Latest GOP Racial "Slip": TN Sen. Diane Black's Staffer E-mails Obama "Spook" Photo
By Logan Murphy Tuesday Jun 16, 2009 10:00am
Some of you may recall from last week, this little racist gem from Rusty DePass, a GOP activist from South Carolina who referred to an escaped gorilla as an ancestor of Michelle Obama. And now, from the state of Tennessee, we bring you the Obama "Spook" photo e-mailed from a GOP Senator's office -- on an official state e-mail account, no less:
Sherri Goforth, a legislative staffer working for Sen. Diane Black, a Gallatin Republican, confirmed to Nashville Is Talking that she sent around an email depicting portraits of all the U.S. presidents — but on the last slot, where Barack Obama should be, there is just an empty black spot with two eyes (see right).
Get it? Huh? Not really…
When asked whether she understood the controversial nature of sending the email on her state account, Goforth replied, “I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button … I’m very sick about it, and it’s one of those things I can’t change or take back.” Goforth told NIT she received a letter of reprimand from Sen. Black.
She's sick about it alright -- sick that she got caught and exposed as a racist -- not because she sent out a highly offensive, racist image of our president. Not to worry dear C&L'ers, Goforth is keeping her job, for the moment:
Update 2:Black confirmed that she had reprimanded Goforth verbally and in writing. She said no further action was anticipated.
Wonkette had this to add:
NOTHING as funny as the idea of … people with dark complexions. Even when you’re just sending the Funnies to proper white folk, there is still often a “N.L.” who will complain about old-fashioned Southern comedy.
GOP will eat itself.
mmm...tastes like chicken.
Maybe Zeigler can bring his minion here to protest this vile racism instead of pretended he was offended by Letterman's remarks enough to protest him.
Good to see all these lovely racist scumbags shoved out into the sunlight.
...us black folk feel inheritly obligated to hold long memories relating to historical racism. If I were a Republican(hypothetically speaking), and knew what I know concerning how black people feel regarding present day Conservatives, I wouldn't waste time trying to garner a single black vote...for a few decades.
The GOP will eat itself.
They simply cannot contain their racist BS...as it was close to the surface anyway...
Now that Obama is in the White House. Their instinctual racism just wells up to the surface.
It's their nature.
GOP strategy for the foreseeable future...figure out a plan to win Nationwide elections without the black vote.
..or any rational sane person's vote.
I said it yesterday: Why don't you see Republicans on Star Trek? Because its in the future.
be massively hypocritical AND racist!
They are not only trying to figure out how to win ANY election without:
A) the black vote
B) the moderate vote
C) the hispanic vote
They are driving away all 3 groups in droves.
And to be perfectly honest L&L...I'm fuckin LOVIN it!
Watchin the GOP implode just gives me that warm squishy feelin inside...
Now...if the damn Democrats would quit sulking like a cur dog and get some goddamn progressive shit ran through while the GOP is weak and reeling from their Nov.08 asswhuppin, I'd be feelin a LOT more warm and squishy.
..and a Special Prosecutor!
and you can use bad words...it's ok...all the cool kids are doin it...hey ya wanna smoke a cigarette?
Two weeks ago, I was smokin' on a Cigarette at 68 mph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCMzjJjuxQI
crazy shit!
pffft.
That's nuthin!
One time, when I had a car...I once ate a cheeseburger whilst hurtling down the turnpike at 72 mph!
Then I smoked a cigarette.
Settles the digestion you know.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLYV2Crp8HY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3h4o5AiLuM&fe...
So, now will you post the Marx Brothers/the Groucho-Chico exchange outside of the speak-easy from Horsefeathers?
For anyone who'd like to thank Sen. Black's office for this uproariously funny email (or not),
sen.diane.black@capitol.tn.gov
I did. I also wrote to the offensive bitch that sent the email. I didn't call her a bitch though.
sherri.goforth@capitol.tn.gov
"Sherri, thank you for sending out the email with the photos of the US Presidents. You know, the one that only shows President Obama's eyes? I thank you because, by sending it, you reveal your true self. Had you not, the country would probably never know what kind of person you really are. Now that we know the truth we are all better off, don't you think? Oh, and your "apology" was just precious! You didn't apologize for sending such an offensive picture, you just apologized for using your state account. Good for you; if you're going send something so hideous, don't apologize. Stand behind your racist views.
Oh, and be sure to thank Senator Black. By keeping you on staff after such an incident she's surely making her own views crystal clear."
nice
Always a good rule to live by when dealing with bigots. If at ANY time someone prefaces a statement with " Now I'm not a racist, but...", that usually means that they ARE one!!!
Just like the guy that said that stuff about a gorilla and Michelle Obama..."IF I offended anyone...". Not I'm sorry, that was offensive, but sorry IF....
In her "apology," it appears that what she's sorry about is not the racism or even that she sent the email, but that she sent it from the "wrong email" account.
..a typical apology from a Repub, i.e., a NON-apology apology.
Right! Which makes me wonder, who is she palling around with in her free time that she would send this kind of e-mail at all? White hoods and robes? Jeez!
revolting on every single level. as usual, it's business as usual south of the mason dixon.
http://g.sheetmusicplus.com/Look-Inside/large...
line are like that rusty.
It seems to be somewhat of a double standard amongst progressives and liberals in here.
Can't talk about this, can't talk about that...but it's open season on all things southern.
Fuckin bullshit.
Don't alienate the people in the south who would be, or already are, your allies.
Don't feel bad liberal, I live in Texas and when our idiot Governor started that bullshit about seceeding, Texans got beat up pretty bad. Making generalizations about the state where one lives is a mistake.
By definition... generalizations about the populace of Utah usually hold true.
Takes courage to be me.
I think you missed the point Thunder, I've never been to Utah but I know their rep. None the less I make no assumptions except on a person by person basis.
...I've lived with that "all Kentuckians are..." b.s. all my life. It's funny how often I read that stuff on this allegedly progressive site.
who try to lump you, as the exception, with the rule.
Than it is to change the rule, so that you are not the exception.
I sent her a pretty thought provoking emai, if I say so myself.
BTW......used very appropriate language, no cussing at all.
Racism is endemic to the re=Thug Party.
*
..but one too many people made a joke about the "gorilla" story. Racist ba$tard$ - I signed off forever after seven plus years. This,
IMHO, should be considered a hate crime. It may put start to put an end to the rascism in this country.
Well, I can dream can't I?
Why don't you stay on that BB and work at countering those racist comments? I know it would be nauseating, but if they already like you, maybe a few would read your moderate messages and progress just a bit in their thinking. ?
to see a picture of Sherri? I bet she's a real looker. It's already obvious that she's a great wit AND a superior intellect! Um, probably no?
but perhaps Ms. Goforth could be excused because she thought she was at a sarah palin rally.
on CNN. It was strange indeed. It was like she kept reading off a cue card. Like a robot. Several times she referred to herself in the third person. ie. "My constituents know that Diane Black works with people from both sides of the aisle." Weird.
I think that this kind of stuff is happening a lot more than what people think. DePass and Goforth just got caught.
It's just a matter of time one of the repugs drops the "N" bomb on teevee...
You know it's being said behind closed doors.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1i14U-pXY&fe...
don't forget the other SC GOPer, who announced that Obama was going to tax aspirin at 40%, because "they're WHITE and they work!" How do we ever get the impression that the Republicans are racist? Oh well, I have to go to the White House lawn to pick up my watermelon.
I think that if we had a tax on "teh stupid" our financial woes would be nonexistent.
"referred to an escaped gorilla as an ancestor of Michelle Obama"?
Uh-ohh, Rusty, yer sounding like one o' them there evolutionists!
Everybody knows how easy it is for someone who is hired partly for her computer skills to accidentally replace a photo of a president with a black background and a pair of wide open white eyeballs and then send it to the wrong place. Yessireee, it could happen to anyone.
Yes! I betcha anything some left-wing hacker broke into her computer and Photoshopped that in order to make the Republicans look bad...
That's their story and they're sticking to it!
Let's get our terminology straight here! That black background with a pair of eyes has a name, dammit! "Spook". It's a spook, a vestige of the Jim Crow era. Don't you people watch Looney Tunes?
if memory serves me correct, I think it was the Democrat party who were the racists a few years back. NOT that it's right to do what Rusty DePass did, i find that very offensive!
...and now the roles have reversed. What's your point?
And Republicans used to be a party of moderate, sane, relatively progressive people (over 1 century ago). Yet I don't expect a republican to be induced as the grandmaster of the pride parade in SF anytime soon (or ever).
So the question begs to be asked: Your point being?
Ya know, my brother in law tried to pull that bullshit arguement on me the other day. That was then, this is now. Justify cheater.
Oh, and Democrat is a noun ergo "I am a Democrat". Democratic is an adjective, as in "I belong to the Democratic Party".
Awesome way to show your stupidity. Stop listening to Rush. He's killing your party.
i find that very offensive!
Sure you do.
This is a government office. Is that the kind of email that is being sent around in that office? Unfortunately, this is the kind of racist nonsense we will be subjected to while Obama is the president. I don't believe that crap that "I inadvertently hit the wrong button" either.
Pardon my language but it doesn't make a shit bit of differnence if she "hit the wrong button". There is no place in public office for this kind of crap.
Once again, email her at
sherri.goforth@capitol.tn.gov
Thanks
but remember, Goforth is not going to fire herself. So while you're at it, write her boss as well.
sen.diane.black@capitol.tn.gov
Thank you very much, unevolved, fear-filled, racist lady from Hicksville. Plunk......that's the sound of another thousand votes for the Democratic party next election. Y'all come back now, ya hear?
Stupid bitch forgot that President Obama is probably more caucasian than she is. She has made a fool of herself, and has taken southern pride down another notch or two. Sad, and with the whole world watching. FIRE HER NOW!!!!
hold my breath waiting for all those folks terribly outraged by David Letterman's comments to take on this collection of explicitly racist elected officials?
have a medic on hand.
their selective outrage.... is like asking a peach tree for coconuts.
In fact, I think it is probably easier to get coconuts from said tree...
Wow. I would absolutely be fired from my job if I sent around an email like that.
Even if Diane Black doesn't care that the email is offensive, she should fire Goforth for just being a fucking dumb shit.
Excellent point. I have my own business and if I had some dumb bitch like that working for me, out the door.
that after just seeing the headline, I thought someone had depicted Obama as a CIA operative? Do I watch too many movies that involve conspiracies and general governmental malfeasance, or is this an issue of age and/or geography? Because while I certainly understand what the picture represents and have some memory of previously hearing "spook" used as a racial slur, this is actually the first time I've ever seen a visual depiction. (Sadly, said visual depiction has no basis in reality, hence the expression, "We all look the same in the dark.")
Where does this slur even come from? Some rednecks heard the phrase "black as night" and thought they were being enormously clever?
confusion... However look at the picture a few pixels south, any sort of doubt is removed. That whole process, I estimate, takes around 2 seconds.
I'd heard it before, but your question caused me to look up the origin. This is what I found
"The derogatory racial sense of "black person" is attested from 1940s, perhaps from notion of dark skin being difficult to see at night. Black pilots trained at Tuskegee Institute during World War II called themselves the Spookwaffe."
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spook
The term comes from the same redneck nonsense that brings you an idiot saying to a black man to "smile" because he can't see him in the dark, I've heard both sinse I was young and being a person who loves science it always seemed to me that if there is no light to reflect off of your skin to be seen then there is no light to reflect off of your teeth either. But don't ask a redneck for anything regarding logic or reason you will only get the dumb chimp look.
Also isn't it funny that most of the people who don't believe we evolved from monkeys almost always seem to be the closest related to the monkey? (both in appearance and intelligence...no, that's not cool, some monkeys are really smart!)
And Tyler, if you'd read my whole comment, you'd have known that I did understand once I saw the picture. That process would've taken about ten seconds.
We just don't harp on this crap long enough. To the GOP this would be a 6 month story that they would keep alive in the press, the Dems and most common sense Americans dont' put that much stock in this tactic but it does work for the GOP.
So our only good option, like Bill Maher said about Obama, we need to act a little like the Repugs, not the bad crap like starting wars for profit and torture, but the get the message out there at all costs crap.
Say what you will about the Republican party (I call them the enemy of America) but they know how to advertise.
http://thinkprogress.org/
Sorry, this goes directly to the story.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/06/16/ensign-af...
was it at least with a woman? Not that it matters to me personally but I just am amazed that there are any straight GOPer's left.
"President Obama". Show some respect.
Dick.
Now that I read the terms of service again, I have gained a new insight. This blog is onesided, where those of you out there do not care about the 1st Amendment, or have the backbone to read someone elses point of view, and just maybe are alittle racist in your own right. That picture you are all in an uproar over, was distasteful, but not racist. If a black man dates a white woman, some think it to be awful, but is it not a rascial thing? what about the white man that dates a black woman? I know and have friends that do both, are they racial? and when the black woman call her white boyfriend a N word, is that racial or love? WHo are you people anyway? And what makes you think your opinion matters? Politics are just that and most all fo them are cheat and liars.
What happened to the days where an honest politician had a real job and was paid a real wage and not sucking the country dry, for example; after a mere 2 years in office they all draw a pension for life and former presidents draw $191,000.00 a year of our money. Why is that? Are they not normal people? Our Country is in trouble and all we as a whole can worry about is an e-mail? a comment? Please, please give it up and if those elected do not fix our problems fire them without a pension, without medical care, let them draw social security, let them by Cobraa, just like you and I. Don't like the picture, don't look.
That picture was TOTALLY racist.
Please God in Heaven get over it. Obama is your PRESIDENT. YOUR President. If you can't take it, move away from this great country (where, by the way, he was elected by a majority of the country) and find somewhere else to live.
OK, in your opinion it was, but are you any better for calling that woman a name? She did something I would not, and you did something I would not, so are you better than her? I am not better that either one of you.
And so you know, the normal average American has to work at least 20 years to retire and draw a pension, unless it's an early retire at a reduced pay out. So tell me, why does "our President" and former presidents merit more? What about those others in politcis, even the scored ones draw...got an answer for that? Those people you put some much trust in has landed this Country where it is, all of them, not just one, not just one Party.
As Americans we look for a scape goat...when this Prsident fails to follow through on those politcal promises, who will get the blame?
Avoid the topic, change the subject to some irrelevant dumb shit...boringly predictable.
I'm continually amazed how eternally arrogant white people like you seem to feel that you always have the last call on what is or is not racist.
then you're a fuckin racist.
STFU..racist.
I swear the GOP have turned into a bunch of 3rd graders that just can't handle the truth or take a loss.
what does Michael Steele think about this "joke"?
He probably said the same thing as when he heard the Michelle Obama/gorilla joke: "Hee, hee, hee--Massa sho' is funny!"
The gop's gift to black folk? Rush limbaugh's underling? Oh, he knows his place.
to send the racist picture, not that she actually SENT the racist picture.
Pathetic.
Who the hell wants these sick, racist Reslug bastards in office??
...when white people, of their own volition, march by the thousands in protest of things like this.
I noticed that Senator Black's reprimand to Goforth was only for the racist slur, not for disrespecting the POTUS. Figures.
Is there any doubt among non-blacks that insidious bigotry affects the decisions people make in their professional lives, no matter what the profession, consequently anyone who is the target of that bigotry will be negatively impacted?
Is anyone out there. who previously dismissed the idea that racism is alive and well, still willing to excuse this type of thing?
Seriously?