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Gorillas in the Midst
- By Roy Douglas Malonson
- Published 06/23/2009
- Editorial and Opinion
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Roy Douglas Malonson
Roy D. Malonson is publisher of the African-American News&Issues.
View all articles by Roy Douglas Malonson
Dear Mrs. Obama:
It is with the utmost humility, embarrassment and regret that I extend my apology to you and your family for a total inappropriate remark I recently entered on a Facebook site. My comment was offensive and was a flippant remark made without thinking. It was wrong and foolish, and I deeply regret it and any pain it has brought you or your family.
I do not want to compound my indefensible words by repeating them other than to offer you my complete and total apology for any offense I have brought to you, your family or anyone else.
With deepest regret,
William B. DePass, Jr.
Former state Election Commission Chairman and Republican activist William “Rusty” DePass read a statement during an NAACP news conference apologizing for his Internet posting that said an escaped gorilla was an ancestor of First Lady Michelle Obama. South Carolina NAACP President Lonnie Randolph said the apology was an improvement on DePass’ earlier attempt to defend his comments. Randolph says the NAACP isn’t giving DePass undue attention, rather decrying racially charged commentary against the Obamas.
People of other races often post comments on our Web site saying that we are “too sensitive,” and “always looking to make race an issue” concerning news of the day. Maybe if there weren’t racists in high places proving our point all the time, we wouldn’t have to write about what they are saying and doing. President Obama’s election to the highest office in the land proves absolutely nothing about the race condition in America.
DePass’ mistake was putting it in writing, instead of saying behind closed doors what the majority of the GOP constituent and the majority of other races feel about the Obamas in general and Blacks in particular. The apology was a cute, politically-expedient, half-hearted attempt to save face. Afterall, he was talking about the First Lady, who is still married to the most powerful man on earth—although they don’t respect him as such.
Time and time again, the Republicans say racists like Rush Limbaugh do not speak for them and are not representative of their views and opinions. Yet, they do absolutely nothing to shut them up or shut them down. Though not political, my mind immediately went to the remarks that Sid Rosenberg made in 2001 about Serena and Venus Williams being better off posing in National Geographic than Playboy, referring that they were closer to wild animals than women.
As a side bar, his boss, Don Imus, would get a slap on the wrist a few years later for calling the Rutgers women’s basketball players “nappy-headed hos.” Looking like gorillas, animals and nappy-headed hos, didn’t stop slave-owners from raping them when their frigid wives froze them out. Oh, that was 400 years ago?
Then who are the pale-skinned men I see, slowly trolling the neighborhood near my office, stopping their cars and trying to make conversation with Black women walking down the street? Gorilla? It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last to attempt to minimize a Black man’s accomplishment by insulting his heritage.
One thing for sure, and you can bet your bottom dollar on this, is that Depass will never be president—even if all of his ancestors voted for him.
It is with the utmost humility, embarrassment and regret that I extend my apology to you and your family for a total inappropriate remark I recently entered on a Facebook site. My comment was offensive and was a flippant remark made without thinking. It was wrong and foolish, and I deeply regret it and any pain it has brought you or your family.
I do not want to compound my indefensible words by repeating them other than to offer you my complete and total apology for any offense I have brought to you, your family or anyone else.
With deepest regret,
William B. DePass, Jr.
Former state Election Commission Chairman and Republican activist William “Rusty” DePass read a statement during an NAACP news conference apologizing for his Internet posting that said an escaped gorilla was an ancestor of First Lady Michelle Obama. South Carolina NAACP President Lonnie Randolph said the apology was an improvement on DePass’ earlier attempt to defend his comments. Randolph says the NAACP isn’t giving DePass undue attention, rather decrying racially charged commentary against the Obamas.
People of other races often post comments on our Web site saying that we are “too sensitive,” and “always looking to make race an issue” concerning news of the day. Maybe if there weren’t racists in high places proving our point all the time, we wouldn’t have to write about what they are saying and doing. President Obama’s election to the highest office in the land proves absolutely nothing about the race condition in America.
DePass’ mistake was putting it in writing, instead of saying behind closed doors what the majority of the GOP constituent and the majority of other races feel about the Obamas in general and Blacks in particular. The apology was a cute, politically-expedient, half-hearted attempt to save face. Afterall, he was talking about the First Lady, who is still married to the most powerful man on earth—although they don’t respect him as such.
Time and time again, the Republicans say racists like Rush Limbaugh do not speak for them and are not representative of their views and opinions. Yet, they do absolutely nothing to shut them up or shut them down. Though not political, my mind immediately went to the remarks that Sid Rosenberg made in 2001 about Serena and Venus Williams being better off posing in National Geographic than Playboy, referring that they were closer to wild animals than women.
As a side bar, his boss, Don Imus, would get a slap on the wrist a few years later for calling the Rutgers women’s basketball players “nappy-headed hos.” Looking like gorillas, animals and nappy-headed hos, didn’t stop slave-owners from raping them when their frigid wives froze them out. Oh, that was 400 years ago?
Then who are the pale-skinned men I see, slowly trolling the neighborhood near my office, stopping their cars and trying to make conversation with Black women walking down the street? Gorilla? It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last to attempt to minimize a Black man’s accomplishment by insulting his heritage.
One thing for sure, and you can bet your bottom dollar on this, is that Depass will never be president—even if all of his ancestors voted for him.