Obama Delegate Forced To Quit After Remark

Chicago Sun Times:

Moving to nip in the bud some potential bad press, White House hopeful Barack Obama's campaign persuaded a delegate to step down after she was ticketed for calling her neighbor's African-American children "monkeys."

Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski, a Carpentersville village trustee, was elected as an Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention. She sports an Obama sign in her front yard.

Read the whole story: Chicago Sun Times

Comments

[venicesurfer]

why did obama have her step down? that will only create a bigger problem. he pulled the race card once again.

i swear i will not vote for him. im sure he'll get the nomination but he's not getting my vote.

people call children, even their own "little monkeys" when they are running around and climbing stuff. the fact that the neighbor saw it as racist and the poor woman got a ticket for is really troubling. on top of that obamas campaign asked her to step down.

[Mariposa4Life]

The only people playing the race card is the American public. Do I agree with his decision? Not exactly (hard to say with out seeing all the facts of what really happened). Ever since CNN decided to loop 30 seconds of 4 sermons over 30 years of giving them, America has become hypersensitive about race and the Obama campaign. Obama has to walk on egg shells now a days to make sure something else doesn't "happen". I can see why he felt he had to take"precautions", however, I feel it was unfortunate he felt he had to do so. Especially since his explanations will never satisfy some people.

[chappelforpres]

This is a non-event and demonstrates the ridiculous lengths we go to as a society.
What's next "monkey business", "barrel-full-of-monkeys", or "monkey see, monkey do". I'm an ardent Obama supporter, but cow-towwing to unsubstantiated, vague charges of racism, shows little in the way of good judgment. Better to take the high ground, profess your ignorance of the facts and leave it to the opposition to muck around in the mud .

[cybersense]

This is very obsurd. Really. Come on. "Monkeys" because they were in a tree. Yeah, I just bet she was thinking something....are people this freakin crazy? See, another race card where none should be played.

So much for getting it right Obama. For the lady who called the cops on this woman: Get real.

There was no possible intent here. I don't know why this should have even been an issue. I have some very active kids behind my house. One that climbs in a small tree and does flips and climbs everything. I told him he climbs like a monkey. He is black. Did not occur to me it was because he was black. He is a kid that loves to climb and does it well. His parents did not come out and get all upset over it. They knew what I meant.

Yeah, we want Obama running against McCain alright. This is stupid. Very Stupid.

[mgw]

I'm only saying one thing about this and I'll do no further responses. An apology would have been enough. I can picture the kids climbing in the tree in the fashion monkeys do, and I can imagine that's what she saw. Unless there was something else to suggests the woman is a racist, an apology should have been enough.

[ComicBooksandPolitics]

For all of you who think this is a non-story. I say put your theory to the test.

Step 1. The next Black person you see at work jokingly say, "Hey there my monkey friend."

Step 2. Report back here and tell us how the rest of your day went.

[Drewkowski]

So you think there is no difference between calling a child playing in a tree a monkey vs. an adult co-worker?

As someone with a small child, I (like many parents have to their own children) called her a "monkey" on several occasions when she was climbing as if possessed and hollering.

The disturbing part of the story is this quote:

"Ramirez-Sliwinski's $75 ticket was for "disorderly conduct," which Kilbourne defined as, "when a person does something that alarms or disturbs another."

Is that all it takes? If that is REALLY "disorderly conduct" then EVERYONE who votes Republican should be cited. Installing American-style Right-wing leaders alarms and disturbs the rest of the damn world, and the thinking half of this country. Time to start making formal complaints!

[meanguy]

again, she didn't CALL the children 'monkeys'...she told them to stop climbing around in the tree LIKE MONKEYS...if you can't see the difference, you need to turn the 'offended' dial on your meter down a skoash...who in their right mind came up with that 'thoughtcrime' ordinance, anyway????

[whiteboyblues]

I think I am more concerned with the economy and the Iraq war than people calling children playing in a tree monkeys. I can't wait to see how the Clintons spin this one.

[gmcc]

One of the mothers of the "monkeys" called the police over the comment.
Please think about this. Would that mother have called the police 1 month ago? Before Obama's speech on race? Is this the "conversation" we wish to have? @ $75 a word...

Barack has just proven that without even trying he has futher divide america.

[newunderground]

Yeah, that's it. That's why he fired her.

[kozmik]

The kooky mother calling the police is Obama's fault?

Just how delusional are you? Is Obama projecting himself holographically into your room from the black van circling your block, by any chance?

[sparkandy]

This is just silly. Children are ALL like monkeys at some point. Or monsters, or brats,or demons. The insistence of the Obama campaign of focusing on race at every opportunity is one of the things that makes a lot of people nervous about him as a candidate.

[AjicNYC]

I hope OBAMA gives a speech about monkeys now and hard life is for them.

[KINOKO]

And then possibly he will give you a personal speech on proper syntax and verbage? And proper use of sarcasm in an effective manner?

[F825HP]

And "verbiage" too?

[nomobull]

what is the rest of the story because in order for a ticket to be issue there has to be more.and was she forced or did she volunteer to quit.

[Susan1968]

Why would the Obama camp persuade her to step down?

I don't get it -- he defended Wright. He said Wright shouldn't be condemned for a few comments over the years.

This woman said one word?

No forgiveness for her? And she supports him!

You what Obama supporters -- you should start to see how the Obama camp inserts race whenever they can.

[Beowoof]

It looks like they(Obama campaign) handled it wrong and I have personally written them about it. Being overly cautious about this is hardly bringing race into the campaign. That said, I really feel bad for this woman. Kids do look like monkeys of every color swinging in trees or not. I've got a couple monkeys sleeping in their beds right now.

[AjicNYC]

should/nt the title read

OBAMA forces delgates to quit after remark

[TN]

Free Speech! This is bull-shit! This is what I have blogged about before. This is some kind of control the african americans, or whatever they have decided this year is acceptable, want to have over every non black person.

Ticketed for calling children monkey's - I'd fight that to the supreme court!

[RISEUPAMERICA]

what's appalling is the comments and pressure by the obama campaign for her to step down from being a delegate.

talk about playing the race card!! Obama plays it non stop it seems

we don't need a race baiting president!!

[ChiGuy]

I still call my 24 year old Hispanic/Caucasian mix daughter "monkey" from time to time.

Guess I should step down as her father.

[jhamm1]

Indeed. What's next?

I suppose that within a few years, standards over being considered politically correct will have further revised to the extent that one will be permitted to address 6-year old black males as "kids", "toddlers", or "juveniles", but heaven forbid that anyone dares to call them "boys".

[dct19]

You're her father, not her neighbor, big difference.