A growing group of republicans, democrats, and activists are demanding the resignation of Virginian Governor, Ralph Northam, over a recent controversy over an alleged picture of him in Eastern Virginia Medical School’s yearbook of 1984. The picture reveals two men standing side by side, one wearing black face and another dressed in a KKK robe. Despite this picture being under Northam’s name in the school’s yearbook, as well as Northam having previously acknowledged and apologized for the photo, he now claims he had never seen it until it was publicized on Friday.
Northam continued to make excuses at this Saturday’s press conference regarding the situation, saying, “My belief that I did not wear that costume or attend that party stems in part from my clear memory of other mistakes I made in the same period of my life. That same year, I did participate in a dance contest in San Antonio in which I darkened my face as part of a Michael Jackson costume. I look back now and regret that I did not understand the harmful legacy of an action like that. It is because my memory of that episode is so vivid, that I truly do not believe I am in the picture in my yearbook. You remember these things.”
This controversy obviously stems from the beginnings of black face nearly 200 years ago during the 19th century, where white performers painted their faces black and mocked African Americans in minstrel shows across the U.S. The history of suffering undergone by African Americans leading to the prominence of discrimination even after the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments (which were meant to establish rights for African Americans) is what makes Northam’s picture so offensive and concerning. Even more concerning is Northam’s attempt to create excuses for himself and his position regarding the issue, as a real leader should take responsibility of his or her actions in order to speak out on a topic moving forward instead of simply dismissing it.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/02/02/ralph-northam-virginia-governor-blackface-michael-jackson/2756133002/
This stuff keeps happening again and again. Shameful.
ReplyDeleteI was unhappy with his apology, but at least he apologized, right? Wrong. To try and claim that he never even saw the photo is downright shameful and, to be frank, a cop out. Saying that he would remember taking a photo like that is not a valid reason because human memory is unreliable.
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