Stay Classy, gop young rethugs-Bullying Behind GOP "Racist" Win

[babylonsister]

Bullying Behind GOP "Racist" Win

by John Avlon

Audra Shay, accused of endorsing racial slurs and hate, was elected to lead the Young Republicans yesterday. More shocking, reveals John Avlon, were the tactics: sexual innuendos, voter intimidation, near-fisticuffs.


The Young Republicans faced a stark choice at their convention in Indianapolis yesterday as they chose their next leader: a center-right twentysomething interested in greater outreach, or a self-described “true conservative” who is almost 40 and spent last week dealing with Daily Beast reports about her beliefs, which are, at best, often hateful, and at worst, downright racist. The delegates, in a vote of 470-415, chose the latter.

Perhaps less remarkable than the outcome–new Young Republicans Chairman Audra Shay bragged on her Facebook page that she had pledges from the majority of delegate going in–was how the vote played out. Yesterday’s election was closed to members of the press, but The Daily Beast has pulled together an account of the vote, and the runup to it, and the details are shocking. Some highlights:

* Shay’s opponent, Rachel Hoff, was the subject of an ugly sexual innuendo whisper campaign that questioned her reasons for supporting civil unions.

* Shay’s electoral slate, dubbed Team Renewal, battled desperately–some likened it to intimidation–and, ultimately, successfully to block a motion that would have allowed delegates to cast their votes by secret ballot, for fear they’d lose.

* Near-fistfights on the floor, and finally something of a boycott, as some of Hoff’s slate of candidates lower on the ticket chose to remove their names from the ballot after her defeat.

“They just took a vote that may have set the party back 30 years,” said the co-founder of HipHopRepublican.com, Lenny McAllister, speaking from the floor of the Hyatt convention hall. “They just voted for a candidate who has a demonstrated tolerance for racial intolerance. She has joked about lynching and then claimed to be a victim. As a black man, I still don’t see what’s funny about that.”

more...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-12/bullying-behind-gop-racist-win-5/full/

[MadMaddie]

1. As a black man why is Lenny a Republican?

What did he expect?

[provis99]

3. I can't figure out those Log Cabin Republicans, either

It's kind of like chickens belonging to the party of Col. Sanders.

[burning rain]

9. It's often just a matter of lotsa money & don't wanna pay no tax,...

together with a lack of social conscience. The GOP will take plutocrats of any race or sexual orientation as long as you don't push for equal rights generally. Great wealth buys autonomy for anyone, so I suspect rich black and gay Republicans don't feel they need the benefit of enhanced civil protections, and provided they don't run into an odd situation where their wealth can't help them, they're probably making a sensible call by their selfish lights.

[babylonsister]

5. There are a lot more rational moderate rethugs than this woman. She's

so hateful, and now she's going to represent the yr's? I bet she might encourage some movement away from them.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I'd like to know that too.

[rurallib]

7. 'spose maybe Lenny will now take a hint?

[NC_Nurse]

2. Sounds like the typical YR, wasn't Rove one of their Preznits? Yuck.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Keep linking this with the FR thread

because it shows that the GOP is a party of racists.

[MrModerate]

8. Let the implosion continue! n/t

[patrice]

10. No Secret Ballot in a party that's fighting FOR secret ballots exclusively in Union organizing.

Hypocrits as usual.