Posted on 06/29/2005 6:40:59 PM PDT by nypokerface
HARRISBURG, Pa. - A Pennsylvania House session was suspended for more than an hour Wednesday after a black lawmaker, upset by a white colleague's comments about ethnic groups, referred to him as a "cracker."
The comments came during debate on a bill that would allow residents of communities governed by homeowners' associations to fly the American flag on their property, even if association rules prohibited them from doing so.
Rep. Thomas Yewcic, who is white, said people shouldn't be ashamed to support the American flag. "If any ethnic group wants to fly ... a flag, and they're embarrassed to fly an American flag, they should go back to their ethnic origins and fly it there," he said.
In response, Rep. John Myers accused Yewcic of espousing "a belligerent, racist doctrine."
"I think that those type of remarks would come from a cracker," Myers said, using a derogatory term for a poor, white person.
House Speaker John Perzel admonished Myers and Yewcic apologized. Myers then rose again and said he was sorry for uttering the slur, prompting hoots and boos from lawmakers in the chamber. Perzel called a recess for more than an hour.
Both Myers and Yewcic are Democrats.
I love politicians.
Rep. Thomas Yewcic, who is white, said people shouldn't be ashamed to support the American flag. "If any ethnic group wants to fly ... a flag, and they're embarrassed to fly an American flag, they should go back to their ethnic origins and fly it there," he said.
** I wonder what the complete statement was. I hate it when they do soundbite-ish stories.
As Laura Ingraham says, "Who says politics is boring?"
WTF?? What homeowners association would do that? I wouldn't belong to it for long if they did. What is happening to personal property rights?
What exactly is racist about Yewcic's statement? Myers shows himself - he thinks that anyone advocating flying the American flag must be a racist.
Yeah, saying that people shouldn't be ashamed to support the American flag certainly qualifies me as a belligerent, racist
Yep
Red on red, gotta love it.
Notice cracker is a "derogatory" term for po' white folk, not a racial ephitet.
I wonder if the homies will be calling for the black politician to resign for using a racial slur? Oh, I forgot. Only white politicans like Trent Lott should resign.
blue on blue no
They do it all of the time.
Here in Florida, Gov. Bush just capped a 2 -3 year battle one guy had with his Condo Nazis by asking for, and getting, the same bill signed into law.
[[Notice cracker is a "derogatory" term for po' white folk, not a racial ephitet.]]
Where I come from, the term "cracker" directed at a white person is definitely a racial slur.
NIMBY!! Not in my back yard, a homeowners association telling me what flag I can and cannot fly would go as far as the local Elks Club telling me what color carpet I can have.
Red on red is a military term I heard that means enemy fire is hitting enemy positions. We are seeing this in Iraq as the factions are starting to war with each other. I was not in the military but heard that term here on FR and it had a nice ring to it and thought this sounded like the same thing. :o)
"Notice cracker is a "derogatory" term for po' white folk, not a racial ephitet."
Really? Why not come to Chicago and explain this nuance.
"cracker" is what slaves called the guy who administered punishment with a whip.....that is why it is always used with such hatred, and also why its meaning has been revised to such an apparently benign slur.......
I always thought it was a racial thing.
Here in GA, it is most definitely a racial slur. I recommend you avoid using it.
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