I think people could understand it better and be willing to let it slide if the person discovered to have done such a thing 30 years ago said something along the following:
“When I did that (first of all owns up to the behavior rather than lying), I was young and displaying some of the attitudes with which I had been raised and had not yet questioned. As I’ve passed through the years, I have become more aware and enlightened about the ramifications of my attitudes and behavior. When I see that photo of myself I’m embarrassed and ashamed, because though I may have been that unthinking kind of person then, I’m no longer that person. I apologize for that hurtful behavior and hope that my actions as I’ve evolved through the years will speak better to my current character and that my former boorish and shameful behavior will be forgiven and taken in context with my evolution as a human being.”
@Nrdsb4 Agreed. If he would’ve owned it and apologized he may have been okay, but he proceeded to gaslight us and claim he had no idea who was in the pic or how it came to be on his page.
Claiming not inhaling, or actually inhaling, bragging about grabbing women, joining a secret society, and/or doing things to avoid fighting in Vietnam did not seem to prevent some from getting elected.
This kind of thing used to come out as the October surprise. At least then voters had a chance to weigh the information in their decision. But this yearbook was known about by some of his medical school classmates for years and years and yet none of them spoke up or brought it to the attention of media. Were they covering for him for political reasons or did they think blackface or KKK robes wasn’t that big of a deal? Neither option covers any of them in glory.
Never in my wildest dreams would I think it was offensive to dress as Michael Jackson with face makeup, in the 80s, 90s, or 2000s for Halloween. So an Afro is ok? How about dressing as Trump with orange face and a yellow wig?
My son went to high school 5 years ago wearing a sombrero and a poncho and it never crossed our minds that it could be offensive. And not a word was said at school.
It’s interesting that this president can do or say pretty much anything and get away with it but everyone else has to resign.
All this said, the picture in the yearbook was disgusting but I did read somewhere that the point was that everyone at the school got along (not sure if I buy it).
I agree with the biblical King David, who when asked if he would rather be punished by God or man, chose God. People are unmerciful and don’t allow for the possibility of redemption.
If a person committed an egregious act decades ago, and has shown every sign of having stoned for it, then why continue to hold it against him?
@SuzyQ7: don’t buy it. It was offensive then and they knew what they were doing. I’m willing to buy the idea classmates appeared on each other’s pages but even if it wasn’t him, he chose the picture to be in his yearbook. And I’m willing to bet money that journalists are digging right now and finding lots and lots of disturbing images in many Southern politicians’ yearbooks.
(According to a friend who was at UVA in those days, it was “normal” in some groups, ie., peer-normalized even if they knew it was wrong. Those who voiced opposition were made fun of. Just one person but considering the fact young people in college in the 70s and 80s would have been born in the 50s and 60s, before desegregation, for some before the Loving v. Virginia decision, it’s only logical such long-held belief system erecting them as superior and others as ridiculous/inferior/unworthy would remain in many young people’s minds, then that they would re-enact their so-called superiority. Many if not most young white people in these days knew better).
I have to go back and look at my yearbooks now. I went to HS in Florida and college in SC and I am not stupid or sheltered enough to think that this kind of flippant racism was nonexistent. Of course it was around. And probably still is. But people in the 80s and even the 70s were aware enough to not let this crap get in print. That’s what astounds me, more than anything.
I have a picture of a college friend from the mid-late 70s in blackface and I remember that we were all embarrassed about it but I don’t recall if anyone called her out on it in anything other than the mildest terms. This was in the Northeast, if that matters, but even then there was a general feeling of discomfort about the practice.
I think someone appeared at a college party as Diana Ross ( it was a party where you came as a Celeb with your intials …weird but that’s what it was) with darkened face. Now if that person had been wearing a KKK robe we woukd have been aghast. But it didn’t occur to us that this was offensive. We were ignorant of the history of blackface and the African American kids there certainly didn’t say anything and likely wouldn’t even if they were offended. The reason I remember so well is that one of the African American kids came as Albert Einstein with his shock of white hair and discussed with the Diana Rosss dressed girl how it was easy fir her to get her skin color right ( she used a makeup designed for blacks) but almost impossible for him and how he couldnt believe they were able to pull it off on SNL with Eddie Murphy. .
It’s different than the KKK outfit because if you knew about the KKK you know it’s offensive whereas you can know a lot about Diana Ross and not know the history of blackface and why it’s fundamentally reprehensible to wear it.
@maya54 a good friend of mine dressed up as Donna Summer for a freshman Halloween party at college because she loved dancing and singing to Donna’s music. It didn’t occur to us either that it was offensive. I think I still have a picture of it in a photo album in my box of college memorabilia - maybe I better destroy it for her!!
I think it’s overblown. Today, there is much more education and sensitivity than there was 30 or 40 years ago. I do not think this man should lose his career over something he allegedly did four decades ago (he didn’t kill or rape anybody) Over the decades, there has been much speculation as to whether or not Michael J bleached his skin to lighten it; the Wayans Brothers became ‘White Chicks’ in the movie of the same name Al Jolsen was white.(different era,I know). I just find this so sad. However, Elizabeth Warren is a different story! And what about Trump halloween costumes; should orange people be offended? :))
I know a family whose child dressed as Tiger Woods on a Wheaties box. (Before Tigers indescretions). The child idolized Tiger Woods. Tiger was the hero. How sad to think that a child can idolize his hero, a hero who was paving the way for young black children in a predominantly white sport, but now the child has to worry that if that picture surfaces he could be put out of work.
The intent was solely out of respect yet someday someone can go find a picture and try to ruin everything they’ve worked for.
A student did that for a Halloween party at Tufts University last year. He was brought before the student disciplinary board for cultural appropriation. The student was Hispanic but he was Puerto Rican, not Mexican.
“A student did that for a Halloween party at Tufts University last year. He was brought before the student disciplinary board for cultural appropriation. The student was Hispanic but he was Puerto Rican, not Mexican.”
I think people like Elizabeth Warren (flat out lying about her heritage) and that white college professor (claiming to be black) deserve all of the flack but not the Gov of VA or even - gasp - Kavanaugh!
