Lieutenant Governor Uses Racial Slur in Black History Speech (Bustamonte Used the N Word)

sfgate.com ^ | Tuesday, February 13, 2001 | Lynda Gledhill, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

[adam_az]

Sacramento -- Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, who has made improvement of race relations a cornerstone of his public career, referred to African Americans by a racial slur at a Black History Month speech, a word he characterized as a "slip" and said he regretted.

[adam_az]

Not surprising, since he was a member of MeChA, a racial supremacist organization dedicated to "liberating Aztlan" (IE undoing the Gadsden Purchase).

http://www.panam.edu/orgs/mecha/nt_const.html

[DoctorZIn]

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[Fledermaus]

Who cares?

We all know the left is held to no standards they shove on everyone else.

The left, mostly because the cowardice of the right, have let the sins of the KKK get dumped on Republicans when history proves the KKK was, and is, a whole subsidiary of the Democratic National Committee.

[truth_seeker]

Political skill should be used by the Republican candidate, to bring this to the attention of ALL voters--black, white, hispanic, asian and others for their consideration.

If done well, voters should shun this man; a man who advocates separation from the US and a man who instinctively makes racial slurs.

[VietVet]

Oh fer crying out loud!

We all know the word. Why do we dance around it?

One hundred years ago and more, and in most of the English speaking world, it just meant 'a black person.' 150 years ago, it meant 'a slave' South of the Mason-Dixon Line, and 'a black man' North of it. Mark Twain uses it in this connotation in his writings. Joseph Conrad uses it the same way. As late as the 1930's Eric Blair (George Orwell) was using it in the related menaing of Dravidian Indians and Burmese.

It didn't begin to get its modern negative associations until the 20th Century. When I was growing up, it was used in Maryland to mean someone who exemplified the negative sterotype of the lower class Negroes, and it was said, "remember, not all n*****s are black." Honest and hard-working, if uneducated, persons were 'colored,' professionals such as teachers, doctors, lawyres were 'Negroes.' Was there really anything *wrong* with making such distinctions? Could someone explain to me *why* it is supposed to be so egregiously offensive?

I am reminded of the relationship between Star Trek Fandom and Science Fiction Fandom in the 1970's. The SF Fans used to say that there were 'Trekkers' and 'trekkies', and that anyone who insisted that they were a Trekker, was probably a trekkie.

VietVet

[truth_seeker]

"Could someone explain to me *why* it is supposed to be so egregiously offensive?"

I'm currently reading a trilogy of the Mountain Man Era, by Terry C. Johnston. Period 1832+ a few years (I'm half way through it).

The principle character uses the "n" word a lot, for whites, reds, and so forth. This author is highly regarded as a western expert (died a couple years ago).

He's far from a racist--known for respectful portrayal of Indians. I conclude the word was widely used in that era, and not just for blacks.

But today, outside the ghetto rap scene, it is not supposed to be used, by genteel and refined folks.

Bustamante "slipped" and I hope it costs him votes. That is my point, nothing more.

[Imal]

I wonder how this went over in "Hymietown"?

[Susannah]

kcal9 tv news reported that Bustamante was a former member of MeChA.

fox11 tv news reported Bustamante as a member of the militant MeChA while at Fresno University and described the group as a cultural group for Hispanics. Larry Elder, a Black man, reported that the group is racially exclusive like some others and Bustamante has not renounced them.

[Republicus2001]

Lawanna Preston, staff director for Local 790 in San Francisco, said she was shocked by Bustamante's comment. "It is very unfortunate that someone in elected office would use that word publicly," she said. "It demonstrates a lack of sensitivity that reminds me that race is still a problem in this state and this country." Among those in attendance were Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, and Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente. De La Fuente said he didn't hear the comment but heard Bustamante's apology.

I'd sure like to find a transcript of the speech...

[cat_for_jesus]

The reason people dance around the word n***** is because it implies intellectual, social, economic, and not to mention human inferiority and oppression. Something that is still very present today, despite the fact that this implication is immoral and unjust. The use of the term carries with it a belief system of white supremacy and domination of all human and cultural aspects of all non-white people.

Although there may be some communities that use the term for people other than African-Americans (AA), the dominate culture sees it in reference to AA people. So unless a person is real confident in their belief in white supremacy and total domination of other races, they should not use the term. And to compare the word, which is responsible for the destruction of the human spirit for generations, to a television show for your entertainment, is an insult to all of those who died in order to show the world that the oppression that substantiated the word n***** would not openly persist without consequence.