…that’s pretty much how I’m starting to view the GOP mindset. Many minorities have misgivings about the GOP’s efforts to become more “inlcusive” and shed their “good-ole boy” image for one that doesn’t smack of Southern religious dogma and thinly veiled racism. Well, that plan seems to be going as  smoothly as Usher and Tameka’s marriage (too soon?).

 

Sherry Goforth, a legislative staffer for a Tennessee Republican state senator sent this image to a lot of people on her email list:

 

 

[Image via Gawker]

 

As you can see, right next to Dubya’s picture is a dark background with only a pair of eyeballs visible. Har-har-har. President Obama is black and the GOP clearly can’t get enough of it. A few of the people on Goforth’s listerserv were offended by this obviously racist image, so they forwarded it to the media and the rest is history. It should go without saying that Goforth be fired, right? Wrong. After a “stern reprimand” she still has a job with the GOP and showed no real remorse for sending the recist email; she only regrets sending it to her non-racist listserv on accident:

When I asked her if she understood the controversial nature of the photo, Goforth would only say she felt very bad about accidentally sending it to the wrong list. When I gave her a second chance to address the controversial nature of the email, she again repeated that she only felt bad about sending it to the wrong list of people.

 

“I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button,” Goforth told NIT. “I’m very sick about it, and it’s one of those things I can’t change or take back.” [Source]

 

This is the second time in three days that I’ve read about racist activity from folks in the GOP. On Saturday I was scrolling through Daily Kos when I saw that a GOP activist compared Michelle Obama to a gorilla. At the time I brushed it off– if I got riled up every time some nimrod made an ignorant remark about the First Family I’d be angry all the damn time. But two dumbass stories in one weekend is just ridiculous.

 

Rusty DePass responded to a staus update on Facebook about an escaped gorilla in South Carlina, saying, “”I’m sure it’s just one of Michelle’s ancestors – probably harmless.” Again, instead of just apologizing for the asinine comment, DePass does a bait and switch– apologzing for offending folks but somehow blaming Michelle for his words:

“I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest…The comment was hers. Not mine,” saying the first lady made statements in the media recently saying we are all descendents of apes.” [Source]

 

Do you recall the First Lady talking about evolution recently? Neither do I, and neither do most news outlets. DePass is full of shit and doesn’t think he needs to own up to his actions. And for all he knows he’s correct in this thinking. Some GOP members have expressed outrage over both DePass’ and Goforth’s behavior, but at the end of the day DePass will likely still be a figure in his local party.

 

It’s not surprising that some of the GOP’s members are going to be a little hesitant to get with the new, non-racist program, especially considering that they damn near wore that racism like a badge during election season (Obama’s a Muslim, remeber??). But the GOP only adds insult to injury when they don’t take more decisive action against the offenders. If Republicans want us to believe that they aren’t a bunch of redneck racists, then heads need to roll each time someone acts like one.

 

All these random acts of bigotry really make me feel bad for Mike Steele the who put the satin in your panties. He’s black too, you know. I can only imagine some of the emails floating around making fun of him, too.

Tags: Barack Obama, GOP, Michelle Obama, Republican Party, Rusty DePass, Sherry Goforth