It is examples such as this one that emphasize just how much work there is left to be done.
As reported on the Huffington Post:
As reported on the Huffington Post:
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| Photo from here. |
A long-time Pennsylvania GOP official reportedly earned a warm reception Tuesday for comparing a supporter of President Obama to someone who is "mentally retarded."
At an election night party for state Rep. Randy Vulakovich (R-Shaler), Allegheny County GOP chair and former county executive Jim Roddey fired up a couple hundred local Republicans by noting that Vulakovich had defeated his Democratic opponent by a nearly 50-point margin.
Roddey then segued to a less positive note.
"There was a disappointment tonight. I was very embarrassed," Roddey told the crowd, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I was in this parking lot and there was a man looking for a space to park, and I found a space for him. And I felt badly -- he looked like he was sort of in distress. And I said, 'Sir, here's a place.' And he said, 'That's a handicapped space.' I said, 'Oh, I'm so sorry, I saw that Obama sticker and I thought you were mentally retarded.'"
Post-Gazette reporter Tim McNulty observed that the crowd "hollered and clapped" in response to the insensitive joke.
Roddey has long supported presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney in the presidential race, as well as the Pennsylvania voter ID law that another Republicansbragged will boost the former Massachusetts governor's prospects in the battleground state.
According to the Post-Gazette.com, earlier today he emailed his apologized saying his remarks were "regrettable" and that he has "a long record of supporting people with disabilities and should have remembered that before I spoke. My remarks were inappropriate and I apologize."
To make a joke about the "mentally retarded" and about a handicap space is beyond poor taste, beyond ignorance and beyond cruelty. This was an asinine and pointless thing to say. I would also argue that it falls under the category of bullying. I hope that Mr. Roddy will consider his words much more carefully in the future and to the attendees in the audience who cheered for his tasteless joke-- shame on you as well.
I am very very proud ( though not surprised) that an Obama supporter would not take a parking spot which was reserved for the handicapped. Obviously this would not occur to the likes of Mr Roddy.
ReplyDeleteI watched Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close on the weekend and was really disappointed that the 'R' word was used in a scene where Oscar, the 12 year old main character is slinging insults back and forth with his doorman. He calls the doorman the 'R' word. What a shame. So unnecessary and it puts a black mark on the movie. For me, anyway.
ReplyDeleteHi Stacey-- I wrote about that same scene last winter after the film was nominated for an Oscar. It made me sick seeing a young person use it in a film. Thanks for your comment!
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