Yes, Virginia, Democrats Can Be Racists, Too
The Democratic Party’s zero-tolerance chickens have come home to Virginia to roost.
When Gov. Ralph Northam’s medical school yearbook photo was “discovered” last week, Democrats fell over each other to demand his resignation. Among their justifications for the swift judgment was the fact that the lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, is an African-American whose politics are to the left of Northam’s.
It didn’t take long, though, for the same GOP outfit that released the Northam photo to exhume a story about an allegation of sexual assault against Fairfax, one that the Washington Post investigated but did not report on a year ago. Fairfax claims the encounter was consensual, but there have, notably, been no calls from Democrats that “we must believe the woman,” nor has anyone demanded his resignation. Were he and Northam both to do so, the state’s third-ranking elected official, the attorney general, would become governor.
Oops. This morning Virginia AG Mark Herring revealed that he, too, had once dressed in blackface as a rapper for Halloween — in 1980, as a 19-year-old university undergraduate. No word yet on whether Democrats will demand his resignation as well.
So have those whose knees jerked at Northam learned anything yet? Probably not. They probably don’t even understand the incoherent standard they have adopted — that if someone does anything that causes hurt feelings, that person must resign, unless we decide not to be outraged by it, in which case never mind. Justin Fairfax, meet Tom Carper.
The notion that Democrats, and Democrats alone, must not only be above reproach but must always have been so, should be seen for what it is — a tool for discrediting people whose actual ideas and policies you haven’t been able to discredit otherwise. If the people of Virginia had to make out articles of impeachment to remove Northam, they’d have no legitimate grounds for removing him from office. “He lied about who he is” is not only not a crime, it’s a universal business plan for running for office.
As long as Democrats insist on reacting like flustered chumps at every provocation, Republicans will continue to play them for such.
Exactly. To ignore the fact that a hyper-partisan GOP outfit, with its own goals, is behind this gives them enormous power.
I say, fuck that.
I hope that’s not all you took from this. The problem remains the insistence that our shit not stink.
imagine not understanding the difference between what blackface is and hurt feelings.
I think there is some method for dealing with this shit that doesn’t include saying “how high?”every time Republicans demand that we jump.
@Ben: Imagine not being able to tell the difference between blackface and things that matter.
Ever see “The Jazz Singer”? Think we should ban it?
Imagine taking every ethnic slur as a wound. Imagine bleeding all over the place.
Grow some fucking skin. You don’t get to arbitrarily suspend the First Amendment retroactively without getting pushback from me, I don’t care how fucking sensitive you are.
Oh, while you’re at it, imagine having nothing to say about the allegations of sexual assault, or the hypocrisy of calling for just one of these officials to resign. Apparently in your ethos blackface is worse than sexual assault.
A valid point to say the least, having said that condemnation of Northam was near to universal. But I agree, fuck that as this was an obvious hit piece.
The mob’s unanimity does not make it not a mob.
So it’s ok to dismiss a confirmed accusation entirely if you don’t agree with the sources politics?
I don’t think you’ve been following the thread here. What’s the “confirmed accusation” you’re referring to?
Holier than thou is not a good look. I guess all that talk about Dems being snowflakes and easily triggered is true. (It can be true no matter how deplorable the accusers are.) This is why Democrats have so much trouble defeating the even more idiotic Republicans. Most regular people are turned off by this smugness and zero-tolerance. Wanna stop being controlled by big money and even out the economic playing field? Then keep your eye on the ball.
Ironic that the Virginia Governor is in a fight to make it a “Full Term”.
What do the Northam Fairfax and herring stories have all in common? Under 25 and alcohol involved. So are we are a party going to truly believe in second chances like we talk about in crim Justice reform or not? I hate this holier then thou crowd
Good points all around. I owe you MF’ers a drink.
The purity purge continues unabated by any consideration of redemption as a single point in time outweighs an entire life. From pretend boob grabs through Indians to Al Jolson masquerades, the search for the immaculate virgin continues.
In the meantime, 2020 looms with the inexorable march towards Trump’s second term.
I can understand why liberals are solidly behind gun control, because more often than not, you are shooting yourselves.
While racism can’t be Tolered there is something to be said of it happening while he was a young man and is clearly not a racist. I’m quicker to criticize those who abuse their office then those who made dumb decisions along time ago but that’s just me.
Glad to do it. Exposing sanctimonious asses is my hobby. Thanks for stepping forward.
Also glad you’re acknowledging that this is based not on any sort of moral rectitude at all, but perceived political necessity — power politics, in other words. It’s not justice to throw the guy to the wolves immediately, but we can do it, so we will, just to prove we won’t tolerate it any more. Lickspittle.
See, one person’s bad behavior does not excuse another’s. Judging before the facts are in is wrong. Judging by varying standards, as Virginians are doing with Fairfax and Herring, is wrong. And you haven’t addressed that at all, just tried the lamest of all “liberal” cards, “Shame on you!”
If you want to try discussing this with your brains instead of your high horse, go right ahead. See if you can.
Let’s all be clear – the shitty thing you did in 1980 – is disqualifying only for Democrats.
Rethugs circle the wagons, D’s create circular firing squads.
There can be nothing coincidental about the timing of these allegations. A Rethug hit, aided and abetted by the D’s who don’t even know what’s true. Get rid of ’em all. After all, it all MIGHT be true, and it MIGHT be disqualifying.
Jee-zus.
45 has created a new standard. 1980 was a bad year for me but I’m confident, I can meet the new standards
Here’s a perfect example of the moral gymnastics necessary to claim that the outcry against Northam is right and fair:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/ralph-northam-blackface-photo-yearbook-risk.html
It’s arrant bullshit. Let me reiterate this as many times as necessary: Blackface is not only not a crime, it’s victimless. If you don’t believe it is, then don’t tell me that prostitution and drug addiction are victimless. If you think that, it’s just another instance of a double standard you’re too blind to even see you have.
We also heard the first squeaks about Justin Fairfax’s alleged sexual assault. Calls for resignation? Not so much.
“Though none have issued a full-throated call for resignation, several have called for a thorough investigation of the facts, underscoring an increasing sense of the severity in the unfolding crises.”
Just to rub your noses in this, let me point out that if this had been the attitude towards Northam in the first place, idiot Democrats wouldn’t be in the position they’re in now.
Most of you idiots don’t even see that you willingly walked into a trap. Republicans knew knee-jerks would call for Northam’s head — and only then did they reveal that the Lt. Gov. had at least as much to answer for, considering that, y’know, his alleged crime has an actual victim. As does the AG, which means — if Democrats follow their own “logic” and toss out all three — Virginia will have a Republican governor, the speaker of the state House.
Two things that don’t go well together: Self-righteousness and stupidity. If only Republicans had that market cornered.