racist slur.
August 21, 2006

THE BEST POSSIBLE INTERPRETATION of Sen. George Allen's twice pointing at an Indian American videographer at a campaign rally and sneeringly calling him "macaca" is that, in the words of Allen's own spinmeisters, the Virginia Republican and putative 2008 presidential contender was just playfully combining the words "Mohawk" (to mischaracterize the cameraman's haircut) and, well, "caca." As an Allen staffer explained to the National Journal's Hotline blog, he was "an annoyance."

That's the best spin, mind you. The worst — and more believable — is that "macaca" is an Americanized version of the similarly pronounced French racial slur "macaque," which literally refers to a species of stub-tailed monkey, but is figuratively used to insult North Africans and other people with dark skin. It's the French equivalent of "darkie," making all decent people who hear it shudder. Allen's mother is French, from the North African country of Tunisia. He speaks the language well....(Growing up in Virginia he) began a lifelong embrace of Confederate symbology — lapel pins, bumper stickers and, until recently, flags — while exhibiting some worrying behavior toward African Americans.

According to a damning May profile in the New Republic, Allen once spray-painted something like "Burn, Baby, Burn" on his own high school just before the mostly black Morningside High basketball team from Inglewood came to play Palos Verdes High. Since taking public office, Allen has decorated his workspace with a noose hanging from a tree, opposed dedicating a federal holiday to Martin Luther King Jr., and now employed a vile slur to attack a political opponent.

There is no room for that kind of racism in American politics. We're not in the habit of telling Virginians how to vote, but an Allen defeat this November would send the right message to race-baiting politicians: Welcome to America. Now go home.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-ed-allen21aug21,0,4901685.story?track=mostemailedlink

[panader0]

1. Excellent editorial! My sentiments exactly.

The problem is, however, that most of asshole Allen's constituents share the same vile racism as he does.
I hope this ass brings out the good folks of Virginia to vote him out.

[MADem]

2. Wow, this macaca has some long legs, dunnit???

This has been going on for DAYS....and more importantly, as the above article notes, it's shining attention onto his heretofore ignored nastyass racial prejudices and damned crude behavior.

Welcome to the harsh light of day Howdy Doody! Couldn't happen to a 'nicer' guy!!!!

Awww, ain't it curious...George is a SAD little monkey today!

http://www.dnronline.com.nyud.net:8090/photos/w041206SenatorAllen2PM_1144907524.jpg

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. Having seen that graffiti with my own eyes back then at PVHS

and thinking about it every time I saw/heard about allen over the years, it is great to see the episode finally get some attention. He was old enough to know better.

[AX10]

4. Jim Webb has the opening he needs to win.