GOP: Apologies For Thee But Not For Me
Conservatives are big on demanding apologies when the offender is or is perceived to be on the left, and then they’re very big saying the apology isn’t good enough when it’s offered. But when it comes to their own behavior, there is less due diligence. They didn’t get upset about the half-assed non-apology by the South Carolina senator who compared Michelle Obama to a gorilla. And when another GOP operative from that state did a racist joke about aspirin being white and working, he apologized three times on Twitter, probably realizing each time that more needed to be said. And all in 140 characters or less.
Now, Sherri Goforth, an aide to Tennessee state Senator Diane Black, has offered a non-apology apology for a racist email she sent out depicting all the presidents properly, except Barack Obama, who is seen as a pair of eyes on a black background. The email was titled “Historical Keepsake Photo.”
Reporter Christian Grantham of Nashville is Talking gave Goforth an opportunity to apologize, with little success.
When I asked her if she understood the controversial nature of the photo, Goforth would only say she felt very bad about accidentally sending it to the wrong list. When I gave her a second chance to address the controversial nature of the email, she again repeated that she only felt bad about sending it to the wrong list of people.
“I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button,” Goforth told NIT. “I’m very sick about it, and it’s one of those things I can’t change or take back.”
In other words, “I got caught sending out something I thought was really funny to the wrong people.”
Crooks and Liars reports that Black reprimanded Goforth, but if this is a slap on the wrist, it wouldn’t leave a mark.
Dear Sherri,
This is a follow up to confirm our conversation regarding the state email policy. First, as we discussed, email communications are for state use only and should not be used for purposes outside of the guidelines established. Also, as we discussed, no communication that is derogatory regarding any minority should be sent from this office or that employee will be subject to termination of employment with my office. I know you take this policy seriously and I am confident that you will abide by the policy. Your service to my office and the legislature has been commendable with the exception of this incident and I look forward to working together in the future within these guidelines.
Sincerely,
Diane Black
Ouch!
I don’t get it. Who is the minority. A silly looking black cat?
June 18th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Alan, that joke has been around for a long time, Can you pick out the 44th president? You must have saw it.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
It’s just further confirmation of how thoroughly racists infiltrate our society, especially in the south, and our government, and the republikkkan party in particular.
June 18th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
If only Ms Goforth was a Latina she would have had the wisdom not to send that e-mail.
JFA Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Pino, that was funny…stop it now!
June 18th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
[...] Alan analyzes the sorry double-standard of Republicans who only accept apologies by members of their own [...]
June 18th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Why wasn’t clinton’s picture the same way, i thought he was our first black president?
Joke,joke…He comes the race card in 3….2…..1
June 18th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Conservative politicians are the kings of double standard. They have nothin better to do, Alan. So just let them go and be the racists they are. It’s what they’re good at.
JaredfromTexas Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
It seems to me the “double standard” isn’t relegated to any one party…there’s plenty to go ’round at this table…
VegasLib Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Jared. I said politicians. I should have said right-wing extremist politicians, though. Are you a right-wing extremist politician?
June 18th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
“… Sherri Goforth, an aide to Tennessee state Senator Diane Black …”
Well, it is “Tennessee”.
Don’t act like you’re surprised, Colmes. Deny it all you want but the South is populated with minimum wage, trailer dwelling rednecks and crackers. The only way to make themselves feel better about their sorry place in society is to pick on those worse off than them and “Blacks” are an easy target for “Sherri”. If one of those “Blacks” is the president of the USA and the leader of the free world, he only makes a better target to direct her swill at.
After the Letterman affair, I’ve decided to start a movement to fire Sherri …
http://www.firesherrigoforth.com
I’m planning a demonstration march next week in Nashville. Be there!!
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 2:13 am
wow…if that wasn’t a racist post i don’t know what is.
June 18th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
That is just appalling. I can’t believe I’m living in the 21st century and this is still going on.
And what is sadder, is that so many conservatives on here seem to actually enjoy it or ignore it. Really sad.
TDro319 Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
But everytime we hear another racist remark made by conservatives, it makes the republican party look even worse.
Let these jokes continue and let the conservatives keep defending the indefensible. Everybody is watching.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Maybe one of these days, Alan will admit that this type of behavior forever ridiculing and belittling blacks is part and parcel, not only of the south, but also of the republican party ESPECIALLY the type like his colleague Sean Hannity, who is a hate monger to the nth degree.
June 19th, 2009 at 1:01 am
so I don’t get it Alan…are you complaining that conservatives don’t apologize fast and furious enough?
In the same post that you say they don’t apologize you link to 3 apologies in one day from the same person for the same crime. Are you upset that the person apologized sufficiently the first three times instead of waiting over the weekend, thus negating your ability to whine about it? so now you are whining that you don’t have the ability to whine due to their diligence.
Why are people apologizing for fairly harmless jokes, but people aren’t apologizing for screaming at other people and personally denigrating one another, like we hear every night on your program? and every other program of like material.
Daddio Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:47 am
I’d like to know why we have become a nation of apologizers. And when did this all happen?
I mean you can’t even use a perfectly decent word anymore and not have to apologize for it.
Remember a few years back the word niggardly was used? I don’t remember who used it but it was used in it’s context. The person was raked over the coals because some poor uneducated person thought it was used to slander a whole race. Our society needs to grow up and quit being so easily offended.
niggardly; 1. like or characteristic of a niggard; stingy; miserly.
The word simply means to be stingy or miserly. Such as a stingy person or a miserly person.
June 19th, 2009 at 2:20 am
Hate is not the sole domain of Conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, Independents of Liberals. After all, I read a post on Alan’s Facebook site that said it would be better if, “all Christians and Republicans were aborted.”
The only thing we control is our attitude. If faced by hateful behavior, we have the opportunity to respond with hate, defense of the one ridiculed, non-participatory or non-supportive behavior. This falls on each one of us.
In this vein, President Obama cannot usher in “change” if he is willing to laugh at a joke told by a comedian that hopes a talk show host has kidney failure. (Interestingly enough, that talk-show host did not ask for an apology)
June 19th, 2009 at 10:07 am
The girl should have been fired. There’s no excuse for inappropriate behavior such as this. Soon enough the growing minority population will be the majority population and “jokes” at the expense of one’s race or color will receive the penalties they truly deserve.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
June 20th, 2009 at 3:16 am
or perhaps jokes will take their rightful place as diversions and something to laugh at, and people will stop allowing their feelings to be hurt.
June 19th, 2009 at 2:50 pm