How does Trayon White still have a job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of you know anything about Ward 8. If you did, you'd know Trayon has been a community activist and organizer for almost 20 years.

That's why he was elected, that's why he'll be reelected, and that's why he deserves to be a councilman. Because he's been busting his hump for his neighbors to try and make Ward 8 a better place for the people who live there since he was 20.


I've been familiar with and watched Trayon White from a modest distance for my entire career as a journalist in DC. There are very few people his age who have given more of themselves to DC. He reminds me very much of the young, idealistic Marion Barry of the late 70's.

The fact that he doesn't conform to your white-biased standards of opinion, manner and conduct with regards to topics relevant to white people, is meaningless.

So what if he's less than informed about or even casually indifferent to the Holocaust? That's not his struggle. Black people endured their own holocaust, and some still are enduring it in many ways. That's what Trayon White cares about.

Seeking your approval is pointless to him. As it should be.

You know his theories about jews is the exact reason a bunch of white supremacists marched on Charlottesville, right? With his views he’s supporting the same groups of people who want to see people like him lynched. Shame.

Agree. It is beyond incredulous that a black man who advances racist conspiracy theories against one group (Jews in this instance) is "teaming up" with white supremacists by supporting their views - which ironically include wanting to lynch people like him.

There is no place for bigotry - be it a KKK member against black people, or a black man against Jews.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Non-DCer here. Seriously, how is this guy still in office?

Because he's an elected official, and can't simply be fired. He either has to resign, which he's not going to do, or be removed from office, which isn't easily accomplished.

Did I really need to explain that?

Non-DCer here. No, you don’t. That said, if a white politician suggested a photo depicting african-Americans picking cotton demonstrates happy, rural life, there’d be a million people on the mall demanding his/her ouster. Just wondering why the rules seem different here ...

Because (i) in the grand scheme of things, an ill-informed anti-Semitic councilmember in Ward 8 is pretty inconsequential, and has a very small impact on the lives of the people he insulted, and (ii) the people who would be doing the protesting in this situation have bigger things to worry about/protest. When your brakes fail and your car is barreling toward a cliff, you don't spend a lot of time worrying that your check engine light is on.

Having an anti-Semite on the DC Council is insignificant?? Do you realize that you yourself are revealing antisemtic attitudes? That's like saying that having an obvious racist on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, who spews anti-black theories, isn't that important. It's condoning racism, or in your case, antisemitism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Non-DCer here. Seriously, how is this guy still in office?

Because he's an elected official, and can't simply be fired. He either has to resign, which he's not going to do, or be removed from office, which isn't easily accomplished.

Did I really need to explain that?

Non-DCer here. No, you don’t. That said, if a white politician suggested a photo depicting african-Americans picking cotton demonstrates happy, rural life, there’d be a million people on the mall demanding his/her ouster. Just wondering why the rules seem different here ...

Because (i) in the grand scheme of things, an ill-informed anti-Semitic councilmember in Ward 8 is pretty inconsequential, and has a very small impact on the lives of the people he insulted, and (ii) the people who would be doing the protesting in this situation have bigger things to worry about/protest. When your brakes fail and your car is barreling toward a cliff, you don't spend a lot of time worrying that your check engine light is on.

Having an anti-Semite on the DC Council is insignificant?? Do you realize that you yourself are revealing antisemtic attitudes? That's like saying that having an obvious racist on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, who spews anti-black theories, isn't that important. It's condoning racism, or in your case, antisemitism.

That's not at all what I said, if you read it. Of course it's significant. But White has very little impact on the day to day lives of the people who care about his anti-Semitism (Jews and non-Jews alike). And they (we) are more concerned about the lunatic in the White House (who's also got a decent dose of the anti-Semite in him, despite his inlaws) than the impotent Ward 8 councilmember.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:But black folks outside his district would *rightly* call for that Jewish politician's ouster.

That's what's happening here. White is likely to suffer no professional consequences, but other people are saying he ought to go.

I don't care if he goes or stays. I have lost faith in politics over the last year or so, and presume that people elect the people that make them feel the best, not the people who will actually do good work in the world.

I also think he is an indicator of high levels of anti-semitism in the black community. This has been a discouraging couple of years to be Jewish in the US, and this is just more of the same. I get it; Jews are privileged. Anti-semitism in the US is no big deal, especially when embraced by underprivileged groups. Only, I don't really believe that.

Again, I think that White should resign. I personally emailed Chairman Mendelson asking him to take Council action against him. But, I also think that facts are facts and need to be stated correctly. White claims not to have known that the Rothschilds were Jewish. Anyone who is stupid enough to believe that a single family controls the weather is also stupid enough not to know the religion of the Rothschilds. So, I take him at his word on that. Once he realized that his remarks were anti-Semitic, he apologized. He then made a number of efforts to reach out to the Jewish community and to educate himself. Clearly, his actions have not been perfect. But, White didn't make an anti-Semitic statement out of simple anti-Semitism, but rather out of ignorance -- an error he has attempted to correct. That is much different than the informed anti-Semitism with which we are much more familiar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But black folks outside his district would *rightly* call for that Jewish politician's ouster.

That's what's happening here. White is likely to suffer no professional consequences, but other people are saying he ought to go.

I don't care if he goes or stays. I have lost faith in politics over the last year or so, and presume that people elect the people that make them feel the best, not the people who will actually do good work in the world.

I also think he is an indicator of high levels of anti-semitism in the black community. This has been a discouraging couple of years to be Jewish in the US, and this is just more of the same. I get it; Jews are privileged. Anti-semitism in the US is no big deal, especially when embraced by underprivileged groups. Only, I don't really believe that.

I agree with this, and the fact that blacks themselves are the victims of bigotry make it all the more unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

I think White left the tour (and lied to his host that he had a meeting in the ward, when he remained outside the museum!) because he (1) grew bored with the topic and can only focus on matters personally relevant to himself; and/or (2) grew up in a Holocaust-denial culture and couldn’t reconcile what he was seeing with what he actually had grown up believing. To the PPs who wished to cut him some slack because it was all too much to take in - nah, he just doesn’t care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of you know anything about Ward 8. If you did, you'd know Trayon has been a community activist and organizer for almost 20 years.

That's why he was elected, that's why he'll be reelected, and that's why he deserves to be a councilman. Because he's been busting his hump for his neighbors to try and make Ward 8 a better place for the people who live there since he was 20.


I've been familiar with and watched Trayon White from a modest distance for my entire career as a journalist in DC. There are very few people his age who have given more of themselves to DC. He reminds me very much of the young, idealistic Marion Barry of the late 70's.

The fact that he doesn't conform to your white-biased standards of opinion, manner and conduct with regards to topics relevant to white people, is meaningless.

So what if he's less than informed about or even casually indifferent to the Holocaust? That's not his struggle. Black people endured their own holocaust, and some still are enduring it in many ways. That's what Trayon White cares about.

Seeking your approval is pointless to him. As it should be.

You know his theories about jews is the exact reason a bunch of white supremacists marched on Charlottesville, right? With his views he’s supporting the same groups of people who want to see people like him lynched. Shame.

Agree. It is beyond incredulous that a black man who advances racist conspiracy theories against one group (Jews in this instance) is "teaming up" with white supremacists by supporting their views - which ironically include wanting to lynch people like him.

There is no place for bigotry - be it a KKK member against black people, or a black man against Jews.

I'm a black male and I fully agree with this.

Trayon White pleaded ignorance and was given more than a fair chance to redeem himself. He failed miserably and now it actually looks quite likely that he's the bigot people are accusing him of being.

The pp mentioned his high visibility in Ward 8. To be frank, I could give a rat's hind part how much "community activism" he's been involved in. That does not earn him a pass to be a bigot. Please, do not try to shine 5hit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Non-DCer here. Seriously, how is this guy still in office?

Because he's an elected official, and can't simply be fired. He either has to resign, which he's not going to do, or be removed from office, which isn't easily accomplished.

Did I really need to explain that?

Non-DCer here. No, you don’t. That said, if a white politician suggested a photo depicting african-Americans picking cotton demonstrates happy, rural life, there’d be a million people on the mall demanding his/her ouster. Just wondering why the rules seem different here ...

Because (i) in the grand scheme of things, an ill-informed anti-Semitic councilmember in Ward 8 is pretty inconsequential, and has a very small impact on the lives of the people he insulted, and (ii) the people who would be doing the protesting in this situation have bigger things to worry about/protest. When your brakes fail and your car is barreling toward a cliff, you don't spend a lot of time worrying that your check engine light is on.

Having an anti-Semite on the DC Council is insignificant?? Do you realize that you yourself are revealing antisemtic attitudes? That's like saying that having an obvious racist on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, who spews anti-black theories, isn't that important. It's condoning racism, or in your case, antisemitism.

That's not at all what I said, if you read it. Of course it's significant. But White has very little impact on the day to day lives of the people who care about his anti-Semitism (Jews and non-Jews alike). And they (we) are more concerned about the lunatic in the White House (who's also got a decent dose of the anti-Semite in him, despite his inlaws) than the impotent Ward 8 councilmember.

But then you're saying that if a white councilman in a very white district made some idiotic, racist remarks against blacks, we should just accept it because there are very few blacks in his district and therefore it carries no real impact? You are basically excusing Antisemtism where I seriously doubt you would be so forgiving of racism.

There are a number of posters here correctly pointing out the double standards when it comes to the response of bigotry against Jews and bigotry against blacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None of you know anything about Ward 8. If you did, you'd know Trayon has been a community activist and organizer for almost 20 years.

That's why he was elected, that's why he'll be reelected, and that's why he deserves to be a councilman. Because he's been busting his hump for his neighbors to try and make Ward 8 a better place for the people who live there since he was 20.


I've been familiar with and watched Trayon White from a modest distance for my entire career as a journalist in DC. There are very few people his age who have given more of themselves to DC. He reminds me very much of the young, idealistic Marion Barry of the late 70's.

The fact that he doesn't conform to your white-biased standards of opinion, manner and conduct with regards to topics relevant to white people, is meaningless.

So what if he's less than informed about or even casually indifferent to the Holocaust? That's not his struggle. Black people endured their own holocaust, and some still are enduring it in many ways. That's what Trayon White cares about.

Seeking your approval is pointless to him. As it should be.

You know his theories about jews is the exact reason a bunch of white supremacists marched on Charlottesville, right? With his views he’s supporting the same groups of people who want to see people like him lynched. Shame.

Agree. It is beyond incredulous that a black man who advances racist conspiracy theories against one group (Jews in this instance) is "teaming up" with white supremacists by supporting their views - which ironically include wanting to lynch people like him.

There is no place for bigotry - be it a KKK member against black people, or a black man against Jews.

I'm a black male and I fully agree with this.

Trayon White pleaded ignorance and was given more than a fair chance to redeem himself. He failed miserably and now it actually looks quite likely that he's the bigot people are accusing him of being.

The pp mentioned his high visibility in Ward 8. To be frank, I could give a rat's hind part how much "community activism" he's been involved in. That does not earn him a pass to be a bigot. Please, do not try to shine 5hit.

Thanks. (PP you agreed with.) I'm glad to hear you say this.

We gave him his chance after his antisemitic remarks about Jews controlling the weather, although too many on this board tried to diminish his antisemitism by chalking it up to his idiocy. But his latest action shows me that his Antisemitism is so ingrained that he cannot help but reveal it - again. He needs to resign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Non-DCer here. Seriously, how is this guy still in office?

Because he's an elected official, and can't simply be fired. He either has to resign, which he's not going to do, or be removed from office, which isn't easily accomplished.

Did I really need to explain that?

Non-DCer here. No, you don’t. That said, if a white politician suggested a photo depicting african-Americans picking cotton demonstrates happy, rural life, there’d be a million people on the mall demanding his/her ouster. Just wondering why the rules seem different here ...

Because (i) in the grand scheme of things, an ill-informed anti-Semitic councilmember in Ward 8 is pretty inconsequential, and has a very small impact on the lives of the people he insulted, and (ii) the people who would be doing the protesting in this situation have bigger things to worry about/protest. When your brakes fail and your car is barreling toward a cliff, you don't spend a lot of time worrying that your check engine light is on.

Having an anti-Semite on the DC Council is insignificant?? Do you realize that you yourself are revealing antisemtic attitudes? That's like saying that having an obvious racist on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, who spews anti-black theories, isn't that important. It's condoning racism, or in your case, antisemitism.

That's not at all what I said, if you read it. Of course it's significant. But White has very little impact on the day to day lives of the people who care about his anti-Semitism (Jews and non-Jews alike). And they (we) are more concerned about the lunatic in the White House (who's also got a decent dose of the anti-Semite in him, despite his inlaws) than the impotent Ward 8 councilmember.

But then you're saying that if a white councilman in a very white district made some idiotic, racist remarks against blacks, we should just accept it because there are very few blacks in his district and therefore it carries no real impact? You are basically excusing Antisemtism where I seriously doubt you would be so forgiving of racism.

There are a number of posters here correctly pointing out the double standards when it comes to the response of bigotry against Jews and bigotry against blacks.

And this is why we can NEVER give anti-Semetism a pass— EVER. I have zero tolerance for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But black folks outside his district would *rightly* call for that Jewish politician's ouster.

That's what's happening here. White is likely to suffer no professional consequences, but other people are saying he ought to go.

I don't care if he goes or stays. I have lost faith in politics over the last year or so, and presume that people elect the people that make them feel the best, not the people who will actually do good work in the world.

I also think he is an indicator of high levels of anti-semitism in the black community. This has been a discouraging couple of years to be Jewish in the US, and this is just more of the same. I get it; Jews are privileged. Anti-semitism in the US is no big deal, especially when embraced by underprivileged groups. Only, I don't really believe that.

I'm black and I was with you all the way up to your comment on anti-semitism in the black community. That's very disappointing and disturbing to me.

Like you, I've lost a lot of faith in politics over the past several months and have taken long stints away from the news. But I must say I'm not aware of high levels of anti-semitism in my community. I know Farrakhan has been drumming his drum for many years, but thankfully his views have never taken gone beyond the fringe in our community. Wondering if you can point me to some other examples? TIA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of you know anything about Ward 8. If you did, you'd know Trayon has been a community activist and organizer for almost 20 years.

That's why he was elected, that's why he'll be reelected, and that's why he deserves to be a councilman. Because he's been busting his hump for his neighbors to try and make Ward 8 a better place for the people who live there since he was 20.


I've been familiar with and watched Trayon White from a modest distance for my entire career as a journalist in DC. There are very few people his age who have given more of themselves to DC. He reminds me very much of the young, idealistic Marion Barry of the late 70's.

The fact that he doesn't conform to your white-biased standards of opinion, manner and conduct with regards to topics relevant to white people, is meaningless.

So what if he's less than informed about or even casually indifferent to the Holocaust? That's not his struggle. Black people endured their own holocaust, and some still are enduring it in many ways. That's what Trayon White cares about.

Seeking your approval is pointless to him. As it should be.

That’s not his struggle? What a shortsighted and bigoted comment Mr or Ms journalist. You dare to justify antisemetic behavior?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Non-DCer here. Seriously, how is this guy still in office?

Because he's an elected official, and can't simply be fired. He either has to resign, which he's not going to do, or be removed from office, which isn't easily accomplished.

Did I really need to explain that?

Non-DCer here. No, you don’t. That said, if a white politician suggested a photo depicting african-Americans picking cotton demonstrates happy, rural life, there’d be a million people on the mall demanding his/her ouster. Just wondering why the rules seem different here ...

Because (i) in the grand scheme of things, an ill-informed anti-Semitic councilmember in Ward 8 is pretty inconsequential, and has a very small impact on the lives of the people he insulted, and (ii) the people who would be doing the protesting in this situation have bigger things to worry about/protest. When your brakes fail and your car is barreling toward a cliff, you don't spend a lot of time worrying that your check engine light is on.

Having an anti-Semite on the DC Council is insignificant?? Do you realize that you yourself are revealing antisemtic attitudes? That's like saying that having an obvious racist on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, who spews anti-black theories, isn't that important. It's condoning racism, or in your case, antisemitism.

That's not at all what I said, if you read it. Of course it's significant. But White has very little impact on the day to day lives of the people who care about his anti-Semitism (Jews and non-Jews alike). And they (we) are more concerned about the lunatic in the White House (who's also got a decent dose of the anti-Semite in him, despite his inlaws) than the impotent Ward 8 councilmember.

But then you're saying that if a white councilman in a very white district made some idiotic, racist remarks against blacks, we should just accept it because there are very few blacks in his district and therefore it carries no real impact? You are basically excusing Antisemtism where I seriously doubt you would be so forgiving of racism.

There are a number of posters here correctly pointing out the double standards when it comes to the response of bigotry against Jews and bigotry against blacks.

First, I'm Jewish, you nincompoop. I'm not excusing anti-Semitism, I'm just explaining why there hasn't been an outcry about it. His constituents (Ward 8) simply DNGAF about these comments, others who do care are focused on other things, and he's a non-entity with no real influence. That's why he still has a job and hasn't been forced out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Non-DCer here. Seriously, how is this guy still in office?

Because he's an elected official, and can't simply be fired. He either has to resign, which he's not going to do, or be removed from office, which isn't easily accomplished.

Did I really need to explain that?

Non-DCer here. No, you don’t. That said, if a white politician suggested a photo depicting african-Americans picking cotton demonstrates happy, rural life, there’d be a million people on the mall demanding his/her ouster. Just wondering why the rules seem different here ...

Because (i) in the grand scheme of things, an ill-informed anti-Semitic councilmember in Ward 8 is pretty inconsequential, and has a very small impact on the lives of the people he insulted, and (ii) the people who would be doing the protesting in this situation have bigger things to worry about/protest. When your brakes fail and your car is barreling toward a cliff, you don't spend a lot of time worrying that your check engine light is on.

Having an anti-Semite on the DC Council is insignificant?? Do you realize that you yourself are revealing antisemtic attitudes? That's like saying that having an obvious racist on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, who spews anti-black theories, isn't that important. It's condoning racism, or in your case, antisemitism.

That's not at all what I said, if you read it. Of course it's significant. But White has very little impact on the day to day lives of the people who care about his anti-Semitism (Jews and non-Jews alike). And they (we) are more concerned about the lunatic in the White House (who's also got a decent dose of the anti-Semite in him, despite his inlaws) than the impotent Ward 8 councilmember.

But then you're saying that if a white councilman in a very white district made some idiotic, racist remarks against blacks, we should just accept it because there are very few blacks in his district and therefore it carries no real impact? You are basically excusing Antisemtism where I seriously doubt you would be so forgiving of racism.

There are a number of posters here correctly pointing out the double standards when it comes to the response of bigotry against Jews and bigotry against blacks.

First, I'm Jewish, you nincompoop. I'm not excusing anti-Semitism, I'm just explaining why there hasn't been an outcry about it. His constituents (Ward 8) simply DNGAF about these comments, others who do care are focused on other things, and he's a non-entity with no real influence. That's why he still has a job and hasn't been forced out.

You are a Jewish liberal who is explaining away antisemitism. I'm Jewish, too - and you're not helping. You're enabling it with your "explanations."

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Non-DCer here. Seriously, how is this guy still in office?

Because he's an elected official, and can't simply be fired. He either has to resign, which he's not going to do, or be removed from office, which isn't easily accomplished.

Did I really need to explain that?

Non-DCer here. No, you don’t. That said, if a white politician suggested a photo depicting african-Americans picking cotton demonstrates happy, rural life, there’d be a million people on the mall demanding his/her ouster. Just wondering why the rules seem different here ...

Because (i) in the grand scheme of things, an ill-informed anti-Semitic councilmember in Ward 8 is pretty inconsequential, and has a very small impact on the lives of the people he insulted, and (ii) the people who would be doing the protesting in this situation have bigger things to worry about/protest. When your brakes fail and your car is barreling toward a cliff, you don't spend a lot of time worrying that your check engine light is on.

Having an anti-Semite on the DC Council is insignificant?? Do you realize that you yourself are revealing antisemtic attitudes? That's like saying that having an obvious racist on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, who spews anti-black theories, isn't that important. It's condoning racism, or in your case, antisemitism.

That's not at all what I said, if you read it. Of course it's significant. But White has very little impact on the day to day lives of the people who care about his anti-Semitism (Jews and non-Jews alike). And they (we) are more concerned about the lunatic in the White House (who's also got a decent dose of the anti-Semite in him, despite his inlaws) than the impotent Ward 8 councilmember.

But then you're saying that if a white councilman in a very white district made some idiotic, racist remarks against blacks, we should just accept it because there are very few blacks in his district and therefore it carries no real impact? You are basically excusing Antisemtism where I seriously doubt you would be so forgiving of racism.

There are a number of posters here correctly pointing out the double standards when it comes to the response of bigotry against Jews and bigotry against blacks.

The double standard is what you think it is. White politicians in very white districts get away with racist and bigoted remarks all the time. I provided one recent example in this very thread. If I had included anti-Muslim statements and actions, I could fill pages.