We wrote on Wednesday about the incredible circus of a State House vacancy in Pueblo involving the HD-47 seat left open by the resignation of Rep. Clarice Navarro. Former Otero County Republican Party Chair Judy Reyher appears to have won a narrow victory through a Republican vacancy committee, though another candidate (Tamra Axworthy) is challenging Monday’s decision and claiming that she is the rightful successor to Navarro.
Meanwhile, Reyher is coming under fire for a history of racist social media posts that she inexplicably defended in an interview with Jesse Paul of the Denver Post on Wednesday. If you missed those comments, you missed one of the all-time great examples of what NOT to say in response to questions from a reporter:
A southeast Colorado Republican appointed this week to a vacant seat in the state legislature questions if former President Barack Obama was born in the U.S. and has criticized African Americans and Muslims on her Facebook page, actions that have garnered pushback from top state party officials.
Speaking to The Denver Post, Judy Reyher, of Swink, also said that “the black community and the Democrats are the most racist group of people that exist,” and that black people “hate white people with a passion.”…
…Reyher says nothing she has said about Obama has had anything to do with race — “I hated the black half of Obama as much as I hated the white half” — and that she doesn’t have blanket beliefs about any group of people.
Perhaps recognizing that she had made her situation much, much worse, Reyher today took another stab at responding to the Denver Post about her racist screeds. Reyher apologized, sort of, before proceeding to dig herself a deeper hole:
“I would like to apologize for the comments or posts on Facebook that have been found offensive and racist,” Judy Reyher said in a statement emailed to The Denver Post. “However, the fact of the matter is, I am not a racist. This country was founded by immigrants, and I embrace all Americans, no matter their walk of life. Diversity is what makes America, America.”
Reyher, appointed Monday night to the vacated seat of state Rep. Clarice Navarro, said diversity “in fact … makes my family,” referring to a photograph from her son’s wedding in China that she included with her statement. [Pols emphasis]
Come again? This is a new twist to the classically awful defense against discrimination that goes something like, I’m not racist — I have a black friend, or I don’t have a problem with gay people — my neighbor is gay!
Of course, as it usually the case in these sorts of stories, it gets worse from here. Reyher is now blaming the Denver Post for her own racist tendencies:
“These claims of racism by the Denver Post are absolutely deplorable, and I will not be distracted by them,” the statement reads.
In case you are inclined to believe that Reyher is somehow being victimized by Colorado’s newspaper of record, let us remind you that these stories are all based on Reyher’s own detailed social media posts. You can read the racist posts in question for yourself by clicking HERE or HERE.
Judy Reyher is still on track to take a seat as a member of the State House when the legislature reconvenes in January.
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Yeah, white ones who immediately set about killing and dispossessing all the not-white ones. Oh, and then imported a metric shit ton of black slaves. Yay, diversity?!?
Let the people of HD-47 decide. Denver Democrat political correctness does not hold sway in Swink.
Well, first, it's 6 people of HD 47 who decided, which is fine. I don't mind if those folks want a horrifying racist to represent them. I prefer it in fact. I'd rather these evil folks were up front about their beliefs. Saves a lot of tears of disappointment later on.
Bullshit, Moddy. She will be voting on legislation for the entire state. She doesn't get a pass, nor do you. Racist asshats will be called out, continually. She is a racist asshat that has no business in the legislature.
Hey. You're fine with a pedophile in office. So why not a racist.
Always finding the silver lining behind the gray cloud, Unnamed. This woman may be a racist but at least she isn't a kiddie diddler.
Also, have you heard the way some, NOT ALL but some African Americans talk about white people? White Democrats should apologize for the Civil War and Jim Crow, they're the ones who passed those laws!!
Reality is nothing like liberals believe.
Ah, so all this is just Republicans trying to get their fair share of racism in. Makes sense. Also, the parties aren't what they once were. Just ask Lincoln's corpse, which has been spinning continually in his grave for the last 60 years as he's watched the trash heap your party has become.
Democrats 150 years ago. Those were white Southerners. Those were conservatives who wanted to maintain the old way. Those were people who thought less of people of color. Today, white Southerners, conservatives, people who think less of people of color, are almost exclusively members of the Republican party, or at the very least, supporters of the current President.
As for African Americans who would discriminate against whites: can you blame them for the 400+ years of history behind those beliefs? As a white guy myself, I certainly can't. I'd only remind them that there are decent white folk left in this world, those who would work toward correcting the mistakes of the past to create a better tomorrow, just as I know there is an abundance of African (or otherwise) Americans working towards a similar goal.
You are correct in your previous statement however: the people of HD-47, just like the people of Alabama, will make the decision as to whether their voice will be one of a bigot, a racist, a vile perverted scum who rejects out American values and beloved Constitution, or one of infinitely more moderate and American standing. The ~3,000,000 of us in the Denver area would offer that advice to the ~500 of Swink, and ~85,000 of HD-47.
Way to prove you're not a racist nutlid. Now we know why you wouldn't condemn the Charlottesville Nazis.
You must be real butthurt that your buddy AC went to jail after that.
I made Chinese stir-fry last night. So, I am not an anti-Asian racist.
Mexican food for me tonight.
I guess I'll need to do a whole round of dining to prove I don't have that particular target for racism. Institutional food tomorrow, but maybe on Saturday I can start: Thai, Chinese, Indian, Ethiopian, East Mediterranean (lumping all those sea front nations from Libya around to say, Greece), Southern Europe, [I think I can skip Northern Europe, as that is where most of my traceable ancestors came from] and maybe Peruvian as a stand-in for all of South America.
Anyone have favorite Denver restaurants for those? Or recipes?
Jerusalem in Denver's DU area is the best Mediterranean restaurant, for my money.
Moon Gate grill has great Thai and Chinese.
I hear that Candelas has good "Latin area" food.
Where I live is getting all cosmopolitan now – a second Mexican restaurant just opened up.
The forecast for tonight is a massive shit storm on twitter into the early morning hours……
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/us/kate-steinle-murder-trial.html?action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=66159776&pgtype=Homepage