'Buckwheat' - The latest republican slur

[bigtree]

US Rep. Candidate Calls Obama 'Buckwheat' ("I wasn't meaning him any harm.")

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Buckwheat, the Little Rascal from the 1920s series of film shorts called "Our Gang," is now center stage in a foot-in-mouth moment for a South Florida candidate for the U.S. Congress.

Corey Poitier, Republican Candidate for Congress, FL 17th, who is running for U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek's seat, delivered a passionate speech against the health care reform bill Monday night to Broward County Republicans. During the speech, Poitier called President Barack Obama "Buckwheat," reported WPLG-TV in Miami.

"I wasn't meaning him any harm. Maybe it was a little insensitive," Poitier said. "It's a term that my brother and I use. It was kind of a way of saying, 'dummy,' like when I say to my brother, 'Hey, Buckwheat, cut that out.' That's what it was."

Poitier admitted that the comment was not very respectful, but he insisted it was not racial.

"I believe that we have become so racially sensitive that anything can be set off," said Poitier, who is black.


report: http://www.wjactv.com/irresistible/22926449/detail.html

[Deep13]

1. Mr. Poitier,...

...they call him MR. PRESIDENT!

[bigtree]

2. that's pretty funny

[Morning Dew]

10. very good!

[NJmaverick]

3. So much racist talk goes in private that that some slips through the public filters

I am sure they use more than "buckwheat" when they are in private

[DemoTex]

25. Most of these "slips" - IMO - are intentional.

It is red meat for their bigoted, racist base. Like the new "Inglis for Congress" signs in upstate SC that say "NO ACORNS," they are all racist memes.

[City Lights]

4. Well Mr. Poitier, the term my family uses for people like you is "fucking asshole."

My family means no harm though.

[Ikonoklast]

7. Yeah, but it's pronounced

"racist shitstain".

[WeDidIt]

35. My family uses the term "fucking racist asshole" n/t

[lonestarnot]

5. Guess he doesn't mind being called brick throwing nazi then?

:shrug:

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. Hey Mr. Poitier- guess who's eating your dinner?

[hlthe2b]

8. Ahh... damn

I always thought Buckwheat might be a cute puppy or kitty name for a future pet.... Now they've gone and associated it with these racists.... Damn...

[PVnRT]

9. "Maybe it was a little insensitive" - I love Republican non-apologies

It's not racial? Would he have called a white guy "Buckwheat"? No. Fucking idiot.

[uncle ray]

11. in other news, black man calls another black man "my nigger".

DUers outraged over racial incident.

[riderinthestorm]

13. In some ways I agree with that, black folks call each other "racist" pet names

and get away with it not being racist. It's nuanced usage. But that usage is usually reserved for casual times where the parties understand the subtext and context.

Mr Poitier's comment was made during a public speech denigrating The President of the United States. Sorry but with that context, I absolutely believe he was using it in a racist way even if Mr. Poitier is also black. It was meant to demean and belittle. He even said that he and his brother used it as code for "dummy" between themselves.

[Raschel]

29. Good post.

[bigtree]

14. I don't see it that way

All I see is ignorant disrespect for the President. Is that the standard of discourse we'd like to see from our elected representatives? I hope not.

[hfojvt]

18. in my experience, black people never say that

they consider it a different word when it ends in "a" vs. ending in "-er"

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. +1

[AsahinaKimi]

12. "Tell me HE DID NOT JUST say that!"

(just love Eddie Murphy)

[Winterblues]

16. "Wooking fo nub"

I know of no person throughout history named Buckwheat that is a notorious dummy. Why would that name be related to being a "dummy"?

[Raschel]

30. I loved songs by Buckwheat! lol

[lunatica]

15. Using the term Buckwheat is not exactly

[backscatter712]

17. Otay then... n/t

[Toucano]

19. Yeah, nothing "racial" about that!

Nothing at all.

[HopeHoops]

20. "Poitier" - isn't that French? Shouldn't he change his name to a "Freedom Name"?

[disillusioned73]

21. Not Suprising...

They've (Repubs) have been using the "O'Tay" line around these parts (PA) for some time... but it's not racially insensitive - nah, our society has become toooo PC (sarcasm)

[mitchum]

22. The term my family uses for the likes of Poitier is "house negro"

"Missy!They's a-plannin' to run awf!"

[daggahead]

23. Are these republicans really this stupid?

The "Oh, I didn't mean any harm" excuse is NO excuse.

[SoxFan]

26. I'M GUMBY, DAMN IT!

[Hepburn]

27. Holy fucking shit!!!!

I have been gone for a bit and just checked in while having coffee and getting ready to again leave on more freaking errands...and I nearly spilled that cup of coffee in my lap over that bullshit!

:wow:

[eleny]

28. No matter how hard he tries he'll never be more than their handy tool

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Yeah. And, I'm calling Corey Potier a redneck bigot..but I don't anything by it.

[Raschel]

32. I remember Dave Chappelle saying he'd like to be the 2nd Black pres, not the 1st.

Another reminder why.

[Brundle_Fly]

33. I am fucking sick of this shit. eom

[Kablooie]

34. Poor Billie Thomas.

He was the actor who played Buckwheat.

It's a shame his character became a racial epithet.

[hulka38]

36. Even the GOPs blacks have racist tendencies.

It's Republican to the core.

[blondeatlast]

37. Mr. Poitier, you are a low-life, ignorant, ninny. But I mean no harm. nt