Virginia's attorney general admits wearing blackface in college
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring has admitted to wearing "brown makeup" to a party, days after the state governor admitting wearing blackface.
The second-in-line to the governor's seat said in a statement on Wednesday that he wore a costume to a party when he was 19 years old at university.
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam is facing calls to resign over a racist photo and admission of blackface usage.
The lieutenant governor is also under scrutiny for sex assault allegations.
What did Attorney General Herring say?
The Democratic attorney general said that in 1980, he and his friends donned costumes after "some friends suggested we attend a party dressed like rappers we listened to at the time, like Kurtis Blow, and perform a song".
"It sounds ridiculous even now writing it. But because of our ignorance and glib attitudes - and because we did not have an appreciation for the experiences and perspectives of others - we dressed up and put on wigs and brown makeup," he said.
"That conduct clearly shows that, as a young man, I had a callous and inexcusable lack of awareness and insensitivity to the pain my behaviour could inflict on others."
Tags
Who is online
110 visitors
I think this country has left "Stupid" in the rearview mirror !
I was in a blackface skit back in my scouting days. It was called (OMG) the "Days of the minstrel". Should I be banned from NT for it !
Something is rotten in Richmond
The thing is, there is nothing intrinsically evil about making yourself up - as part of a costume - to look like someone else. That includes things like skin color, clothing, hair color, body type, etc. Dressing up is fun.
Blackface in the United States, however, has a specific history. White people in the 19th century employed this makeup technique to portray caricatures of black people to make fun of them for the amusement of white crowds. They were called minstrel shows. It was extremely popular for a long time.
It should be clear by now that not everyone knows this history - particularly young people who are not black. I'm sure this ignorance isn't even limited to white people. Given the quality of education in this country and the general apathy young people have for history, I would expect that most people of a certain age or educational path (the sciences, for example) know nothing (or next to nothing) about these facts. I think that should temper our outrage a little.
no it should not temper the outrage.
the difference is that WHITE FOLKS are forced to share why they do racist things over time when caught. so sadly your comment falls flat by using this ignorance education relation.
There is a clear disconnect between what some white people have to acknowledge is acceptable and what they can get away with.
i said this before in some other posts.
a person who is white and a racist is only known when they act that way. and some do it based on how they were raised. some do it because they were pressured to join that action(peer pressure). Some did it to think it would not be considered wrong and some do it because they think it is acceptable way to act.
-----.
after reading an excuse it irked me a bit. So i am replying to your comment because you always seem to post in such a fashion to seeded articles where racist are caught. and seem to provide a TYPED OUT reason / excuse for this racist crap to be deemed less then what it is. And you also APPEAR to have convinced yourself ,it then is a ok reason for it to be justified, thus the outrage comment. ( in directly- vs normal people who just comment how fucked up the action of this man was to act this way or admit this action is unacceptable)
----
in the end, most white folks who have a moment where they did ACT racist sometimes dont know why, but in many situations if we speak honestly. It can be DIRECTLY attributed to not feeling that there would be any consequences for acting that way.
and sadly those consequences rarely happen at the time of the act / incident/ situation or attempt.
but i am glad they do catch up to these type folks over time.
Why? What should be done to them? A lot of people are calling for resignations. What for? They didn't do these things while they were in office. In fact, they were done literally decades before. What should be the penalty? Should they prohibited from ever serving the public because of something they did 30 years ago? How much outrage is appropriate?
Meanwhile, how do you feel about these people? Should they lose their jobs, too? Are they racists? How would you like to punish them? Will there be a statute of limitations?
Jimmy Fallon:
Jimmy Kimmel:
Joy Behar:
Robert Downey Jr.:
Julianne Hough:
Ted Danson:
Laurence Olivier:
Beyonce (Yes, Beyonce is already black. She darkened her skin for this picture so she could look more "African"):
your reply seems to have some level or expecting me to acknowledge it as if it matters. you gave your two cents i gave mine and pointed out why i did. i do have some time to waste so i play.
well most people who are calling for them do so because they REALIZED this guy has not been the same person his whole life. meaning, he made a choice to do something that most NORMAL white folks never ever do or will do or attempt or think about considering to do. so its a character thing, must less a person who represents people i.e. the government job, thus shows he may not be on the level.
another horse shit excuse from you. it should matter more because he wasnt in office. meaning he made a poor choice or CHOICES aware from the public eye, which again shows a lack of character and trust.
well some people still have felonies from decades ago, do you think they get sick of hearing about it or being judged for it. come on you are a grown ass person, reputations matter. You make chioces on what do to buy , do, pick , get or accept based on shit done over time. an example (sad i even have to do this) is buy a car, some car companies have had a recall and so someone did not buy that car based on that shit that happened years ago, it matters, same with this guy.
resignation
Yes, Because he knew this was in his past and he knew that it would be an issue.
enough outrage that a person who does or makes this type of choice feels the pressure of others who make it clear that no reason is acceptable to have made this type of choice.
i feel there is context to these pictures, and also they are not voted into the positions they are in. So there is a not a discloser requirement and the public trust is not a factor of there employment.
since these are people that are maintained by a private company or group that is a contractual issue. it would be nice to know if some of these photos were done with out context. if some were, then yes i would put pressure on those companies to examine that persons action based on there business model.
well sadly you want to lump them all together, they cant be, which is point I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO POINT OUT.
what gets me is again your reply is all about finding a reason to suggest otherwise, which allows me to judge your comments as such.
and i will say, it is very easy to just say it is wrong to do. but folks like you cant or wont and that is what is sad but not surprising.
So you're saying that sometimes blackface can be ok. Does that make you racist? Some people would think so. NBC fired Megyn Kelly not long ago for trying to have a conversation on that topic.
You must not be reading. I am happy to say it's wrong and I would never do it under any circumstances. In fact, I explained precisely why it's wrong.
All I said with respect to these politicians was that 1) maybe these people were ignorant of what they were doing and 2) It was so long ago and they probably know better now. With those two things in mind, I suggested that maybe we shouldn't be so upset about it now as to demand a person resign.
I then pointed out that people don't seem to mind when their favorite entertainers do it. Personally, I'd call that hypocrisy.
Meanwhile, you're the one who said context could make a difference. Seems like you might be more supportive of it than I could ever be. Unlike you, though, I won't judge you for it.
listen taco, first off if you dont know the difference between public employment and private employment i cant nor do i have the tolerance to explain it.
i made it clear the person is a public figure and ran on a platform of being a white person who is accepting of others who are different then him because HIS PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER is presented that way.
Based on his past and his poor choice we have found this to not be a FACT.
and dont be a silly goose( bad words replaced) and spin shit...............with your twisting my word of context into your play word games bullshit.
that is your game...i am judging you AGAIN for being so disingenuous and full of shit i dont have any time to waste with your juvenile reply of assuming my word of CONTEXT means its ok, its not , it is just that the person / private citizen / actor / company will have to live or die on that business or personal choice.
sadly private people live and die on popularity that is driven based on support by a company along with a salary.
a public officials salary is based on the support of taxes paid by people who voted him into office.
WE in the public can and should expect more of those we put in place and pay. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE a cut above us all.
lastly you keep hanging your hat on ignorance...that is a poor excuse and it gets old really quick.
Maybe you'll think about how that feels before you go accusing me or anyone else of excusing racism just because they offer a nuanced perspective. I refer specifically to these words written by you:
With your comment about "context" you put yourself in a position to be accused of excusing racism yourself. Is that fair? Maybe not, but it gave me a chance to give you a taste of your own medicine. I would ask that in the future you not come at me with that kind of thing and maybe we can have more productive conversations.
To be clear, I never said it was ok. In fact, I have said here and elsewhere that I would never do it. But there's a reason for that. I know why it's wrong. Not everyone does. That's just a fact. We don't all share the same education.
It's a nuanced way of looking at the world, but I recognize the possibility that someone can be young and ignorant and grow into a different person. I'm not interested in condemning people for all time because they did something dumb when they were younger - particularly if their failings may not be entirely their own fault.
I think that would be delightful, but they rarely are. This sort of takes me back to my original question about how outraged we should be about certain behaviors and when and where they happen. Frankly, if you're waiting for the perfect moral person to be governor, president, or whatever, you're going to be waiting a very long time.
the game you play is to to NEVER SAY ITS NOT OK.
One, I'm not playing a game. I'm trying to talk to you straight, but you seem to have this need to assume something evil or nefarious in me for no reason.
Two, I can't understand your double-negative claim anyway.
I will say this: You seem to be trying to insist that I believe something I don't believe. Why would you do that instead of just listening to what I say I believe? Are you incapable of discussing anything with a person unless you can make them "the enemy?"
again your a grown ass adult. things are either right or wrong just like they were years ago when this man made a choice.
he made a choice and now that choice has consequences. people believed he would not be that white guy who would make such a poor choice. especially from the votes from minority citizens that did not judge him to be one of those who could EVER be apart of such a racist minded act.
This is not fucking rocket science.
and for the last fucking time----you have made it clear that YOU BELIEVE IN NOT CLAIMING ANYTHING.
so please stop.
either your life experiences allow you to believe one way or not and then just state it.
I don't know what is more pathetic. People digging up shit from 40 years ago or the excuses the Dems are making for it.
I thought democrats had a zero tolerance policy on racism & rape?
Only if it's against a Republican.
Evidently!
What did Spartacus say about Ford?...."I believe her.
What does he say about Tyson? ”This is a deeply disturbing allegation that should be thoroughly investigated.”
Apparently, Tyson wasn't vague enough.
If she first claimed the assault happened sometime in the 2000s, at some location somewhere, with witnesses who deny being there, Spartacus would believe her.
Yup, Tyson, on the other hand, notified rep Bobby Scott:
" Rep. Bobby Scott , Virginia Democrat, reportedly learned about the sexual assault accusations against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax — directly from accuser Vanessa Tyson .
In a report Wednesday evening citing unnamed aides to Mr. Scott , ABC News said that Ms. Tyson told Mr. Scott via text message in December 2017 that there was a “MeToo allegation” against the newly elected lieutenant governor but did not specify that she was the woman.
Within a month, Scott aides told ABC, the congressman learned that Ms. Tyson was the purported victim, that she had gone to the Washington Post with her complaint, and that she had given the newspaper Mr. Scott ’s name as a character witness."
Evidently Bobby Scott didn't think it was all that serious either.
Only one out of the three has handled it with any attempt at grace. The two "racist" will be charged in the court of public opinion. Personally I don't give a shit. Now the rapist needs to be dragged thru the mill and charged if deemed appropriate.
#METOO
That is all true. I only wish that all three (Bobby Scott is now a part of the offenders - for his silence) refuse to resign and this national spectacle continues to stay in the news for as long as possible.
Democrats are stupid and far too righteous. You could carry them an inch from the finish line and they'd still lose the race.
He knows his dumbass can't call for his resignation, otherwise, everyone would come at him about his allegations of sexual assault, and rightfully so.
Something tells me those accusations will come out again during the 2020 campaign, and more than likely by one of the democrats first.
So what.......shrug
When the racist in chief apologizes for current racist statements and policies and steps down from his elected office then we can look at how others have acted many many decades ago.
There is a difference in what some did a loooooooooooooooong time ago compared to the current racist actions of the President and his administration.
Next....
I know right. We have a rapist and two racist Dems in Virginia nothing to see here. We all know that the racist KKK Dems all became Republicans, right? Oh wait...
Weird that you think any type of assault or discrimination is funny......
You were the one with the so what comment. What I find Hillaryious is here we have the champions of women
and minorities 
showing there true colors.
And your response to their transgressions is ….So what...
The new criteria set by this President and his groupies give all others a pass.
There you go 1st.
when deciding who to vote for, if they wore a toga to a party years ago or painted themselves or dressed up in a costume or got drunk and acted stupid is right low on things I make a decision on
Al Jolson
Eddie Cantor
Let's go desecrate and smash their tombstones and excoriate their names from history. Hey, is that any different from tearing down statues of slave owners like Thomas Jefferson or other slave-owning American politicians?
Interesting that you would pick these two gentlemen and, the times that they came from. First, I'm not against getting rid of racist politicians but, I am against denigrating the dead simply because of how they performed their acts when they were alive. Wearing blackface in the early 1900's is different than it would be now or, in the 1980's would be, now and, in the 1980's we should know better, in the early 1900's not so much, especially if you were a Jewish kid who grew up in a Jewish community were there weren't that many blacks and, you spent most of your time with white people when not in your community. Since Cantor's and, Jolson's times we have seen the Civil Rights Movement and, that is a very important part of history. I think if the two gentlemen you mentioned were alive today they would have been the first to apologize for their actions.
Okay, you want post civil rights era?
Why would desecrating their gravestones be any different than tearing down Confederate statues or banning the Confederate flag?
Now, why would liberal social justice warriors ever vote for these warriors?
Would BLM supporters ever have voted for this guy?
And who the hell would ever vote for Eddie Murphy?
UNFORGIVEABLE!!!
Ok, now you're getting ridiculous with the three pictures of soldiers, if you've ever been in the service you would know what that camouflage was for. Anyone would know better, even when Michael Jackson was alive, he wasn't someone you would vote for, does the term Chester the Molester ring a bell? Eddie Murphy, IMO, is the same as Trump for the most part, his mouth overrides his common sense.
As far as statues celebrating slavery and, the Confederacy, do I really need to explain that to you Buzz? Really?
So who is it up to to decide when and why a person is allowed to change the colour of their face, and not be criticized for doing so?
Give it a rest Buzz. The condemnation of blackface is not an expression of political correctness. Wearing blackface or forcing someone else to wear blackface has always been racially offensive. For a long time the people wearing the blackface didnt care.
And your "example" of soldiers who put dark substances on their faces to eliminate glare is not appropriate.
Al Jolson was making fun of or denigrating African Americans when he sang songs beautifully? Guess it's just a matter of opinion.
Who knows? I sure don't know but, I do know that if we hold every person accountable for every little thing that they have ever done in their lives then no one will be good enough to serve our country, ever. You've seen my posts on racism and, you've seen my posts on women's rights and, gay rights so, you should know where I stand here, when I was in the seventh grade in North Carolina, there was a skit done in my class, four of the kids wore blackface during the skit and, made a parody of blacks during the skit, like the other kids in the class when it ended I laughed and, applauded their effort, since that time I've had friends on every side of the color spectrum and, I've even had a wife that was African-American, I've spoken about her on this site. One of the kids involved in that skit even married her boyfriend while she was in high school, a nice kid by the name of Rex, he happens to be African-American and, they had two wonderful kids and, as far as I know, they are still married to each other, he runs a hair salon in Boone, N.C. and, as far as I know it is still doing a booming business there. So, the question I have is, when do we start looking at what the person has done since that time in their lives?
I have no idea when that time is but, I'd like to know because, I have that one thing in my life that is still hanging over my head from the seventh grade according to people in the news and, else where. It was a class participation thing when I attended school and, it was supported by the school, the teachers and, the principle were involved in setting it up so, who's to blame here, me or, the school?
The statues you mention were raised during the Jim Crow era in the 1900's, as I said they were put up to support slavery and, racism and, not for any other reason, they should be taken down. The soldiers had that camo on their faces so they couldn't be seen in the dark, it cuts the shine to their white skin. Eddie Murphy was playing a role in a movie which required a certain makeup, you want to blame someone, blame the producers of the movie. Michael Jackson, well, take your pick of reasons there, there were many. In my case, in the south at that time, you had to "go along, to get along", in other words, if you didn't act a certain way there and, agree with certain things, you got your ass beat or, worse.