Is it racist, or is it comedy? Both?

[Rikao4]

[QUOTE=masraum; Wow. He got elected, huh? Was he the only one that ran?[/QUOTE]

perhaps him having so many brothers & sister's working for him ..
did the trick..

Rika

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

I didn't take it as a dig, but while we're on the subject, I am totally chilled.

Project much?

I'm proud of you, you put down the crayons for that post. It's a good first step.

That was a dig.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

Has anyone actually HEARD the tape yet?
Was this a case of him and the other senators sitting around BSing, and they got a little out of hand?
Or was this his standing up and making a quotable statement?

Context context context.

Check the second paragraph.

That might be a dig.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Check the second paragraph.

Where? What? It says no where the context of what he said and how he said it. I don't care that they were sitting in a judicial meeting, that doesn't preclude them from BSing during a meeting, or maybe right before or after. Did they get a bit out of hand talking about the subject, and maybe got a bit off color? Did he start on a rant and the rest of them sat back and said to themselves "WTF is this guy doing??"

Actually listening to the tape would clarify a lot of this.

[Crowbob]

Oh yeah. It's that 'context' bugaboo again. And what difference does it make how the rest of them reacted? The guy was clearly demonstrating his thought processes or whatever.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by masraum

I bet we could go after the Eskimos next!!!

Inuit - puhlease

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Oh yeah. It's that 'context' bugaboo again. And what difference does it make how the rest of them reacted? The guy was clearly demonstrating his thought processes or whatever.

I think not. A quickly little search shows me that statements like this is kinda strange for Ford. He's the one with the "ban saggy pants, violent rap and profanity" laws. He doesn't strike me as the type to sit around, speak in that dialect and say such things unless he was making a point.

[SAM DACOSTA]

The statement (as posted) by Sen. Robert Ford is not racist. He's simply stating a fact about races and their work ethic based on his observation. I don't think it would harness much negativity whether it were a Republican or Tea Party elect making the same statement within the same context. Now if MSNBC and FOX anchors choose to evaluate and comment on it based on their respective agendas, then they might have race being the issue.

"I notice while driving through Lake Forest and Irvine, Ca. that all the people working in the Agriculture fields of S. California, seem to be all of Mexican origin. Im sure no African American, Asian or Caucasian would be working as hard, for so little." It's not a racist statement, it's just a factual statement and observation based on race.

I think we're reading into his statement way too much.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

Where? What? It says no where the context of what he said and how he said it. I don't care that they were sitting in a judicial meeting, that doesn't preclude them from BSing during a meeting, or maybe right before or after. Did they get a bit out of hand talking about the subject, and maybe got a bit off color? Did he start on a rant and the rest of them sat back and said to themselves "WTF is this guy doing??"

Actually listening to the tape would clarify a lot of this.

Yeah, yeah, yeah... during the meeting, in a debate during the meeting, it doesn't matter. It's still hilariously bizarre.
______________________________
Robert Ford: “Brothas” Don’t Work

On Tuesday, S.C. Sen. Robert Ford (D-Charleston) unleashed a racial firestorm when he claimed that “brothas” were lazy – and that “Mexicans” are the only people in America willing to do manual labor.

“I know brothers – and I’m talking about black guys – they are not going to do the dirty work at Boeing,” Ford said, referring to the construction of a new aircraft manufacturing facility in North Charleston. “A brother is going to find ways to take a break.”

Ford said that the Boeing plant – which is being built in his Lowcountry district – is being built by “Mexicans.”

“American’s not going to do no hard hard work,” Ford said in a follow-up interview with WLTX TV 19 (CBS – Columbia, S.C.) “The foundation for industry is going to be laid by Mexican workers, that’s a matter of fact. Now they got some people upset about that, they better learn American history and they better get a life.”

Ford’s comments – which were made in the context of a debate over a new illegal immigration bill – have drawn sharp rebukes from Republican and Democratic leaders in South Carolina. Even the state chapter of the NAACP has called his comments “unfortunate.”

We agree – although it’s hard to say there’s not a kernel of truth regarding his assessment of the immigrant work ethic.

A former Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Ford has been an aggressive supporter of parental choice – which has made him a target of the Democratic establishment (particularly the NAACP). His blunt commentary is often refreshing, but it’s often borderline nonsensical.

For example, Ford once referred to email as a “tool of the aristocracy.”

In related news, a Twitter page lampooning Sen. Ford is enjoying a sudden surge in popularity. The Twitter page – called “ShizSenatorFordSays” – says it is dedicated to the “accidental wit, wisdom and strange sayings from the five-term state senator from Charleston. And jokes.”

Robert Ford: “Brothas” Don’t Work :: FITSNews

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by SAM DACOSTA

The statement (as posted) by Sen. Robert Ford is not racist. He's simply stating a fact about races and their work ethic based on his observation. I don't think it would harness much negativity whether it were a Republican or Tea Party elect making the same statement within the same context. Now if MSNBC and FOX anchors choose to evaluate and comment on it based on their respective agendas, then they might have race being the issue.

"I notice while driving through Lake Forest and Irvine, Ca. that all the people working in the Agriculture fields of S. California, seem to be all of Mexican origin. Im sure no African American, Asian or Caucasian would be working as hard, for so little." It's not a racist statement, it's just a factual statement and observation based on race.

I think we're reading into his statement way too much.

Wanna bet....
Whttp://www.adversity.net/special/niggardly.htm

Washington, DC's black Mayor, Anthony Williams, gladly accepted the resignation of his white staff member, David Howard, because Mr. Howard uttered the word 'niggardly' in a private staff meeting.

Webster's Tenth Edition defines the word 'niggardly' to "grudgingly mean about spending or granting". The Barnhard Dictionary of Etymology traces the origins of 'niggardly' to the 1300's, and to the words 'nig' and 'ignon', meaning "miser" in Middle English. No where in any of these references is any mention of racial connotations associated with the word 'niggardly'.

In other words, it's a perfectly good and useful word. But there is the unfortunate coincidence that it starts with the same four letters as the word "nigger". The news media are so loathe to use the "N" word, that they've been substituting the phrase "racial slur", as in "...they mistook the word 'niggardly' for a racial slur..."

Washington, DC's population is 60% black, and it's citizens have been very critical of Mayor Williams for "not being black enough" -- especially because he hired several well-qualified whites to help him run this troubled city.

Racial intolerance, ignorance, and misplaced political correctness have cost a white mayoral aide his job in Washington, DC. And, as many of the other stories on Adversity.Net clearly illustrate, the "niggardly" controversy is only the tip of the "intolerance iceberg".

[Crowbob]

Agreed. He made several points Mike. And a white guy using that technique to make points would end up in a discussion with Sharpton, Jackson, Lee and Waters, LLC no matter the 'context'.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Agreed. He made several points Mike. And a white guy using that technique to make points would end up in a discussion with Sharpton, Jackson, Lee and Waters, LLC no matter the 'context'.

I doubt that. White guy say such things daily on forums all across the web. It gets said here.

Speaking of Lee, I got to see her this weekend at a groundbreaking. It was special.

[Burnin' oil]

OF COURSE the statements are racist. He is drawing conclusions that are based entirely on race. There may be some factual accuracy in what he says, but it has nothing to do with race and everything to do with economic and social issues. Farm-labor Mexicans are no more hard-working or lazy than whitey or darkie, they're just more desperate. Second generation Mexicans, as they assimilate, become less willing to bust their hump in the fields.

[drcoastline]

I do not think the statements he made were particularly racist. Much of what he said I believe is the truth. What I find racist is that a person who is part of a "minority group" can speak words like that with no ramification. If you are not from a minority group you dare not speak those words or be labeled.

[azasadny]

Racist and ignorant...

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Inuit - puhlease

Seriously, one of my Canadian friends has a conniption every time she hears "Eskimo".

Of course, she's from "Eastern" Canada, and Blue eyed, Blond and very paled skinned...

[sammyg2]

So to sum this whole thing up:

The good senator said that black workers are lazy and will find a way to get out doing the hard work, white workers were above that kind of thing and don't have to do hard work because they are entitled to better jobs, but mexican workers work really hard at the crappy jobs and that's what they deserve, and none of that was racist because the senator is black and it's OK for a minority to say what ever he thinks is true but everyone else is bound and gagged with the PC rule.

Does that sound right?

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by Burnin' oil

OF COURSE the statements are racist. He is drawing conclusions that are based entirely on race. There may be some factual accuracy in what he says, but it has nothing to do with race and everything to do with economic and social issues. Farm-labor Mexicans are no more hard-working or lazy than whitey or darkie, they're just more desperate. Second generation Mexicans, as they assimilate, become less willing to bust their hump in the fields.

So he is PROFILING then???

Death Camp of Tolerance
Tags: SOUTH
PARKmore...

[scottmandue]

I'm having my Mexicans write up a rebuttal... I'll post it as soon as they are done... the first draft look really good!

[Burnin' oil]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

I'm having my Mexicans write up a rebuttal... I'll post it as soon as they are done... the first draft look really good!

Your Mexicans can write? Where did you get them?