Greg Palast was on Air America tonight and went too far and was offensive

[CreekDog]

I think this was during Rachel Maddow's time slot though she was not hosting tonight.

After repeatedly joking about whether Bill Richardson was a real Hispanic because of the "Richardson" name, he referred to Richardson as "Mexican by injection". He also repeatedly referred to him as "fat", "bearded..." something or other. This went on for several minutes.

Did anyone hear this? The racial comments, and I didn't capture them all because I was driving were the real kicker and they were offensive.

He went too far tonight, I thought perhaps he was actually drunk.

No matter, I'm going to complain.

Thoughts or comments?

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

1. I've always found it interesting that those sorts of comments only apply to non-whites

(at least in my experience). There were some grumblings that Obama wasn't "black" enough. A good friend of mine had a rough time in college with other Chinese students because he wasn't Chinese enough. I don't really know what that means or how race/ethnicity could be a quantitative feature of a person. Also, I wonder what it would mean to not be white enough.

[drmeow]

There are people who are

sort of considered "not white enough" - there is a derogatory term which a person of color used to describe them to me which she said was used by the local black (and I think Hispanic) community which I will not repeat here because I think it would be offensive to some people.

[silverojo]

22. I'm pure Celtic -- Irish and Welsh -- but...

...when I was a kid, I got the weird racial slurs, too. I was outside a lot, always tanned, and I had dark eyes. In my small town, my first-grade teacher thought I was a Mexican, till Mom explained it to her. (To the teacher's credit, she wasn't being racist--she was a kind person who was merely interested.)

However, the kids often called me "nigger", and I was very much ostracized AND bullied by groups of redneck boys. The girls just ignored me, but I could handle that. What was much harder to deal with was being chased by boys wielding gym equipment as weapons...literally being almost strangled by one fat ginger kid (who's surely a Klan grand wizard by now)...being injured when some scrawny punk shoved me face-down onto a gas meter...having my front teeth knocked out...ah, the memories!

And by the way, did I mention that I was a little GIRL?

I think that's why I get pissed when people claim I don't understand what it's like to be the target of racism, just because my skin is lighter now. (It's lighter due to chronic illness, so I'm not exactly grateful for the change.)

I do understand what it's like to be on the receiving end of racism, and I hate it with a passion.

Given all of the above, I think Greg Palast proved himself to be a first-class asshole with his remarks.

[CreekDog]

26. Even if Richardson has all the failings Palast accuses him of, this is a low way to go after him

and it associates criticisms of Richardson with his heritage.

not to mention what it says about people of mixed heritage.

he crossed a line tonight.

i went to his website and complained too.

[ShortnFiery]

8. I can top that bigotry.

When I was in my university's R.O.T.C. lounge an underclassmen came up to me and asked me, "What are you?" I replied, "What do you mean?" He quipped, "Your skin looks way too dark to have such light blue eyes so I was wondering WHAT YOU ARE?" I told him words to the effect - that if he picked a country in Europe, I most likely had ancestors from there. To which he rudely replied, "Awe, that explains it, you're one of those greasy Europeans."

I let it slide because SOME people who I encountered in my Military Science Courses were not all that "mentally stable." However, I hoped that this seemingly "Aryan Brother" was washed out of the program before commissioning.

Throughout the years of working for and with Authoritarian Loving sorts, I've met and learned to adequately function among some truly warped personalities. Perhaps that's why I'm far too often morose and jaded. :shrug:

[Radical Activist]

28. There's a guide to find out if you're white enough

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/

I would really crack up if a candidate were ever accused of not being white enough. I may try it sometime just for shits and giggles.

[ShortnFiery]

2. That's a shame. I didn't get the impression that Greg Palast is "naturally" a bigot.

Perhaps even talented investigative journalists need to realize their limitations?

Mr. Palast, perhaps you should leave the COMEDY to the professionals? :shrug:

[Mudoria]

4. I've never really thought of Palast as a journalist to be honest..

[bluestateguy]

3. He's probably mad because he's out of business now

Obama did not have the election stolen from him, which would have yielded more notoriety and book sales for Palast, and his bizarre voting machine conspiracies.

[peacetalksforall]

5. Read the article on DU that he wrote - he gives all the reasons for

being glad that Richardson withdrew - he went into background. He was also hard on R, but not like what you're describing. I agree that his presentation is often heavy, but he seems to be accurate in what he reports. Don't make him an enemy, please. Read his article.

Richardson partnering with Kissinger might be enough to make you want to listen. Richardson appears not to be a saint.

[CreekDog]

9. that's why i was shocked

but it's fair to both judge him and criticize him based on offensive statements made on the radio, statements he in no way needed to make in order to make his point. in fact, i think it detracted from his point.

i mean what the hell does questioning whether Richardson is really Hispanic accomplish?

and unlike today's blog entry, he didn't contrast Richardson being a Citibank American versus Hispanic American (though that is offensive enough), instead he mainly harped on him not really being Hispanic because of his freakin' name!

anybody, especially those of mixed racial/ethnic heritage should have found his comments unacceptable.

[CreekDog]

13. you really are missing my point

he could have won a Pulitzer and exposed the entire establishment, it doesn't excuse the types of language he used tonight.

[peacetalksforall]

18. You're right - he is offensive, but what he says should not be dismissed which

is the way the thread was leaning. He exposes, but he doesn't stay neutral when he doesn't respect a person or group.

I prefer someone taking on that role to stick to facts and eliminate personal opinions. He's not disciplined. One of the reasons he doesn't respect R is because of the vote thefts in 2004 and R's role. Palast is very angry and emphasizes how R fails to represent Latinos when it comes to rights, therefore P demeans R's upper crust Latino background. He is also resentful because those who had their votes stolen were at the low end of the income scale.

I tend to get more angry about top down bigotry - i.e., Northern Europe and descendents over the rest of the world. Christians over people of other faiths. Leaders over common people. I am less bothered about bigotry from the bottom up when hypocrisy is discovered and exposed - especially by leaders who strut, boast, lie, steal, and decry others.

[CreekDog]

21. okay, i got you

:hi:

[tblue]

24. Well said. I think he was taken out of context. I'd have to hear the entire show/interview

before judging.

[cali]

32. it should be dismissed because Palast practically NEVER provides the goods

he has a slimy history of claiming he has certain evidence and NOT providing it.

I've known Palast was a dishonest creep for years.

[EFerrari]

33. What story are you referring to? That sure isn't my experience.

He was right about the suppression of the student and military vote YEARS before anyone else got it.

He was right about the land deals in downtown NOLA post Katrina.

He was right about that FARC email bs months before anyone else.

What stories did he mess up? I haven't been following him for more than a few years.

[peacetalksforall]

37. He has provided written evidence for years. Two questions.

Are you saying he lies in this evidence?

It's entertaining to know that 'you know' that he is a dishonest creep and that 'you've known' for years.

I call you on it - provide some details of his dishonesty.

[Yellow Horse]

20. Palast may be over the top, but the issue with the voting machines is very real.

The machines are shit, and perhaps not so much capable of being stolen as simply failing during elections and miscounting or losing votes. Check out the Top To Bottom Review of voting machines done by the CA Secretary of State or the EVEREST Report commissioned by the new Ohio Secretary who replaced Blackwell. Computer scientists and the ALL say these machines are dangerously insecure and cannot be repaired. Elections may be lost because of them as long as they stay in use.

BEWARE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO OBAMA IN 2012 (he may not always be 12 points ahead), or perhaps worse yet tie his hands behind his back in 2010 by flipping the Congress.

IT COULD HAPPEN. Beware.

[GregD]

34. bizarre voting machine conspiracies?

I'm sorry, but are you delusional? Do you know the first thing about electronic voting and the problems? Try reading some news repoots about real, documented problems with them. See the news section at www.votersunite.org for a good start.

[SoCalDem]

6. Palast has a very high regard for himself

I started out liking him, but after seeing a lot of him, I understood why he's a freelance journalist:)

[undeterred]

7. I've heard Palast speak in person

and I did not have that impression. He's a pretty funny guy. Maybe he was a little too relaxed to be on air tonight.

[CreekDog]

11. he wasn't "relaxed" he was talking like a bigoted asshole

asshole i can handle, even respect, a bigoted mouth is a different thing entirely.

[ShortnFiery]

14. I've sensed an "I love me the most" edge to his personality that is very unflattering.

Yes, he does have what I call a "smart-ass factor." ;)

[CreekDog]

15. i had read him but never heard him on the radio

so i guess this was even more of a surprise.

wish i had a transcript.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. Please remind me of anything that Palast ever claimed that he was

able to back up later? I recall he had a whole lot of nothing about the Arnold energy meetings.

[CreekDog]

12. Frankly, I don't care if he claims to have been abducted by aliens

he shouldn't cast aspersions on one's nationality and not in the terms he used tonight.

but your point is well taken anyway.

[stevedeshazer]

16. You must mean 'shouldn't cast asparagus'

Forgive me, I could not resist.

[CreekDog]

17. where did that phrase come from?

:rofl:

[stevedeshazer]

27. A DU classic thread for your pleasure:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2778742

[tblue]

23. Uh well, Katherine Harris and the purging of black voters in Florida.

And the caging list that was accidentally sent to the wrong email address. Palast has backed up plenty if you care to look into it.

[Greyhound]

29. The 2000 Florida coup. n/t

[EFerrari]

30. He said that Colombia was lying about the emails to Chavez

on the so called "FARC" laptop some months before that turned out to be 100% correct.

He did some GREAT reporting in New Orleans and bothered Homeland Security enough that they arrested him. Remember that? He busted the state for contracting out their emergency plans to a Republican contractor who never had a plan at all?

His Venezuela stuff is very good.

[tblue]

19. That does not sound like him. Are you sure he wasn't being sarcastic?

I'm very familiar with Greg Palast. Seen him speak in person, seen him on videos, read his Democracy book. I read an article by him once that was about Hugo Chavez being the first dark-skinned Indian president of Venezuela, and Palast's intention in mentioning this was to show that Chavez was being rejected among the wealthy in that country, who are predominately white. If you hadn't read the article, I can imagine you could take offense when none was intended. I don't at all believe Greg Palast is a racist. He was and still is one of the very few journalists who reported on the fact that 'voting while black' disenfranchises many African Americans.

[CreekDog]

25. sarcasm or not, this went on for too long

and there was no point in which he indicated or said, "hey folks, i'm joking". no he didn't even indicate it.

[EFerrari]

31. I wonder what the hell that was. He's done very good reporting

in Latin America. One of his interviews with Chavez is about the best one I've seen. He never seemed to have that attitude. Maybe he was still celebrating.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

35. That's kind of his entire shtick these days.

He's been headed downhill for a while, but that's bad even by his standards.

[Kahuna]

36. He could have been drunk.

:shrug: