California racist?

[Anonymous]

Meg Whitman, candidate for gov in Cal, has disavowed a supporter for saying he is "a proud racist". (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/01/democrats-call-on-whitman-to-disavow-proud-racist-councilman.html). Here is a more complete description of what that supporter said:

Kellar, the former Santa Clarita mayor, made the comments earlier this month at a rally against illegal immigration. Before the controversial remarks, Kellar said he had quoted former President Theodore Roosevelt as saying, “one flag, one language,” at a council meeting several years back.

"The only thing I heard back from a couple of people: 'Bob, you sound like a racist,' " Kellar recalled. “I said, 'That's good. If that's what you think I am because I happen to believe in America, I'm a proud racist. You're darn right I am.' "

Since making the comments, Kellar has suggested he was taken out of context by critics, but declined to apologize.

Being a proud liberal, I probably disagree with much of what Kellar says, but it seems to me that he was just emphasizing his gung-ho patriotism, and not really saying he's a racist. What do you think?

[Anonymous]

I agree with you.

[Anonymous]

one flag and one language make complete sense as a policy. all immigrants have succeeded by quickly assimilating, and using the work ethic and ambition that led them to uproot their family for a better life for upward social mobility. good stuff.

his "racist" quote was stupid. Our society has all sorts of complex rules about who can say what with respect to race (i.e., people with more than 35% sub-saharan african ethnicity can use derogatory slurs about african-americans, but others cannot), so the uproar is not surprising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meg Whitman, candidate for gov in Cal, has disavowed a supporter for saying he is "a proud racist". (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/01/democrats-call-on-whitman-to-disavow-proud-racist-councilman.html). Here is a more complete description of what that supporter said:

Kellar, the former Santa Clarita mayor, made the comments earlier this month at a rally against illegal immigration. Before the controversial remarks, Kellar said he had quoted former President Theodore Roosevelt as saying, “one flag, one language,” at a council meeting several years back.

"The only thing I heard back from a couple of people: 'Bob, you sound like a racist,' " Kellar recalled. “I said, 'That's good. If that's what you think I am because I happen to believe in America, I'm a proud racist. You're darn right I am.' "

Since making the comments, Kellar has suggested he was taken out of context by critics, but declined to apologize.

Being a proud liberal, I probably disagree with much of what Kellar says, but it seems to me that he was just emphasizing his gung-ho patriotism, and not really saying he's a racist. What do you think?

Maybe he is not really a racist but if not then he is really really stupid. I'm not sure which is worse.

[Anonymous]

"he is really really stupid"

I don't think he's stupid at all. I don't believe myself to be a racist - friends of different races, many colleagues I highly respect of different races - but I firmly believe that we should have English as our official language and that all these efforts, particularly those encouraged by the government such as all documents being printed in multiple languages, are a disservice to assimilation. And without assimilation and learning English most immigrants will not be able to advance. (Not to say that ESL in schools is misplaced - obviously kids need to learn; but we need to stop bending over backwards everywhere to go beyond English usage.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"he is really really stupid"

I don't think he's stupid at all. I don't believe myself to be a racist - friends of different races, many colleagues I highly respect of different races - but I firmly believe that we should have English as our official language and that all these efforts, particularly those encouraged by the government such as all documents being printed in multiple languages, are a disservice to assimilation. And without assimilation and learning English most immigrants will not be able to advance. (Not to say that ESL in schools is misplaced - obviously kids need to learn; but we need to stop bending over backwards everywhere to go beyond English usage.)

I should clarify my point. You believe these things but would you be so stupid as to say this?:

"The only thing I heard back from a couple of people: 'Bob, you sound like a racist,' " Kellar recalled. “I said, 'That's good. If that's what you think I am because I happen to believe in America, I'm a proud racist. You're darn right I am.' "

He's a moron.

BTW, generally the children of immigrants start picking up English and losing their native languages. By the third generation, people are assimilated to English. I'm not worried about English being replaced by Spanish. Certainly people can disagree about these things. But I think only a moron like this guy would adopt the word "racist" as a badge of pride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:one flag and one language make complete sense as a policy. all immigrants have succeeded by quickly assimilating, and using the work ethic and ambition that led them to uproot their family for a better life for upward social mobility. good stuff.

his "racist" quote was stupid. Our society has all sorts of complex rules about who can say what with respect to race (i.e., people with more than 35% sub-saharan african ethnicity can use derogatory slurs about african-americans, but others cannot), so the uproar is not surprising.