At least he's not your Congressman

7 Comments

by: JeffcoBlue

(He…didn't know this was an insult? – Promoted by Colorado Pols)

POLS UPDATE: Full retreat, reports ABC News this afternoon:

“I apologize for the insensitive term I used during an interview in Ketchikan, Alaska,” Young, R-Alaska, wrote in his second statement of the past 24 hours. “There was no malice in my heart or intent to offend; it was a poor choice of words.”

An earlier statement from Young excused his use of the smear as “a term that was commonly used” during his days growing up on his father’s ranch in central California, but the 21-term congressman’s second statement leaves no ambiguity about his remorse.

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"My father had a ranch; we used to have 50-60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes," [GOP Rep. Don] Young [of Alaska] said in an interview with radio station KRBD. He was discussing the number of jobs that have been made irrelevant due to advances in automation.

[…]

While the veteran congressman wasn't referring directly to immigration reform, his remarks certainly cut against the broader Republican effort to repair the party's dismal image with Latino voters.

Rep. Young says he he didn't know "wetback" was an insult. Seriously.

Republicans have a problem with Latinos, all right. Every time they open their mouths.

7 thoughts on “At least he’s not your Congressman”

Phoenix Rising says:

March 29, 2013 at 3:45 pm

They never mean it or even understand it until someone points it out to them. Really.

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JeffcoBlue says:

March 29, 2013 at 5:50 pm

Yeah but if they get the message just right, the Latino vote is theirs! Don't think they won't "keep trying."

To do what exactly, I don't know.

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allyncooper says:

March 29, 2013 at 8:10 pm

I've waded across the Rio Grande near the headwaters in the San Juans fly fishing. Does this make me a "wetback" ?

21 term congressman? C'mon folks, isn't it time for term limitations in our Congress that hovers around a 15% approval rating? Even the Pope knew it was time to go, and he's a better man for it.

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MADCO says:

March 29, 2013 at 10:53 pm

Ah geez.*

You guys will always make a mountain out of less than a mole hill.

He didn't know it was a rude thing. So there was no rude or inappropriate intent. See- really, his being so …naive or something is a good thing. I bet he even went to school with some of them and worked right along side them…so he can't be racist or whatever it is you think he is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoXXb6RnhRE

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1. bullshit! says:
  
  March 30, 2013 at 8:50 am
  
  Yeah totally, he's got "wetback" friends. Fuckety…
  
  I see no rightie trolls are defending Young. At least that's something.
  
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  1. BlueCat says:
    
    March 30, 2013 at 6:55 pm
    
    Maybe they're all at Grandma's for Easter weekend.
    
    I can think of all kinds of terms commonly used back in the day that this idiot ought to know better than to use now. Hint to clueless bigots: A slang term for a racial or ethnic minority was probably never meant as a compliment and more likely was used in a derogatory or disdainful way. I seriously doubt anybody ever said, say, "wetbacks", with the intent to convey respect for the people thus indicated as equals.
    
    Though it all seems very confusing to people like Young, it really doesn't have to be complicated at all. You don't have to worry about which slang terms are OK and which aren't and, lord knows, there are plenty of them. Just remember one simple rule that even people like Young ought to be able to grasp: You will never go wrong if you just don't use slang terms for minorities. It ain't rocket science.
    
    Also, remember that even hearing people of a particular minority use a slang term for that minority among themselves doesn't mean that it's OK for anyone else to use it. Just say no to slang terms for minoritities and you won't have to apologize or claim not to be a bigo or a racist. It's really easy. So easy it's amazing that pols keep stepping in it over something so avoidable.
    
    Maybe they should wear wristbands or something to remind themselves.
    
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    1. BlueCat says:
      
      March 30, 2013 at 6:59 pm
      
      That would be "minorities" with one "it" and "bigot" with a "t". I hate this format. I wonder why these things only jump out at you after you hit "post comment" and see it again?
      
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