California Democrats pass resolution calling for John Wayne Airport to be renamed

[sandensea]

California Democrats in Orange County are demanding that the county’s John Wayne Airport be renamed and all likenesses of Wayne be removed from the airport, over “racist and bigoted statements” made by the American icon decades ago.

“The Democratic Party of Orange County condemns John Wayne’s racist and bigoted statements, and calls for John Wayne’s name and likeness to be removed from the Orange County airport, and calls on the OC Board of Supervisors to restore its original name: Orange County Airport,” the resolution, passed Friday, says.

The resolution, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, would reverse the 1979 decision to rename it after Duke.

At: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-democrats-resolution-john-wayne-airport-renamed

A monument to John Wayne, by sculptor Robert Summers (1982), greets passengers at Orange County's John Wayne Airport.

Wayne was a vocal white supremacist, stating in a 1971 interview (amid the Civil Rights struggle) that:

“I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.”

[Mr.Bill]

1. Aside from his racism,

he wasn't really a good actor. Not notable enough to have a drinking fountain or a park bench named after him.

[sandensea]

2. True. He always sounded inebriated in his movies.

And, of course, probably was.

[John Fante]

3. One-note actor and that note was pretty sour.

His Oscar win for "True Grit" was a joke.

[Mr.Bill]

5. He essentially played the same character

in every movie he was in. That's not acting.

[sandensea]

7. +1

He would've been a halfway decent spoof actor - not unlike Leslie Nielsen - if he just had the least sense of humor.

Which of course he didn't.

[Chainfire]

15. He liked playing heroes

but he was a WWII draft dodger.

[stopbush]

17. That's not true.

Last edited Sun Jun 28, 2020, 04:17 AM - Edit history (2)

America's entry into World War II resulted in a deluge of support for the war effort from all sectors of society, and Hollywood was no exception. Wayne was exempted from service due to his age (34 at the time of Pearl Harbor) and family status (classified as 3-A – family deferment). Wayne repeatedly wrote to John Ford saying he wanted to enlist, on one occasion inquiring whether he could get into Ford's military unit, but consistently kept postponing it until after "he finished just one or two pictures".[35] Wayne did not attempt to prevent his reclassification as 1-A (draft eligible), but Republic Studios was emphatically resistant to losing him since he was their only A-list actor under contract. Herbert J. Yates, President of Republic, threatened Wayne with a lawsuit if he walked away from his contract,[36] and Republic Pictures intervened in the Selective Service process, requesting Wayne's further deferment.[37]

U.S. National Archives records indicate that Wayne, in fact, did make an application[38] to serve in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), precursor to the modern CIA, and had been accepted within the U.S. Army's allotted billet to the OSS. William J. Donovan, OSS Commander, wrote Wayne a letter informing him of his acceptance into the Field Photographic Unit, but the letter went to his estranged wife Josephine's home. She never told him about it. Wayne toured U.S. bases and hospitals in the South Pacific for three months in 1943 and 1944.[39] with the USO.[40][41][42] During this trip, he carried out a request from Donovan to assess whether General Douglas Macarthur, commander of the South West Pacific Area, or his staff were hindering the work of the OSS.[19]:88 Donovan later issued Wayne an OSS Certificate of Service to memorialize Wayne's contribution to the OSS mission.[19]:88[43]

By many accounts, his failure to serve in the military later became the most painful part of his life.[35] His widow later suggested that his patriotism in later decades sprang from guilt, writing: "He would become a 'superpatriot' for the rest of his life trying to atone for staying home."[44] Source: Wikipedia

[TexasProgresive]

4. I never liked that asshat since my youth

I didn’t know he was a racist but am unsurprised. I don’t remember which movie told me he was no good, but I remember the scene. He spanked the leading lady with an ash shovel. I already had the opinion that he didn’t act but what you see is what he is. John Wayne played John Wayne.

[sandensea]

6. A legendary chauvinist - and one of Joe McCarthy's biggest apologists.

We'll never know how many of his fellow actors - plus screenwriters and crew - he threw under the bus just to win McCarthy's good graces.

Same with Reagan.

[stopbush]

8. John Wayne was a great actor in more than a few movies - The Searchers,

The Quiet Man, Rio Bravo, Fort Apache, for example.

Yes, he played himself - so does Jack Nicholson. So what?

I can separate his personal life from his movies, just like I can separate the music from the personal life of composers like Wagner.

That said, as a resident of OC, I’d be OK with the airport being renamed and his statue taken down.

[sandensea]

9. He would've been better as a spoof actor - not unlike Leslie Nielsen

If he just had a sense of humor - which of course he didn't.

That said, I don't think any such resolution will pass - not in the near future anyway.

I agree that Orange County Democrats would do better to focus on other issues.

On a personal note, I lived in O.C. for about 12 years in the '90s and 2000s. Lots of great memories (it just got too expensive).

[ItsjustMe]

10. John Wayne had a thing for Latin women

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wayne#Personal_life

Wayne was married three times and divorced twice. His three wives, one of Spanish American descent and two of Hispanic descent, were Josephine Alicia Saenz, Esperanza Baur, and Pilar Pallete.

[cos dem]

11. Let's rename all airports currently named after two-bit actors.

...DCA...

[sandensea]

13. Yup: Reagan National.

"You know, Bonzo, I'm beginning to fear this is what I'll be remembered for."

"We should be so lucky!"

[Merlot]

12. I've been thinking of this during all the toppling of monuments

wayne has said horrible things and every time I've driven by that airport it's annoyed me. I hope this renaming is done soon.

[BigmanPigman]

14. Orange County?

If they change it I will be very surprised.

[sandensea]

16. I agree.

O.C. Democrats did well to propose the change - but should probably focus on other things.

After 40 years, whenever anyone's going to the airport in Orange County - to a person - they're going "to John Wayne."

A thoroughly undeserved honor - but sometimes it's better to leave things alone (at least for now).