Audra Shay: New GOP "Racist" Headache On Facebook

The Daily Beast:

Note to Republicans: Racist "humor", the Internet and political ambitions don't mix. Audra Shay, vice chairman of the Young Republicans and the leading candidate to be elected its chairman on Saturday, is now the latest in a growing list of GOP officials learning this lesson the hard way, based on pictures of a now-deleted Facebook page obtained by The Daily Beast. [...]

On Wednesday, Shay--a 38-year old army veteran, mother and event planner from Louisiana who has been endorsed by her governor, Bobby Jindal--was holding court on her Facebook page, initiating a political conversation by posting that "WalMart just signed a death warrant" by "endorsing Obama's healthcare plan." At 1:52, a friend named listed as Eric S. Piker, but whose personal page says his actual name is Eric Pike, wrote "It's the government making us commies... can't even smoke in my damn car... whats next they going to issue toilet paper once a month... tell us how to wipe our asses..."

Read the whole story: The Daily Beast

Comments

[MSgt USAF retired]

"Racist" is a buzz word for you.

Nobody is a racist anymore by the description offered in the dictionary.

White America is no longer systematically keeping "Homey" from earning a livelyhood. Obama became the President with no qualification... other than "Hope, Change, and Yes we can!" If an inner city community organizer/­Iran-Contr­a Drug dealer can become President of the United States anyone has a shot.

[brent777]

Don't forget and become governor of Alaska with no writing skills or command of the english language, which must have been taught in one of the 5 colleges she attended.

[mystixboi]

wow... I'm shocked to see that people think that because Obama got elected President then there's no longer a system keeping "Homey" from earning a livelihood. While the system is changing, there's still a lot of the system left that challenges anyone who isn't white.

[starkcr31]

Explain to me how there is. With Affirmative Action, blacks have an advantage over whites.

[steeev3]

Its a shame your plane wasn't felled by a passing flock of birds, USAF retired..

[Dave Martin]

Excuse me Mr. MSgt USAF retired!!!
You seem to have left something behind!

"Obama is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review. He was a community organizer in Chicago before earning his law degree. He worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago and also taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004."

From Wikipedia, although I'm sure you prefer Conservatipedia

[starkcr31]

Education != Experience.

[StValentine]

US Chair Force, retired.......

[murphysgirl]

It's interesting that most of these rants have been caught on the Internet where these racists feel they have a safe platform. Out of all of this I am glad that there are some Republicans who expose these people for who they really are.

[EquesLignite]

I doubt she's racist.
She's a young woman, like many immature ones, that say things without thinking about it.
I am from Northeast, but I live in the South for a long time, that's how many people in the South talk like, the working class people, even though most are not racist. The GOP platform did NOT include "segregation, women can't vote, etc..." all that scary crap in their party platform. The Democratic Party, however, had a racist history that was dishonorable until good JFK redeemed the party by supporting civil rights movement. If that didn't happen, I wouldn't be a Democrat today.

[JayDDrew]

I'm from Louisiana, born and raise and, I can tell you, you are wrong. They talk like that because they are racist. You don't have to put a sheet on over your head or burn a cross, but when you say things like that, send around racist emails and join or are members of organizations and clubs you know don't allow minorities, you are racist.
Things can change. As a writer pointed out on the original blog, the KKK shifted to the Republican party when the Dems passed the Civil Rights Act. A Democratic politician said that they knew they lost the Southern vote for a generation when they did that. It's been a little longer than that because the Republicans went out of their way to play it for all it was worth down here.
No, bigotry isn't part of the GOP platform. It's just tolerated and used to get votes.

[sisyphus00]

A "young women"? "immature"? She's freaking 38! She should have known better and the fact that she didn't shows more than just bad judgment, it shows a racist streak.

[formlessness]

so a "young" republican is 38 years old? no wonder they are in such bad shape as a political party.

[zanzig]

While this is a disturbing indictment of the GOP I think you need to take heart from that fact that at least 2 "friends" called her on it. It's more than I expected from the Young Republicans.

[dawp]

And those two friends were promptly de-friended afterwards, which doesn't look good for Audra Shay.

[TLV]

Wow. Does she not understand that the new hip hop RNC chair might be offended? Or does she not consider him to be black?

[medici]

I don't think he considers himself to be black.

[IcedTee63]

Ms. Shay you have the right to feel how you wish about anything, you just have to accept the consequences of what you write when it can be viewed by others. You unfortunately will have to pay the price for your mistake.

[AfroGoddess]

Totally agree. Don't act in a racist manner, then not want to have to live with the label.

I personally most appreciate it when people are truthful with me about their positions. If Shay is okay with Pike's jokes, that's fine. But don't try to clean it up. Be proud! And if she eventually represents the Young Republicans, then fine. That tells me what kind of organization they are.

[kassandrasduplex]

Anyobdy else wondering why we aren't debating the fact that Wal-Mart, one of the most regressive penurious companies on earth, is endorsing Obama's health "reform" plan?
It can't possibly be generous or comprehensive.

[Winthorpe]

Not on this topic, no, we're not.

[Carmichael]

These young racist republicans should not surprise us. Have you heard of the phrase "the apple does not fall too far from the tree?" What is shocking however, the education that is now available to them, was not the same afforded to their parents. We are living in a pluralistic world, one that is made of different cultural backgrounds and all fronts. I was taught that each person's beliefs, must be respected. I do have the right however, to disagree, but not to disagree to where now hatred plays a part because of our differences. To conform to this idea, contributes to our ignorance and insecurities.

The world today is far more advanced in education and technology, such have transcended over the years. Therefore, it is only fair to say; younger generations are more exposed; having to deal with people on a plethora of things, more so than their parents. Nevertheless, while understanding this, we must not leave out the most significant factor "we are all God's children." What does hate produce? It produces a separation from God. Republicans in general feel that they are far more Christians than anyone else. So, here is my question: Is this what the scriptures taught you; to hate? No! Therefore, if in fact, it did not, and ye called himself/herself Christian, by right, you should be practicing the same. To do otherwise, would be defamation to its character, which you so richly embraced.

[medici]

The world in parts of the south might as well be pre-civil war.

[grammargirl]

Another of them "real" Americans, isn't she?

[paulf40]

Since when is 38 "young"?

[indothinker]

its young when you're 43 LOL

[meko]

When you are talking about Republicans

[OKSunny]

ever since I turned 30!

[blkbtrfly1]

Since I turned 38.

[pwiecek]

Every time one of these pops up, it drives away minority votes. Then the Republican establishment has to admonish the hater and risk driving away their base.

Kind of cool, actually.

[discourse jockey]

It's a real Catch-22. Gotta love it.

[Ohioan730]

I rather enjoy it sometimes. Watching them squirm between a rock and a hard place is satisfying.

[rkm0619]

As a Republican it saddens me to see that we, the party who claims to be the Christian moral majority, still have members that continue to foster racism in America. It is unacceptable and should/will not be tolerated. Shay should immediately issue a public apology and resign from YRs.

[blkbtrfly1]

PLEASE no more "if I offended you" apologies. Keep the empty apologies to yourself. How about community service project for the NAACP or even better the National Action Network. Show us you really mean it. Otherwise, quit and go away.

[AfroGoddess]

But here's the thing, if she's exactly representative of the YRs, then she should not resign. She best represents them.

I think that the problem that a lot of non-racist, traditional Republicans are having is that they have lost control of their own party. They are now either becoming Libertarians, voting Democratic, or keeping silent.

The Republican Party can't have it both ways; marginalizing America, but then wanting to run it. It's almost like you need a Neo Republican Party that is almost purely based on the ideas of fiscal conservatism. I know plenty of non-White folks who would join that party if they didn't have to hear racist or religious rants.

It's the difference between your personal and professional life. Yeah personally we might have differing opinions on abortion and gay marriage, but professionally we need to run this country well and successfully.

[medici]

You're right, when Republicans admonish racist comments from fellow Republicans, they really upset those Republicans who are racists and proud of it.

[Craftonian]

here's what they think of you http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/nyregion/07king.html?ref=global-home NO MORE REPUBLICANS...EVER!

[mikebarden]

Do you need help with that?

[MacGregor57]

hmmmmm........ what was it they used to call an "event planner" in the deep south? I don't know either.