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Dr. Boyce Watkins; Republican Birther Puts Obama’s Face on a Chimp…

April 18, 2011 by  
Filed under News, Opinion, Politics, Weekly Columns

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(ThyBlackMan.com) Orange County Republican Committee member Marilyn Davenport is in hot water after distributing an email that features President Obama as the child of a family of chimpanzees.  In the email, which was widely-distributed, the long-standing committee member sent out the picture with the caption, “Now you know why – No birth certificate!”

County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh has called for Davenport’s resignation, saying that the picture was “dripping with racism and is in very poor taste.”    He also referred the matter to the GOP Ethics Committee.

Davenport, however, seems to think that the email has nothing to do with racism.  Instead of taking responsibility for her insulting actions, she described the email as a “joke” and wanted to find out who leaked the email, writing “Anyone brave enough to come forward?”

I’m sorry if my email offended anyone, I simply found it amusing regarding the character of Obama and all the questions surrounding his origin of birth,” said Davenport. “In no way did I even consider the fact he’s half black when I sent out the email. In fact, the thought never entered my mind until one or two other people tried to make this about race. We all know a double standard applies regarding this president. I received plenty of emails about George Bush that I didn’t particularly like, yet there was no ‘cry’ in the media about them.”

When watching the reaction that our nation has had to having its first black president, I often have what are described on the Internet as “SMH moments.”  President Obama has received far more death threats than any president before him, the Republicans have made it their mission in life to obstruct anything he tries to do, he’s received a level of hatred and animosity that seems to accuse him of working to destroy the free world, and no one seems to think there’s anything odd about this.

Obviously, Republican leadership must own up to what happened here, especially Ms. Davenport.  But the Republican Party and the Birther Movement can’t easily detach themselves from the actions of Davenport and other extremists.  The reality is that much of the activity surrounding the Birther Movement is driven by racism and the perception that President Obama is somehow less American, less patriotic, and less ethical than the rest of white America (remember, President Obama is half-white, though our society defines him to be  a black man). 

This truth can’t be disconnected from the fact that black men are typically perceived as being more criminal, irresponsible and socially deviant than everyone else (that’s why black men are more likely to be stopped, searched, arrested and incarcerated than white Americans).  By working overtime to undermine the Obama presidency on a meaningless technicality, the Birthers, Tea Partiers and all the other Republican political militias remind us that the racial hatred in America is far deeper than we want to admit.  America has a lot of growing up to do when it comes to race, and that growth is being stunted by denial.

Staff Writer; Dr. Boyce Watkins

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition.  For more information, please visit http://BoyceWatkins.com.


Comments

7 Responses to “Dr. Boyce Watkins; Republican Birther Puts Obama’s Face on a Chimp…”
  1. Cathy says:

    Ha, ha, ha, it is funny and just a joke to small minded people! However, don’t ever compare President Obama to George Bush or any other white president. Whites have lived on this land with a superior attitude and stealing it! Whites feel there is no one above them. So to them President Obama is nothing. That’s why they continue to tie blacks to cars and drag them, shot blacks, kill our black men etc. What other culture other than whites who dislike themselves so that they took it out on innocent men, women and children that were black. And while this is 2012, it is still going on. However….what you reap you sow…although blacks are still the whiteman number 1 hatred, he too is killing his own kind, dropping their pregnant wives in oceans, killing their parents for money, killing family in their sleep. Black folk must realize that the only Superior Power is God! Every knee will bow…every knee!!! And, while their flesh is running around during the job Satan has been sent to do, and blacks stop worrying about what they say and the pictures and so forth. History continues in Black America. When have you ever known whites to really love a black unless they were after something. Look around at who marries whom. Look at who buildt this Country and who benefit. Look who took our inventions and changed them to fit their greed. Look around! Stop focusing on this negative drama. Teach you kids who is the “KING.” Teach them it’s not by might but by “His” power. Prepare yourselves for the coming of our Lord and Savior. Step out of these fleshly bodies and allow your spirit to connect and God will show you things you have never seen. These people are not your God. Do you think those who were killed by the man is still crying. They are in a better place. Satan, you can have these old bodies but your want-a-be demonic spirits…Can’t touch our Souls. So go ahead and have your day. Give it your best shot. Whiteman you are First! Be happy! Keep insulting, laughing, killing, lying, stealing and what ever you do best. When God return, The First Shall Be LAST, and the LAST Shall Be First. Oh yea, think for a moment…All that stimulus money President Obama received to save this country from falling of the cliff..it went to the Whiteman. We don’t own no banks! We don’t own no Dealerships. We don’t own no big corporations. And I do mean “don’t! Why are you fighting yourselves….remember you are the superior ones!

  2. Scrum says:

    I am a black woman and although Davenport meant for this to be exactly what she is… an “out of the closet” racist seeking her 5 minutes of fame no doubt, I no longer get offended and neither should our great President. He has far too much class more so than any of the nuts on the opposite side to even respond. Far too classy. And you can see how obvious it is when you look at the manner in which they all conduct themselves verses how he carries himself. He is a class act no doubt about it!! I believe he brushes things like this off his shoulder because he knows that it’s an age old distraction tactic and he is so focused, so focused it doesn’t work. He sends them off scratching their heads. So off the nuts go back into their bag of tricks. Dig deep, because your in store for 4 more years! : ) 4 more years of senseless hate, all because this President reminds them of everything they are not! Class acts! Instead they behave like professional class…..ummm donkeys!

  3. Patsy says:

    Davenport knew what she was doing! She would never insult Jewish people but it seems that Black people are expendable to many people from the mainstream. I am beginning to be really sick of them.

  4. Paul D. Webb says:

    I’m a Republican and quite conservative in almost all aspects politically, ethically and what most may consider morally. Obviously, I am not a fan or supporter of President Obama. When I first saw the photo (via FOX news) I thought it was a bit humorous. Seconds later I realized it is highly insulting to Obama (both as Mr. Obama and President Obama). It is also insulting and disrespectful to the Presidency as a whole. Not for one second did I consider the photo racist.

    Several months ago a Democratic politician (name, I do not know) stated, “Tea Party activists appear to be monkeys running around with tea bags hanging about their necks.” At this comment thousands of people were called monkeys! As far as I know nothing was stated in criticism to this politician.

    Much worse and the same has been said and pictured concerning other politicians through past hundreds of years.

    We are living in the 21st century. When are we going to stop being so ‘thin skinned’ we remain paranoid of what is said by whom and reluctant of what we say to whom?

    Any comments? Please e-mail me.
    I would like to know what is thought.

    Paul D. Webb
    wdp638@roadrunner.com

  5. Sue Watson says:

    I totally agree with the fact that this is poor taste at its worst, but to suggest she needs to lose her “government job” is misleading. She is part of the GOP organization, not a government group.

  6. imeanwhat says:

    It is VILE that Marilyn Davenport has yet to be dismissed from the OC GOP!! Anyone who displays such blatant racism against another citizen should immediately be fired from their governmental post. Contact the GOP now and demand she be let go: http://bit.ly/e6Zpnc

  7. Rune says:

    Tacky, unprofessional behaviour to be sure. But run a search on Bush being compared to chimps someday. Or Che, or Hitler, or or or. Or run one on any other political figure. Welcome to being in the limelight, folks. Cheap shots abound, and Obama will get just as many as anyone else.

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