GOP House Candidate Calls Black Newscaster "Uppity"

So over the weekend, there was much discussion over the word "uppity" -- and whether its segregation-era connotation still lingers when applied to African-Americans.

Last Thursday, in a conversation with reporters, U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland applied the term to Barack and Michelle Obama. The Coweta County congressman later explained that, in the Southern mill village where he grew up, the word was racially neutral.

And as it turns out, Westmoreland may be a victim of selective persecution.

For that very morning, hours before Westmoreland made his gaffe in Washington, 8th District congressional candidate Rick Goddard of Houston County, the Republican challenger to U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall, used the same phraseology over the radio. Just not about Obama.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[LCRover001]

Growing up in the south I can tell you exactly what uppity means: that a person of color doesn't have the right to question, to dress better than, to make more money than, to have a better education than, to see them selves as equal to, to eat at the same table, to own a newer car than, to own a better home than, and to walk on the same street as a white person.

I have seen first hand the hate and heard the words of these types and uppity is always followed by the N word.

While these guys have learned to hold that back they still let the U word slip form time to time. When a white person refers to a person of color down her as uppity it means you are trying to be equal to me and you are not, you should stay where you belong poor, uneducated, and down trodden, you should only speak when spoken to and you should show subservient tones when speaking to me like yes sir or yes masser.

It breaks my heart to see we still can not get over a simple difference as color of skin and see our selves as what we are Americans. We are a divided people, and that is why our government doesn't work, it doesn"t work because we can not get over simple differences and work together.

[MRb1000]

Everybody is saying only 36 delegates for the GOP from 140 compared to what they had last convention. This is why because the hate black people or people of color. Why the hate GOP! Why the hate?

Republican party is for rich white elite people only!

[Morgoth]

This comment is pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved.

So, if it was not a racist remark was it a classist remark?

U p p i t y: Taking liberties or assuming airs beyond one's station; presumptuous.
Classist: Bias based on social or economic class.

Either way, the remark speaks volumes as to the character of the speaker.

Remember the much-touted "culture war" that was begun by and supported by the lunatic fringe on the right end of the spectrum? U p p i t y indeed.

[Morgoth]

So, if it was not a racist remark was it a classist remark?

Uppity: Taking liberties or assuming airs beyond one's station; presumptuous.
Classist: Bias based on social or economic class.

Either way, the remark speaks volumes as to the character of the speaker.

Remember the much-touted "culture war" that was begun by and supported by the lunatic fringe on the right end of the spectrum? Uppity indeed.

[Lupin77]

Everytime a gop person wants to insult BO they use the uppity word. This is becoming so predictable and shows you just how they can't address the issues so they turn once again to personal attacks. How about talking about the economic chaos we have now? Or the two wars we're fighting? Come on stick to the issues.

[levibatgirl]

GOP = Racists

[demfriend]

I grew up in the very white middle California valley where as kids the only colors we saw were brown when they came to harvest and black if you went to certain towns. I saw my first African American at around age 7 or 8. The man worked with my dad in the fields and I was fascinated at another color of person. But the word "uppity" wasn't one usually said around my house but my mother was thefirst one to say it to me. "Now don't you be all uppity with me or I can drop you off in n*%%#r town and you'll know what you have". The introduction was negative and tied right to a place I had never been but had been told about. After that the two words and identities stuck together and I have since noticted the movies with African Americans use it more than anywhere else. It is derogitory to anyone to have it used againest you but even more to the African American when it indicates they do not know their place. Racism in many forms has never stopped when people excuse themselves with another example of surface denial.

[Grannysue]

UPPITY= Oh no you don't boy! But they really didn't mean it! They keep doing this because they get away with it. Nobody calls them on it. Where's the outrage by all those people who thought Obama Pastor was racist, not a word. It's only when Whites say it that it that people can't comment. They want to make sure everyone knows their place now don't they! Republican=White, Racist, Vindictive, Morons.

[SeanGardner]

I saw this yesterday. Pathetic.

I think we're witnessing something here: GOP jitters about how their Southern Congressional delegations will look after election day. Its no big secret that registration among African-Americans is up exponentially all across the South. Every state has seen dramatic leaps in black registration.

And, I recall back in July when Florida Republican Adam Putnam declared that "Obama could drestroy us in The South." Here is that link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/10/gop-rep-obama-could-destr_n_111842.html.

I guess we could see these two incidents of racism with Goddard and Westmoreland as a big boost to voter registration efforts among black voters nationwide, and most especially in The South.

I feel like sending these good ole boys a nice Thanks You Card that reads:

"Thanks guys, you have just succeeded in boosting the registration numbers of millions of "uppity" blacks, thereby reducing the likelyhood of at least 10-20 more Republican losses in Congress - because of narrow-minded and feeble-minded "caucasian good ole boys".

Sincerely,

An Uppity Commenter on HUFFPOST

[MajorKong]

"in the Southern mill village where he grew up, the word was racially neutral."

I lived in the deep south. "Uppity" is NOT racially neutral. It's used to describe blacks that don't "know their place".

[blowhard]

And what place is that? On the streets begging for food and money?

[Geoffreys]

In the Southwest, Dallas to be more precise, Uppity is not neutral - and everyone knows it means an African American who doesn't know their place.

Pretending it means something else doesn't make it so.

[MajorKong]

Columbus Mississippi and Shreveport Louisiana.

I've never been on the street begging for food but another couple Republican administrations could do the trick.

[OBXartist]

I had really hoped that America had gotten beyond all this. Apparently not.

The question here is this: Would Goddard have used this particular word "uppity" if the reporter had been a white man? I think the answer is no. Goddard might have chosen "arrogant" or "elitist" or "superior" or any number of other adjectives. But I don't think he would have picked "uppity." Everyone in the South will recognize that the use of that word, consciously or sub-consciously, is all about the fact that the reporter was black. How dare a black man question the word of a white man, or more importantly, the record of a white woman! That's what's going on here.

[LAB10]

And the rich old guy who says you have to have $5,000,000.00 and more houses than you can remember is what? A non-maverick bridge to no where.

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

I`m from the real deep south and "Uppity" means Acting Too White

[dkuz09]

These people are prejudicial and inherently racist and we allow them to be because what? It's now politically INcorrect to call them out on it? Doesn't sound like we're moving forward in this country at all if you ask me.....

From now on, I say let's not spare anyone's feelings because those with prejudice in their hearts don't take the consideration to spare the feelings of those they mock and dislike. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, its a duck. Lipstick on a PIG doesn't make it anything other than a PIG.

[QuicksilverKW]

I gues "uppity" is new intelligent word of the GOP. Dumb is what they are

[Lalama]

If people like this pig are the ones running for offices it's sad day for america !

[YouDisgustMe]

every day has been a sad one thus far....morons have held office since our independence

[captnEarl]

They are called republicans, like sheep following their leaders ,cannot think for themselves