Governor Northam and Judge Kavanaugh might be long lost brothers... it's uncanny how many similarities they have.
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I think the skits are funny, but the casual branding of Northam as a racist is not funny and not brought out by anything in the news thus far. I think he should fight the accusation and try to retain his job and we'll see if common sense prevails.
After all, if race isn't that important, let's not make of it more than it is.
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A yearbook is a snapshot of one's school years. Random photos are not associated with students' profiles.
Northam, at that time, found racism to be at the least a great joke and at worst his personal belief.
Has he grown up? Does he find his previous racism to be abhorrent, reprehensible, unpolitic?
Now he does. When did the epiphany occur? Pretty recently, it looks like.
2
Remember that Buzzfeed story that backfired weeks ago, in the distant pre-Bowl times? And then the R. Stone dawn raid with Nixonian V-signs of happy bond-making, also well before the half-time show? Now shake but do not stir: Stone prices out the Virginia Governor thing. Two copies of one page, counterfeited to the level of baseball rookie cards--aged paper, etc. One sent to the Post, another inserted in the school library version and expertly rebound. What's that cost? Way less than an adulterous affair lip-zip.
After all the Franken and Buzzfeed thing worked wonders, and even that subterranean Pizza fantasy was splashing through the faithfuls' subconscious until that goofball showed up with a rifle and couldn't find a basement.
So green-light the Northam page. Include both Klan and blackface--in the same photo--let them choose.
Admit. Deny. Defend himself with a Dance.
Then hit them with the State of the Union.
About that "Blackface" politician in Trevor Noah's video: As a European who doesn't live in the US, I don't know anything about this politician than what I just saw. And that gave me the impression of a nice and honest guy. What Noah has to say is funny and enjoyable, but this guy didn't do something in 2019 which others find offensive. He apparently did it a long time ago, and probably at a young age, when maybe it wasn't understood as being offensive. Now he seems to understand it was probably inappropriate but doesn't really try to hide anything. If he is really a dishonest guy, the video excerpts don't show that. And I find it cute how he's almost ready to do a childish moondance demo but then listens to his wife who makes him realize it's inappropriate. In short, he changes his mind and his behaviour after listening to others he trusts, and realizes when he did mistakes. That seems like a good sign.
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When is Jimmy Kimmel going to be held accountable for his blackface skits?
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Trevor Noah who got in trouble for saying horribly racist things about Aboriginals is judging others? How precious..comedians trying to claim moral superiority is funny.
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Why is it that Democrats are ultra-sensitive about their wrong-doings, while Republicans don't give a hoot? Sure there is racism in this country, and its leaders - sure this governor is a doof of the highest order. Resigning won't make it all better - au contraire!
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How fortunate we are to have perfect late night hosts, men whose backgrounds are pristine and lacking in any misadventure. One more time for those deplorable men: Gov. Northam: "I am not the man in either costume in that picture." Obviously, that's not a defense for the ears of those who refuse to consider the possibility.
Late night television? really? Who cares? To think that people hang on every word from these talking heads is really scary. Used to be comedy now it is just sarcasm. I guess in today's world that plays better and brings in better ratings.
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I agree his excuse doesn’t make sense. It’s like saying “The police stopped me for driving a luxury car, thinking I’m a drug dealer. I AM a drug dealer but not while driving.”
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One glaring omission from this ongoing story is the publication of the Medical School year book. Circa 1985, the publication of this offensive photo by the University (presumably approved by an editor) for its students is very telling of the Administrations lack of sensitivity to racial equality.
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So what if "it wasn't him" in the photo? That is just as bad -- it means he thought the photo should be prominently displayed on his yearbook page.
Northam's other apparent defense to his admitting to donning blackface earlier in the year, the "I admired Michael Jackson enough to learn to moondance" defense, is equally ridiculous.
Nothing saves Northam from the photo everyone can see and the words he uttered in his own "defense."
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@Dan88 one thing to note is that he did not make the yearbook himself so we cannot validate that 'he' approved anything. Who was the editor of the book? Why are they not being put forth in the media? I would like to hear what they have to say.
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@scott As far as I know, the "standard" yearbook protocol is that you get to choose the photos that are put on the page that is dedicated to you. And you are making an argument that not even Northam has raised, namely that he was somehow an innocent victim of a rogue yearbook editor.
I do agree that the medical school has some explaining to do, for letting this happen. And whether or not anyone on the yearbook that year and involved in this is still employed or associated with the school.
And what about that Michael Jackson moonwalk contest that Northam said he entered and won while in blackface the same year? Isn't that worth a couple of follow-up questions as well, like who sponsored a contest where the first place winner participated in blackface?
I for one, do not understand the surprise over an image of a Southern Democrat in klan robes; this is 2019 you know.
As for Virginia's embattled Lt Gov, perhaps we could assemble a panel of US Senators such as Di Fi, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker to assess the validity of the accusations against the accused Lt Gov. This seems to be the American way. If you should wish to make it equitable for the accused you may wish to throw in Chuck Grassley as well.
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I just want to send a heartfelt note of thanks to the Times for running these summaries of what aired on late night network TV from the night before.
It’s getting increasingly hard to stay up late enough to see these programs, and as our bodies and brains breakdown with age, it becomes harder to follow the humor and to even hear and see what’s going on. In a workplace filled to the brim with the young and the hip who hang on every word that Noah T, JF, and Steve C say about the topical things, if you don’t know this stuff and can’t joke about it with them, you can be at risk of being fired or demoted, or just left behind.
But when the Times breaks it down for me, I can really process it all AT MY SPEED! This allows me to be the one who brings it up at the water cooler.
So thank you, New York Times! I just got a raise, and will spend a portion on another year’s subscription!
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May be Trevor Noah can tell us more about racism in his country of South Africa, before making fun of Ralph Northam's alleged 30 year old photo.
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@AIM
Huh? Asking Trevor Noah to somehow explain or represent racism in South Africa is a really bizarre way to approach the issue of a sitting governor (very) awkwardly attempting to excuse his participation in-or at least support of-racist behavior while he was an adult in medical school.
I could imagine a world in which someone could come out and say, "there was a lot of racist behavior at the school I attended and I'm embarrassed to be associated with those things. I'm sure I've caused harm to people and that my behavior at that time created a hostile environment for my Black classmates. I am deeply sorry and I think my record in public life will show that I have been committed to addressing racism these past two decades." Instead he "danced" around the topic.
Perhaps you didn't watch the other bits here that addressed Northam's situation but I don't see you taking Seth Meyers to task for "making fun" of Northam. Why is that? Is it because Seth is "one of us?" Well, Trevor is also one of us: a human being who is doing his job in this circumstance.
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@AIM - He has. He recently went back to South Africa and visited his grandmother. The entire show aired his visit.
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@JasonTrevor has his own shady past of racist comments
1