George Allen refers to cameraman as a species of monkey in racial slur

Thorgrim · 08-14-2006, 08:27 PM

S.R. Sidarth, a senior at the University of Virginia, had been trailing Allen with a video camera to document his travels and speeches for the Webb campaign. During a campaign speech Friday in Breaks, Virginia, near the Kentucky border, Allen singled out Sidarth and called him a word that sounded like "Macaca."

M-a-c-a-c-a, the term refers to a species of monkeys in the Eastern Hemisphere. "Is he saying Sidarth is a monkey?" Todd asked.

washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines

I think this could seriously hurt his Senate campaign and depending how it goes, destroy his presidential aspirations

kinggovernor · 08-14-2006, 08:32 PM

was he trying to or sounded like and refers to are two totally different meaning

ballz2wallz · 08-14-2006, 08:49 PM

maybe he said 'caca'...we all know what that means.

7960 · 08-14-2006, 09:05 PM

<sniff sniff>

I smell a journalist's agenda

DosEquis · 08-14-2006, 09:09 PM

ORLY is about to have a cynthia mckinney thing on where this big black dude referred to someone as a "motherfucking cracker" and how his white jew ass would be kicked.

7960 · 08-14-2006, 09:34 PM

cynthia mckinney needs to be kicked in the box until she shuts the fuck up.

(I know your post wasn't about her, but what I said is still true

)

Stylerod · 08-14-2006, 10:19 PM

Sure, everyone knows what a Macaca is? Right? I hear it daily.

7960 · 08-14-2006, 10:20 PM

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motivez · 08-14-2006, 10:47 PM

Sen. Allen's Remarks Spark Ire

By Tim Craig and Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, August 14, 2006; 3:16 PM

Democrat James Webb's Senate campaign accused Sen. George Allen (R) of making demeaning comments Friday to a 20-year-old Webb volunteer of Indian descent.

S.R. Sidarth, a senior at the University of Virginia, had been trailing Allen with a video camera to document his travels and speeches for the Webb campaign. During a campaign speech Friday in Breaks, Virginia, near the Kentucky border, Allen singled out Sidarth and called him a word that sounded like "Macaca."

"This fellow here over here with the yellow shirt, Macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere. And it's just great. We're going to places all over Virginia, and he's having it on film and its great to have you here and you show it to your opponent because he's never been there and probably will never come."

After telling the crowd that Webb was raising money in California with a "bunch of Hollywood movie moguls," Allen again referenced Sidarth, who was born and raised in Fairfax County.

"Lets give a welcome to Macaca, here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia," said Allen, who then began talking about the "war on terror."

In an interview, Sidarth said he suspects Allen singled him out because he was the only non-white face in the audience, which he estimated included about 100 Republican supporters.

"I think he was doing it because he could and I was the person of color there and it was useful for him in inciting his audience," said Sidarth. "I was annoyed he would use my race in a political context."

Allen campaign manager Dick Wadhams said the Webb campaign's complaints about the comments are unfounded and he said Allen had "nothing to apologize for" to the young man.

Wadhams said Allen campaign staffers had begun calling Sidarth "mohawk" because of a haircut Wadhams said the Webb staffer has. "Macaca was just a variation of that," Wadhams said.

He said Allen's comment welcoming Sidarth "to America" was not an insult. "Welcome to the real world. Welcome to Virginia. That's all that was," Wadhams said.

Kristian Denny Todd, a Webb spokeswoman, said the campaign wants to know what Allen meant by Macaca.

"We would like Senator Allen to tell us exactly what he means by the comment," Todd said.

Depending on how you spell it, the name Allen gave Sidarth means different things.

If spelled M-a-c-a-c-a, the term refers to a species of monkeys in the Eastern Hemisphere. "Is he saying Sidarth is a monkey?" Todd asked.

The word M-a-k-a-k-a refers to a town in South Africa.

Todd accused Wadhams of "reaching" for an explanation for Allen's comments. "The kid has a name. This is trying to demean him, to minimize him as a person," Todd said.

There's a video on the WP site.

motivez · 08-14-2006, 10:55 PM

youtube: http://www.youtube.com/v/9G7gq7GQ71c

SoFlaJDM · 08-14-2006, 11:04 PM

sounds like macaca to me... i really don't see it being understood as anything else

motivez · 08-14-2006, 11:07 PM

Yeah, the guy is Indian (Though raised here), and since he was brown, he gets "Macaca" and "Welcome to America"...

SoFlaJDM · 08-14-2006, 11:11 PM

what a fucking idiot

motivez · 08-14-2006, 11:16 PM

Apparently he was the only non-white face in the crowd too, so I guess he made an easy target..

thatguyoverthere · 08-14-2006, 11:16 PM

All the kids are calling each other macaca nowadays. I think it's a term of endearment.

Anyways, it might be interesting to see if this gets followed up on. It's hard to really understand it anyway. The article refers to the guy as "S. R." What's up with that? What's this guys name?

I would imagine that he said "macaca" as a generic African name. It's still racist, just with more stupid added. If he did indeed call him "macaca" intending to call him a monkey, I would like to take the opportunity to ridcule Mr. Allen for his exceedingly lame racist vocabulary.

Come on, George. You can do better than that.

motivez · 08-14-2006, 11:18 PM

His name is Saddarth

6SpeedTA95 · 08-14-2006, 11:30 PM

I'm not sure what to think of this, maybe he was just joking around with the guy? Thats what it seemed like to me

Still ridiculously dumb thing to do in politics.

motivez · 08-14-2006, 11:32 PM

I dunno, I remember Biden getting some shit about saying he couldn't want into a Dunkin Donuts / 7/11 without seeing someone who was an Indian

Seems like he should get at least as much shit over this.

6SpeedTA95 · 08-14-2006, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

I dunno, I remember Biden getting some shit about saying he couldn't want into a Dunkin Donuts / 7/11 without seeing someone who was an Indian

Seems like he should get at least as much shit over this.

How do politicians repeatedly make such mistakes? I mean I'm sure most of it is in jest or joking but either way its just flat stupid when your a public figure.

motivez · 08-14-2006, 11:45 PM

In Biden's case he was trying to make a connection to small business owners in the area if I remember right, who happened to be of Indian descent.. because the subject being discussed was relating to their ethnicity.

I don't know that there's an excuse or rationale for this one yet. I certainly haven't heard anything plausible as an explaination, but I'm sure they're scrambling to find something