Allen Denies College Use of Racial Slur

Forbes ^ | 9/25/06 | BOB LEWIS

[freespirited]

Sen. George Allen on Monday denounced as "ludicrously false" claims from a former college football teammate that he frequently used a racial slur to refer to black people.

Dr. Ken Shelton, now a radiologist in Hendersonville, N.C., also alleges that Allen, a former University of Virginia quarterback, once stuffed the severed head of a deer into a black household's oversized mail box.

In an Associated Press interview Monday, Allen vehemently denied the allegations Shelton made in an article published Sunday in the online magazine Salon.com and an AP interview Sunday night. His campaign released statements from four other ex-teammates defending Allen and rejecting Shelton's claims.

"The story and his comments and assertions in there are completely false," Allen said during an interview with AP reporters and editors. "I don't remember ever using that word and it is absolutely false that that was ever part of my vocabulary."

Questions about racial insensitivity have dogged the Republican throughout his re-election bid against Democrat Jim Webb. His use of the word "macaca" in referring to a Webb campaign volunteer of Indian descent in August prompted an outcry. The word denotes a genus of monkeys and, in some cultures, is considered an ethnic slur.

Shelton, a tight end and wide receiver for the Cavaliers in the early 1970s, said Allen used the N-word only around white teammates.

During a deer hunt with Allen in the early 1970s, Shelton said, Allen asked whether black families lived in the area before stuffing a female deer's head into the mail box of a black household.

"George insisted on taking the severed head, and I was a little shocked by that," Shelton said.

"This was just after the movie "The Godfather" came out with the severed horse's head in the bed," Shelton told the AP.

Doug Jones, who said he roomed with Shelton at Virginia, said in a statement that he never saw or heard anything from Allen that supports Shelton's claims.

"I never heard George Allen use any racially disparaging word nor did I ever witness or hear about him acting in a racially insensitive manner," Jones said.

[The Old Hoosier]

a female deer's head

No antlers.

[MikeA]

I missed the word female. Regardless, I doubt even a female deer's head would fit in a standard sized mail box.

[Darnright]

>I will not hold that against Allen because he said that when he was young and dumb. I did alot of dumb things when I was 19 too.<

Thanks for your post. Please wait to form a conclusion that Allen actually did this. This accuser is an anti-tobacco activist, a foe of Allen's. This is not the most bizarre accusation he's made against Allen.

He was known by the nickname, Wizard, in college. Acquaintances have stated he had this nickname BEFORE Allen met him, and that he was a "wizard" at getting free on the football field for a pass.

He accused Allen of giving him this nickname, because he shares the same last name (Shelton), with some jerk who was a Grand Wizard in the KKK.

He's a moonbat loon.

[justshutupandtakeit]

While wearing a sheet and hood.

[brwnsuga]

Please wait to form a conclusion that Allen actually did this.

I should have clarified, I won't hold it against Allen for things he said when he was young. But, I find it disturbing that he could use the word "macaca" to refer to that young man. He either knew what it meant or he said it , not knowing what it meant. That makes Allen stupid. It does not warm my heart that he told that reporter he was not Jewish( while he knew he was Jewish). Even though I think his religion has nothing to do with his politics. If I knew I was Jewish, I would proudly say I was. I am between a rock and a hard place down here in Virginia. I do not want to vote for Allen. I do not want to vote for his opponent either.

[Darnright]

>But, I find it disturbing that he could use the word "macaca" to refer to that young man. I do not want to vote for Allen. I do not want to vote for his opponent either.<

Let's look at the man's record. He abolished parole in Virginia, and reformed the welfare system as Governor. He established the Standards of Learning tests, to make sure kids were actually earning their high school diplomas.

Once in the Senate, he's been a staunch military supporter, he's worked to encourage business growth in the state, and he's worked to keep taxes down. He has been against the government levying a tax on Internet access (that could be as high as 18%). He's one of the Republicans bucking the President on immigration, but is solidly behind President Bush on the War on Terror.

I've heard "macaca", might mean a person who is a pain in the butt, with his hand in your pocket, a pest, with no mention of ethnicity. This would certainly have applied to our friend from the Webb campaign, since every time Allen turned around, there he was.

Now, as for not knowing what the word meant, I would say that applies to 95% or more of Americans, before the Democrats dredged up *a* meaning for an obscure word.

[shalom aleichem]

The left wants every state and every district real bad.

[brwnsuga]

Hows about you run and I will vote for you. You don't have any skeletons in your closet do you?

[Darnright]

Skeletons? Well, yes, as a matter of fact, there's one thing I'm ashamed of.

I used to be a Democrat (hangs head in embarrassment). I was, at least, a conservative one. I even voted for Carter, the first time the idjit ran.

Then, I learned about Ronald Reagan, and Rush. I then came over to the right side!

[brwnsuga]

....ssshh....don't tell anybody... but I used to be a Democrat too when was 19 or 20 years old. Then I came to my senses when I figured out that my values and their values just don't go together. I will not hold it against you if you don't hold it against me.