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Sep

16

Kevin DeWine declares Ohio a racist-free state (not)


You know, it’s not like people are proud that they may be racist – at least, no one I know who is racist walks around knowing it and being proud of it.  That would be like saying I’m proud that I have privilege as a white person when the reality is, I can’t do anything about being white, but I can do something about or at least with that privilege on behalf of people who don’t have it.

Kevin DeWine, however, says that it’s those of us who are calling out the racism who are the evildoers.

From the Capital Blog:

Gov. Ted Strickland, Sen. Sherrod Brown, Treasurer Richard Cordray and at least two Democrat members of the Ohio House of Representatives have accused Ohio voters of racism in recent days in campaign appearances from Youngstown to Piketon.

“These accusations of racism have no place in our politics and certainly not from the governor of our state,” said DeWine.  “It’s no wonder the governor can’t attract jobs to Ohio when his latest sales pitch consists of ‘Ohioans are racists.’  The fact that two of the highest ranking Democrats in Ohio are slandering the people of this state in this way is shameful.”

Within the last few days, Strickland and Brown both commented in separate campaign appearances that “the elephant in the room is race.”  According to the Youngstown Vindicator, two Democrat members of the Ohio House of Representatives added to the rhetoric in a news conference on Monday: “There are 1,000 reasons to vote for Obama and one reason why you won’t – race.”

FWIW, I have an incredibly hard time understanding people who won’t vote for someone because of the color of their skin. I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few weeks trying to understand it and what can be done to help people see how incorrect and invalid such a view is.

But, yes, Kevin, there are Ohioans who are racists.  There are Ohioans who are anti-Semites.  There are Ohioans who wouldn’t vote for a woman as president.  FYI, if it’s true, it ain’t slander.

I’ve heard numerous anecdotes about Ohioans who won’t put up Obama signs even though they might have put up Kerry signs in 2004 because they can’t support Obama or are afraid of what their neighbors would say.

So, yes, Kevin, there are racists in Ohio, but thank goodness there also are Ohioans who know when people are ignoring the elephant in the room.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:04 pm September 16th, 2008 in Ohio, Republicans, WH2008 

Comments

5 Responses to “Kevin DeWine declares Ohio a racist-free state (not)”

  1. 1 Daniel Jack Williamson on September 16th, 2008 6:24 pm

    Word of Mouth blog has a discussion of a Sherrod Brown speech on the topic.

    http://thewomblog.com/?p=2590

  2. 2 Jeff Hess on September 17th, 2008 7:39 am

    Shalom Jill,

    Invert your socio-economic status and you’d understand.

    Two quotes, the first from an Iowa farmer down on his luck

    “Well, at least I’m not a nigger.”

    The second from a first generation American Jewish woman on the Federation’s generous support for Russian Immigrants after the collapse of Communism in Russia:

    “We didn’t get anything when we lived on Kinsman. Why should these Greenies get all that money for nothing?”

    When you’re at the bottom, often the only way you can feel good about yourself is to hate the other.

    Read Aziz Rana’s article for a broader perspective about what both senators John McCain and Barack Obama are missing.

    B’shalom,

    Jeff

  3. 3 Have Coffee Will Write » Blog Archive » MY COMMENTS… on September 17th, 2008 7:41 am

    [...] Kevin DeWine declares Ohio a racist-free state (not) Posted in Comments, Election [...]

  4. 4 Oengus on September 17th, 2008 8:59 am

    Some Americans will vote on race and gender nearly every time, there is some objectivity and that is related to education, there is not assurance that the best candidate resembles you in race or gender.

    If we say we want the most objective candidate, then we choose the most objective we do not use it as chance to demonstrate our own objectivity.

    If we get to a point where everyone resoundingly agrees that the best candidate to address any special interests does not have to be within that group then we have made some progress.

    People that say we will have our first African American president, to that I say big deal, it does not matter. What matters is the performance, if you think things are racial now wait and see what happen after the election. Not that it matters who gets in either way it will all get distorted.

    The last thing we need now is change…change is occurring on its own attempting to alter or make changes now that are not clear and simple will bring about radical and uncontrollable results.

    Do not expect fuel prices to go down or your home to increase in value. We have no shortage of housing…in fact we are abandoning homes. We are not fuel efficient the cost falls when you reduce your consumption. Buy a fuel efficient car and refinance your home for 30 years. Take the savings and invest them into your retirement fund…they are the next to show troubles with sub prime, we became complacent at all levels, stop doing that.

  5. 5 Is Ohio GOP going after newly registered black college students? : Writes Like She Talks on October 10th, 2008 10:53 am

    [...] of course, didn’t and still don’t agree with Kevin DeWine, Deputy Director of the Ohio Republican Party, that there are no racists in Ohio who won’t [...]

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