Comments on: Racism & Bigotry: Will ‘Wetback’ Slur Derail GOP’s Rebranding Efforts?

By: Meh

Meh — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:54:09 +0000

Couldn’t have said it better.

By: s. anderson

s. anderson — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:43:09 +0000

I wonder if Congressman Young would have had the good sense not to use the “N” word if his family had hired black people to work their farm back in the day. The “N” word was routinely used to describe black people. It was offensive then and still remains today. Mr. Young’s comments are a poor excuse for an apology.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:57:47 +0000

SWB – You’re demonstrating exactly why they think they need to rebrand. Somewhere along the line anyone with a conservative ideology is therefore branded as prejudiced against anything non-white male dominance. You’re perpetuating the agenda of the opposite side. We get so caught up in focusing on posturing that we lose sight of being effective. This is not a party problem, Young just happens to be a Republican. He’s ignorant regardless of his political affiliation.

By: SWB

SWB — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:59:59 +0000

Even when members of the GOP learn to talk without offending, it does not necessarily signal a change in their underying beliefs. That is why rebranding as a strategy is absurd. In order for that to be successful, there will need to be a change at the most basic level in the Republican Party — one that signals that they no longer believe that the world was designed for the white male culture to be dominant.

By: Bert

Bert — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:22:23 +0000

Why is the racial slur spelled out several times in this article. I like the discussion in the article, but I am concerned with repeating this word over and over. Similar articles in the media rarely spell out the N-word.

By: Alexis G. Thornton

Alexis G. Thornton — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 22:24:11 +0000

Couldn’t have said it better…I agree with everything you just stated.

By: Andres Jordan

Andres Jordan — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 22:12:00 +0000

A few years back I heard a philosopher and thinker propose a theory of what was underpinning the foundational angst that this country is going through right now. His analysis was that it was caused by the shift in power dynamics away from the traditional white and anglo power structures to one that definitely will be browner and in many ways quite disruptive to the status quo. The voting patterns of the last election are just the beginning. The new belief system that Hispanics and others are bringing to the table will change everything.

So, Mr Young’s colorful language may be a reflection of this angst. Disrespect in order to disarm.

I feel this latent disrespect and judgement all the time. The moment my name is uttered or read I am put in a box. I can see it in people’s eyes. A box that says that I am different and perhaps threatening. A box that says you are not like me.

So, I agree with Blake. Acceptance, tolerance, humbleness are not things that we need to change in ourselves. These are things that we need to live.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:48:08 +0000

As an independant, I could care less about either party’s “branding” as it has no bearing on my thought proces when choosing a candidate. What we have here is a man in a position of power that demonstrated more ignorance with his apology than with his original comments. He says it was language he used when “growing up”. Growing up doesn’t stop, and as you mature, you learn more about what’s right and wrong and then think and act accordingly. He didn’t mis-speak, this is what is in his heart. It’s what he thinks is right and for that he should no longer be afforded the position he holds.

By: Blake

Blake — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:10:03 +0000

Congressman Young may not have had “malice in his heart”, but he certainly had and has bias. The derogatory term used for Mexicans is no different than other terms that have been developed for ALL minorities. It’s meant to remind all minorities that regardless of how hard we work, how educated we are or how much we contribute to our society, we are still essentially less than whites in the United States.

It’s not just a GOP problem, as there are many fine people in the Repulican party. The problem is the lack of acceptance, the need to feel superior and to retain a power base by any means necessary.