Michelle Obama Gorilla Comment: NAACP Demands "Proper" Apology

[RamboLiberal]

The state NAACP is demanding an apology from a former South Carolina official whose Internet posting suggested a gorilla that escaped from the Columbia zoo was an ancestor of first lady Michelle Obama.

NAACP president Lonnie Randolph said Monday that former Election Commission chairman Rusty DePass has not offered a "proper" apology. Randolph says the NAACP isn't giving DePass undue attention, rather decrying racially charged commentary against the Obamas.

Minutes after the gorilla's escape was reported, DePass posted: "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."

The Facebook posting was captured on a South Carolina politics blog. DePass did not immediately return a call Monday, but he told WIS-TV that the posting was a joke.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/16/michelle-obama-gorilla-co_n_216178.html

I with the NAACP on this one - and add the other two Repuke idiots who also took racist swipes at President Obama in the last couple of days.

[NewJeffCT]

1. I'd demand they be fired for that

but, then they'd probably get jobs as RW talk radio hosts.

that's disgusting.

[ellacott]

2. They will just give a non-apology apology

They'll say I'm sorry IF I offended someone.

[CreekDog]

3. This needs as big an apology as the one Palin demanded

and nothing less.

[Gman2]

4. Bullshit, we need to be tougher than pro victims.

Paint them as pc police and whiners. Show that they are the weak pathetic needers of an equalizer.

[angee_is_mad]

5. Wonder how many comments this will get?

and where are the feminists on this? Hell they were out there last week for palin.

[MzShellG]

7. Exactly!

:popcorn:

[angee_is_mad]

8. Kinda reminds me of the primaries

with all the names Michelle was called and the silence of the feminists.

[carmenjones]

9. Sisterhood is powerful for only certain types of women

Their silence is positively deafening.

[Fire1]

14. BINGO!!! And welcome to DU.

[carmenjones]

16. Thanks for the welcome

I feel like I've been here forever, but then I remember that I stick to mostly lurking. LOL :hi:

[angee_is_mad]

15. This has been commented on in the Afrospear

in the past, but progressive DUers wouldn't be able to handle that debate.

[Number23]

49. You hit the head of that nail so hard it's broken in two

Their silence is positively deafening.

TELL IT, Ms. Carmenjones.

[DeschutesRiver]

23. Maybe Sister Sarah should demand another apology on behalf of all women

because stuff like this is degrading to women and surely Michelle's daughters are being adversely affected by comments suggesting that...oh, wait, this is just about bigotry, could apply to the whole class of black people - no sex involved in this. Never mind.

Since that whole Palin joke wasn't intended for their daughter Willow anyway (despite dad Todd's eagerness to connect "rape" with "Willow" for some odd reason), maybe NOW could craft a similar stretching argument to stand up for Michelle as they did for Palin. Wouldn't be much of a stretch - what little girl wouldn't think twice about growing up to hold a position of authority if it means they are going to be made fun of and tormented like this for no good reason? Doesn't crap like this also damage young girls supposed frail egos (well, weak egos according to Sarah), and shouldn't NOW make a statement?

And a general piss on the person who said this - what a thumb sucking, weak willed, scared little fucker. I hope life stays scary and tough for the comment maker.

[angee_is_mad]

24. They said she looked like an APE and was UGLY

that is what I tooked from it. Why couldn't they have said Obama? That's not right neither, but it was a pointed racist and sexist remark!

[jenmito]

6. And they better GET a proper apology!

That's disgusting and UNACCEOTABLE!

[jenmito]

10. K&R so hopefully more people will show the same outrage they

showed about Letterman "insulting" Palin.

[mrbarber]

11. I am so tired of apologies being demanded....

From both sides of the aisle.

A forced apology is not an apology.

[angee_is_mad]

13. Welcome to DU

and what State are you in? Must be a sad place were no one is ever sorry for shameful, ignorant, and insensitive comments.

[carmenjones]

17. The constant crickets from these so-called "feminists"

when the object of ridicule is a woman of color is so predictable. But don't let Michelle decide to designate herself "Mom in Chief," ooh, outrage! :eyes:

BTW, I'm in NYC... and thanks for the welcome!

[angee_is_mad]

22. oh, oh, oh

and giving up her career to be First Lady and wanting to stay out of policy decisions.

That Michelle has set the women's movement back 20yrs. Shameful, just shameful:sarcasm:

[nini]

21. I don't think the poster meant apologies weren't the correct thing to do

but when they are demanded they don't carry as much weight as one that is offered voluntarily. (at least that's what I thought and agreed to :shrug: )

[nini]

19. I agree and that has always bothered me

These assholes are just that - assholes. Call them on their ignorance and expose them but any apology is not worth a thing if it's pretty much forced.

[Window]

26. I'm more tired of people saying stupid, hateful things that people have to demand an apology

for in the first place.

[jberryhill]

56. Best. Apology. Ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9JYq-mXprw

[inna]

12. which "other two repuke idiots"? i missed that completely.

what did they say?

[RamboLiberal]

61. Here you go

An e-mail featuring a picture of two cartoon eyeballs set against a black background and meant to depict President Obama landed a Republican Tennessee state Senate aide in hot water, but not on the unemployment line.

Sherri Goforth, a legislative aide to Republican state Sen. Diane Black, was reprimanded -- but not fired -- for sending the image, which featured a succession of presidents in dignified and stately positions until the final picture of Obama.

Goforth, who is white, was issued a verbal and written rebuke for sending the e-mail from a statehouse account on May 28. Goforth called it a "bad decision" and said she sent it to the "wrong list of people," The Tennessean reported.

Democratic legislators have called for Goforth's resignation, but Black defended her decision not to fire her, telling the newspaper that Goforth has always been a friend to "people with black skin."



http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/17/gop-state-senate-aide-reprimanded-racist-obama-e-mail/

South Carolina GOP Operative Apologizes For Racist Tweet Against Obama
By Eric Kleefeld - June 15, 2009, 4:17PM
Indigo Journal, a liberal blog in South Carolina, reports that GOP operative Mike Green posted a racist joke about President Obama on his Twitter account over the weekend -- and in a brief conversation with TPM, Green did not deny it. (Late Update: Green has now admitted it in a new set of Tweets, and apologized. See new section after the jump.)

Green posted this, then deleted it some time later:

JUST HEARD OBAMA IS GOING TO IMPOSE A 40% TAX ON ASPIRIN BECAUSE IT'S WHITE AND IT WORKS.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/south-carolina-gop-operative-doesnt-deny-racist-tweet-against-obama.php

[ruggerson]

18. Good for the NAACP

bigots need to be stamped out.

[nini]

20. Has Michelle commented on this?

I haven't heard but that doesn't mean she hasn't. I'm guessing no and is letting the idiot show his ass all by himself.

[CakeGrrl]

43. Not that I know of, and I'm pretty sure she'll stay above it

That strategy worked well for her husband when the idiots were lobbing insults at him left and right during the campaign. She doesn't need to validate that scumbucket one iota with any public acknowledgement.

[nini]

48. that's wise of her

The comments alone show what a loser the guy is - let him dig his own grave.

[Clio the Leo]

25. Seriously! And Embassy Suites better boycott all of SC!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8472726

[angee_is_mad]

28. Don't hold your breathe

we need you here on DU.

[Clio the Leo]

31. awww, thanks! NT

[Cha]

27. Thanks NAACP for having

Michelle's back on this one.

[Raine]

29. If Letterman had to apologize

why the hell shouldn't this asshole! :mad:

[Flying Dream Blues]

30. K&R...this is outrageous! nt

[JeffR]

32. 12 whole recs for this. Hmm.

Apparently the feminist vanguard is simply too exhausted from the Letterman Wars to keep this kicked.

So I'll just say on their behalf that DePass is a sexist and racist vulgarian.

Thanks for posting this, Rambo. Pretty sad to see that it doesn't have 200 responses by now. It damn well should.

[angee_is_mad]

34. Kick

thank you

[firedupdem]

37. +1 n/t

[Uzybone]

44. +1

very well said.

I guess its not outrageous enough, after all its only a black woman.

[Number23]

51. Dammit! You're supposed to say "+2." You done messed up the whole chain!

'Cause then I would write "+3."

[angee_is_mad]

52. +3?

did I do it right:shrug:

[Number23]

53. Dammit, angee! Okay, you know how firedup said "+1"

then uzy should have said "+2" and then *I* would say "+3" and you would be the "+4!"

It's all part of that clever Internet vernacular that we all love and would be unable to communicate without. Work with me here! :)

[angee_is_mad]

55. My bad, +4?

:cry:

[Number23]

57. That's my girl!

See, that wasn't so hard, was it?? :rofl:

:pals:

[angee_is_mad]

58. Whew

:fistbump: Talk about pressure. Now I can go to bed.

Goodnight!

[Colobo]

33. I say ignore the bastard. He deserves no attention from anyone.

[Wednesdays]

35. K&R

:kick:

[firedupdem]

36. Very good and Michelle keep taking the high road. Fuck these

ignorant assholes. And you're right...quiet thread...but say the word "bitch" and they come running like roaches. :eyes:

Also, Michelle doesn't want his stank ass apology...it's the principle here! Keep it in the news as much as possible. Let everybody know what an ass this guy is...if they didn't know already.

[angee_is_mad]

38. Angry Black Woman

is what she would be called if she didn't.
It truly irks the the rw (probably some progressives)how popular she is, not just in this country, but internationally. Hell she is freaking friends with the QUEEN!!!

[firedupdem]

39. Exactly! I think the popularity of the the First Lady and the President

drives some folks on both sides crazy. They are both doing a great job! Let the racists keep hating, while the Obama's keep on doing what they do!

[angee_is_mad]

45. Ditto

:fistbump:

[Number23]

50. I actually shouted "hallelujah!" after reading your post

Let the racists keep hating, while the Obama's keep on doing what they do!

:fistbump:

[nini]

47. She's such a strong woman

I know I don't always have the composure to rise above it like she does, as well as her husband did throughout the campaign. They definitely know what battles to choose and when to let the other guy hang himself all by himself.

She's one classy woman and that is EXACTLY why those idiots can't deal with her.

[Brewman_Jax]

40. K&R

This is more deserving of an apology than that incompetent RW shill. :puke:

[Beacool]

41. What could this creep possibly say to excuse his behavior?

He's a racist creep and any apology proffered would be from the mouth out and not heartfelt. How could he possibly think that his disgusting remarks were an acceptable joke?????

This must be the month for sexist and racists jerks to come out of the woodwork.

x(

[angee_is_mad]

46. wonder what NOW is going to do

Now? They were on Letterman's case last week, but I haven't heard a peek out of them about this.
At the end of the day Letterman is a comedian, but that sorry azz man is in politics that has the potential to change or ruin lives.

[Veruca Salt]

42. That's not a frikkin joke!

That guy needs to be takeout out behind the woodshed and beaten! :mad:

[Bobbie Jo]

54. It was a real side-splitter at the Palin rally.

What an asshole.

[JeffR]

59. Kick.

Still waiting, apparently in vain, for our resident vocal so-called feminists to come rallying around this flag. Hmm?

One can only conclude, though one hates to come to this conclusion, that essentially some of the resident so-called feminists really don't give a flying crap about real sexism, even if it's served up with a big fat racist cherry on top.

Why is that, one wonders?

(edit for a missing hyphen, and also to provide another chance to kick this thread so our brave sisters and brothers in the cause can chime in loud and clear. Oops, past their bedtimes, I guess, even though this thread has been up for hours and hours ...)

[angee_is_mad]

63. Kick

and ditto.

[Joe Chi Minh]

60. You know, they quite simply don't realise that they are "low-lifes". There is a hollowness,

where a sounding-board of decency and moral awareness should be, so they get no feedback from a human conscience. They have no sense of moral beauty and ugliness. As a result, what seems to them to be their sense of humour, merely reveals to others the tawdry, pitiful emptiness of their hearts and minds.

[RamboLiberal]

62. South Carolina GOPer Apologizes For Racist Joke About Michelle Obama

Rusty DePass, a prominent South Carolina Republican activist and former state elections director, has now made an abject apology for having joked on his Facebook page that an escaped gorilla from a local zoo was an ancestor of First Lady Michelle Obama.

"I am truly sorry for any offense I have caused," DePass said at a press conference -- held at the offices of the South Carolina NAACP, no less. "My remark was clearly inappropriate and I apologize for writing it."

DePass had previously sort-of apologized for it -- but also said that Michelle had originated the comment by believing in evolution. This new apology at least appears to be a step in the right direction.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/south-carolina-goper-apologizes-for-racist-joke-about-michelle-obama.php

Where the hell was cable news on this who went all ga-ga over the Palin/Letterman flap? And it took this ahole long enough - what a jerk trying to blame his racist humor on Michelle Obama for having the audicity to actually believe in science instead of dinosaurs with saddles.

[DatManFromNawlins]

64. Michelle Obama needs to demand the apology

It would be way more forceful than the NAACP demanding it.