Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Why It's Not a Joke

depass, racism, black, michelle, obama,
One of my nephews is black, in the same way President Obama is black: one parent is white, the other black.

He's a teenager, a talented artist, a fantastic comedian, and generally a really great kid. He's kind and warm and generous to everyone he meets. You'd be lucky if you ever met him.

I saw him at Thanksgiving last year and asked him what he thought of the first black president. He said he was thrilled that Obama had won, but was sorry that he ever ran. I thought that was a really strange sentiment, so I asked him what he meant.

My beautiful nephew told me that Obama's candidacy taught him exactly how racist this country really is. He recited all the racist things politicians and pundits had said during the election and then he rattled off every horrible word for black he had learned during the election. Then he shook his head and said the saddest thing I've ever heard anyone say, "It won't matter if I become the most famous graphic novelest of all time- to a lot of people I'll only ever be a porch monkey!"

That's why what GOP activist Rusty DePass said about Michelle Obama was not a joke, and why his apology is not enough.

Commenting on a report posted to Facebook about a gorilla escape at a zoo in Columbia, S.C., Friday, longtime GOP activist Rusty DePass wrote, "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."

Busted by South Carolina political blogger Will Folks on his FITNEWS blog, 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 Michelle Obama made a recent remark about humans descending from apes. The Daily News could find no such comment.
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It's not a joke to compare a black person to monkeys, Mr. DePass. It's standard racist rhetoric. It's also not an apology when you don't say you're sorry. I'm sorry if I offended anyone is not an apology. Oh, and it's her fault anyway makes it less an apology.

You can go fuck yourself, Mr. DePass.

4 comments:

  1. Racism fail and biology fail and apology fail all in one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. just... fail.

    and this has been *everywhere*, and the Republican party AS A WHOLE is neither appologizing nor disowning...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Matt, that is one of the funniest scenes in the movie. When he first says it and everyone in the store just stop. No one can believe what he just said. Or his pseudo-defense of his grandma, who taught him the phrase, after that.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You'd think that every other GOPer would be moving so quickly to disavow this asshat that they would actually move backwards in time, but no, they don't care. they probably can't figure out what exactly was wrong with that statement.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are for you guys, not for me. Say what you will. Don't feel compelled to stay on topic, I enjoy it when comments enter Tangentville or veer off into Non Sequitur Town. Just keep it polite, okay?

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