When the Inland Empire makes national news, it's usually not for good reasons. The latest appearance by the region where I went to high school has to do with a bunch of ignorant, redneck bigots:
A Republican women's club in San Bernardino County sent out a recent newsletter with a photo of Barack Obama surrounded by fried chicken, watermelon and ribs, sparking widespread outrage and rebuke from GOP leaders and Democrats.The illustration shows the Democratic presidential candidate's head atop a donkey's body on a bogus $10 bill referred to as "Obama Bucks." Inscribed on the money are the words "United States Food Stamps" surrounded by stereotypical African American food.
And, of course, the canned apology from Diane Fedele, the person responsible for the image:
"I apologize to anyone who was offended because that was not my intent," said club President Diane Fedele. "It was poor judgment on my part. It was strictly an attempt to point out the outrageousness of Obama's statement that he doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills."
But it wasn't racist. No, really, it wasn't. In fact, you're racist for thinking it's racist.
Fedele said the mailer merely parodied the statements Obama made during a debate last summer and wasn't racist."If I was racist, I would have looked at it through racist eyes," she said. "I am not racist, which is why it probably didn't register."
Club member Kristina Sandoval agreed.
"None of us are racists," she said.
The use of watermelon, ribs and fried chicken was innocent, she said.
"Everyone eats those foods, it's not a racial thing."
Riiiiiight.
This obviously doesn't represent the mainstream attitude of the Republican party, but it is a nice example of what you're dealing with when you live in the Inland Empire.
The image:
From AP: "I never connected," she told the newspaper. "It was just food to me. It didn't mean anything else."
The mind boggles.
Personally I'm a big fan of all those foods (minus the cool-aid). Still, yeah, totally racist.
To me, apologies are always more powerful when they include the phrase, "to anyone who was offended."
Yeah, and the money they printed for Joe Lieberman just happened to have blintzes, latkes, bagels, and kugel on it. Everyone eats those foods. It's totally innocent.
Diane Fedele
I am not angry your a racist. I am not a racist for telling you, you are one. I am angry that you apologized for it. Keep it real about who you truly are. Your no differnt than the past slave owner who say's I want slaves to be free but yet and still, I need someone to clean my house and pick my cotton. Don't scratch where you don't itch Diane. Regardles of where you got the pic from you a published it. I have more respect from the man that wheres his WHITE HOOD and lets you know how he feels , Than the BIGOT that does it and says " what did I do, I didn't think that was a racial undertone it was just Food" Get real lady. We see exactly what you (ARE). This is no different than what McCain and Palin are doing in their rallies. This is a very dangerous thing to do. I feel that If I walk out side I am going to see blacks picking cotton and McCain with his whip and there is Sarah standing on her plantation porch saying get that one too John.
From a 42 year old WHITE woman
Diane, how could you? You uneducated, repuglitard cocksucking, bunghole fingering, cum swilling, pillow-biting, dog masturbating cat fúcker.
Your not a racist, get real, oh yes you are a true racist if I ever seem one, did you really think you were going to send sensitive material like that and no one was going to be offended, or did you forget there were african american members in your club, you see Michelle a true racist stereotype everthing about the other race, as you did, let start with welfare, did you know there are more hispanic and whites on welfare then black, and if you can believe this did you know that the there is a large precentage of our military men receiving food stamps or welfare, did you know that african american make up a large precentage of immates in prison, but did you know why, because white people get a break when they commit a crime, here is a story for you two years ago two kids broke into one of the homes on my street, the white police officer let the white kid go because he was never arrested before, well michelle if thats the criterial, he'll be a crimmial for a long time, before he is arrested, and tell me Michelle you don't eat fried chicken, or watermelon, just for the record I don't eat watermelon, or drink kool aid, and get this I'm not crazy about ribs, but where I live there a rib joint, where more whites are there then blacks, I bet you where one of those racist when OJ was found innocent you cried, but when Jeffrey Dahmer killed eight or nine people of color, I willing to bet you didn't shed one tear, not only are you a racist, your a racist that is so angry that this black man is winning you had to express your anger so you came up with what you thought was a masterpiece, a masterpiece that will haunt you for the rest of your life.
jeez whats wrong with you people? you are so damn sensitive. I am a (hispanic) white, i am NOT a racist, i dont like racists, i recognize that this is a racist joke, and i still think it is hilarious. for pete's sake it was a simple joke. even if it was made by a racist group, what does it matter?? why is it american trend to get offended for the most insignificant trivialities. has this caused any physical harm or damage to the reputation of black people? NO. Black people should not be offended and white people who are "pro-equality" should not be offended. it is ridiculous to get mad about this. just laugh at it!