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GOP Leader Slammed for Gorilla Comment About Michelle Obama
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 2:55 pm
By: Denise Stewart, BlackAmericaWeb.com
Black Republicans in South Carolina say a state GOP activist’s recent comments linking Michelle Obama’s ancestry to an escaped gorilla are unacceptable and did nothing to help build party diversity.
In Facebook comments made public over the weekend on the political blog FITSNews.com, Rusty DePass, a GOP activist and former state election commission chairman, <span style="font-style: italic">responded to a report of an escaped gorilla at the Riverbanks Zoo saying:</span> “<span style="font-weight: bold">I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."</span>
The comment was made after Trey Walker, an advisor to state Attorney General Henry McMaster, posted a Facebook update about the escaped animal at the zoo.
“This didn’t do anything to help open the party up to more people,” said Starletta Hairston, a former county councilwoman from Hilton Head, who has made two bids for the Legislature running as a Republican. There is only one black Republican, Tim Scott, currently in the South Carolina Legislature.
“We still have a good ol' boy system, but that system will not work in the future,” Hairston told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “The party needs to bring in more people, especially young people under 50 who realize America is changing,” she said.
Glenn A. McCall Sr., one of three blacks on the Republican National Committee, called DePass’ comments “unfortunate and unacceptable.”
“I spoke with the gentleman today and told him so,” McCall told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “He apologized profusely. I know these comments are not what is in his heart, and they are not representative of the party.”
McCall, who also is chairman of the York County South Carolina Republican Club, said he hopes the comments do not have a negative impact on the party’s efforts toward greater diversity.
“We have so many issues in this state we need to address – jobs, education and equal access to education,” he said.
DePass has apologized for his statements. He told Columbia’s WIS-TV, "I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest."
But the state’s NAACP chapter has said DePass needs to make more of an apology.
“We demand a proper apology from Mr. DePass to Mrs. Obama and to the citizens of South Carolina who are terribly offended by his remarks,” state NAACP Chairman Lonnie Randolph said in a prepared statement. "Mr. DePass' remarks are a chilling reminder of the pervasive nature of racial bias in South Carolina which readily infects all aspects of everyday life. This unfortunate fact informs us that we must all work to eliminate such offensive references, as they do influence our thoughts, our conversations, our choices and our actions toward others."
"It is mean-spirited, hateful comments such as those by Mr. DePass that also inform and encourage individuals like James von Brunn to turn their hate into action,” the statement said.
State GOP Chairwoman Karen Floyd also condemned the comments from DePass posted on Facebook.
"Comments like the one in question are unacceptable, run contrary to the spirit and ideals of the Republican Party and have no place in public discourse," Floyd said in her prepared statement. “Far too often, families are seen as fair game in political fights - becoming targets of attacks and punchlines in offensive satires or jokes. Whether they're directed toward First Lady Michelle Obama or Governor Sarah Palin's children, attacks of this nature and attacks on family members of elected officials are out of bounds and should be condemned by all sides."
Hairston said there are a lot of good people in South Carolina’s Republican Party, but the party has its problems. It is difficult for black Republicans to get enough support to get elected in South Carolina, where the party controls both houses of the state Legislature, she said.
“People ask me what I can do to get more blacks into the Republican Party. I ask what can we do to get people to vote for me. Period. I want blacks and whites to vote for me because they feel I am the best candidate for the position,” said Hairston, who has served on the Beaufort County Council.
She wants to see the day in South Carolina when candidates are elected regardless of race.
“We only have one black Republican currently in the Legislature. I am glad he is there, but he is the first one elected since Reconstruction,” Hairston said. “We don’t want to wait another 100 years.”
Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 2:55 pm
By: Denise Stewart, BlackAmericaWeb.com
Black Republicans in South Carolina say a state GOP activist’s recent comments linking Michelle Obama’s ancestry to an escaped gorilla are unacceptable and did nothing to help build party diversity.
In Facebook comments made public over the weekend on the political blog FITSNews.com, Rusty DePass, a GOP activist and former state election commission chairman, <span style="font-style: italic">responded to a report of an escaped gorilla at the Riverbanks Zoo saying:</span> “<span style="font-weight: bold">I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."</span>
The comment was made after Trey Walker, an advisor to state Attorney General Henry McMaster, posted a Facebook update about the escaped animal at the zoo.
“This didn’t do anything to help open the party up to more people,” said Starletta Hairston, a former county councilwoman from Hilton Head, who has made two bids for the Legislature running as a Republican. There is only one black Republican, Tim Scott, currently in the South Carolina Legislature.
“We still have a good ol' boy system, but that system will not work in the future,” Hairston told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “The party needs to bring in more people, especially young people under 50 who realize America is changing,” she said.
Glenn A. McCall Sr., one of three blacks on the Republican National Committee, called DePass’ comments “unfortunate and unacceptable.”
“I spoke with the gentleman today and told him so,” McCall told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “He apologized profusely. I know these comments are not what is in his heart, and they are not representative of the party.”
McCall, who also is chairman of the York County South Carolina Republican Club, said he hopes the comments do not have a negative impact on the party’s efforts toward greater diversity.
“We have so many issues in this state we need to address – jobs, education and equal access to education,” he said.
DePass has apologized for his statements. He told Columbia’s WIS-TV, "I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest."
But the state’s NAACP chapter has said DePass needs to make more of an apology.
“We demand a proper apology from Mr. DePass to Mrs. Obama and to the citizens of South Carolina who are terribly offended by his remarks,” state NAACP Chairman Lonnie Randolph said in a prepared statement. "Mr. DePass' remarks are a chilling reminder of the pervasive nature of racial bias in South Carolina which readily infects all aspects of everyday life. This unfortunate fact informs us that we must all work to eliminate such offensive references, as they do influence our thoughts, our conversations, our choices and our actions toward others."
"It is mean-spirited, hateful comments such as those by Mr. DePass that also inform and encourage individuals like James von Brunn to turn their hate into action,” the statement said.
State GOP Chairwoman Karen Floyd also condemned the comments from DePass posted on Facebook.
"Comments like the one in question are unacceptable, run contrary to the spirit and ideals of the Republican Party and have no place in public discourse," Floyd said in her prepared statement. “Far too often, families are seen as fair game in political fights - becoming targets of attacks and punchlines in offensive satires or jokes. Whether they're directed toward First Lady Michelle Obama or Governor Sarah Palin's children, attacks of this nature and attacks on family members of elected officials are out of bounds and should be condemned by all sides."
Hairston said there are a lot of good people in South Carolina’s Republican Party, but the party has its problems. It is difficult for black Republicans to get enough support to get elected in South Carolina, where the party controls both houses of the state Legislature, she said.
“People ask me what I can do to get more blacks into the Republican Party. I ask what can we do to get people to vote for me. Period. I want blacks and whites to vote for me because they feel I am the best candidate for the position,” said Hairston, who has served on the Beaufort County Council.
She wants to see the day in South Carolina when candidates are elected regardless of race.
“We only have one black Republican currently in the Legislature. I am glad he is there, but he is the first one elected since Reconstruction,” Hairston said. “We don’t want to wait another 100 years.”
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