Racist Obama Email: California NAACP Demands Apology From OC GOP Official (UPDATED)

***UPDATE 4/19*** Tea activist and OC County GOP official Marilyn Davenport has apologized for sending out a racist image of President Obama.

According to KABC, Davenport issued a statement late Monday in which she apologized, but stopped short of addressing her future on the committee.

"I humbly apologize and ask for your forgiveness of my unwise behavior," the statement said. "I say unwise because at the time I received and forwarded the email, I didn't stop to think about the historic implications and other examples of how this could be offensive."

In the statement, Davenport also quoted the Bible and said she was "an imperfect Christian" who tried to "live a Christ-like honoring life."

"I would never do anything to intentionally harm or berate others regardless of ethnicity," she said. "I will not repeat this error."

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SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- The California NAACP is demanding an apology from an Orange County GOP official who sent out an e-mail picturing President Barack Obama's face on the body of a baby chimpanzee.

In a statement Monday, the organization called on Marilyn Davenport to resign from the Orange County Republican Central Committee.

Several other black leaders were also holding a news conference to demand Davenport be thrown off the committee.

The message shows an image, posed like a family portrait, of chimpanzee parents and child, with Obama's face superimposed on the young chimp.

The text reads, "Now you know why no birth certificate."

Davenport's number rang busy on Monday. She has sent friends and supporters an email saying she won't resign.

Comments

[tc71087]

05:22 PM on 04/25/2011

Why am I not surprised? Birthers and Tea Partiers- all about racism towards our President just because he is an African American man and less about his policies. If they really viewed him by his policies, it would be different and I would accept it as difference of opinion, but this is not new to these people. Why are we saying something against this now but didn't say anything to the pictures of Obama in Tea Party protests that were equally racist?

[zwyziec]

04:00 PM on 04/25/2011

I had a salesman at Costco in the TV department who was showing us TV's and mentioned "we could trust him, because he was christian." I asked the General Manager if Costco Corporation allowed religious proselytizing on the sales floor, and if that was not their policy than this man should be fired. He was.

Anyone who has to go around commenting about leading a christian life is not to be trusted. They lie.

[Edward Warren]

12:48 AM on 04/28/2011

That was nice of you...getting someone fired for making a comment. I wonder how the conversation came up and what you had to say about it. Maybe Costco should have refused to let you in the store because of your views. I'm sure that man had a family and bills to pay. It is pretty hard to get a job right now. Thanks for putting someone on unemployment....you have done us all a great service because you can't stand someone making a innocent comment. Anyone who makes a statement like "people living a christen life cannot be trusted" Is full of hatred and ignorance. HAVE A NICE DAY...

[crystalenvy3]

12:27 PM on 05/13/2011

I totally agree with Edward. And if you thing you can judge how much you can trust someone by their skin color or religion then you are in for a rude awakening buddy... lmao.

[hairydodger]

08:00 PM on 04/23/2011

I'm surprised the birthers and baggers haven't demanded an apology on behalf of PETA yet. Are they dumber than I make them out to be?

[sugarpops]

06:53 PM on 04/22/2011

You just have love those "imperfect Christian". Cause these's always an escape clause that they can use to avoid the consequences and responsibility for their actions.

[GleekEchelon]

07:10 PM on 04/22/2011

Of course black there is no ressemblance between black people and monkeys but I don't kno if you remember it few years in Spain and in Italy in soccer stadiums, some extremists and racist hooligans started to scream like a monkey everytime that a black player touched the ball...

[pane2knowyou]

06:37 PM on 04/23/2011

"He who argues with his limitations...gets them."

[Garspies]

12:47 AM on 04/22/2011

AOL-you suck
Mods-you suck
You have ruined a good thing here-Thanx

[wired]

11:52 PM on 04/21/2011

Actually, I don't like the photo montage; it doesn't say much about Obama's politics and actions. It's "primitive" humor. Even the depiction of his white mother, a descendant of slave owners, as a chimp is not nice.
In connection with the developing drone wars in Afghanistan and Libya (presented in other threads), what images/ cartoons would be appropriate (without racism)? "The Terminator" with the robot wars has been mentioned, for example.

[cpcampbell]

10:05 PM on 04/21/2011

What?

[4dogs]

05:18 PM on 04/21/2011

I guess the heads of her party got to her.

[peskyliberal]

05:16 PM on 04/21/2011

Boy, the Freeper are out in full effect!!...I hope they are paid well.

[Oldsop]

05:07 PM on 04/21/2011

So let me get this straight. It is bad when Obama is compared with a monkey but it is OK to do it to George W. Bush?

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blbushmonkey3.htm

[WHEELS221]

05:48 PM on 04/21/2011

Absolutely. Ever look at how GE walked from his plane? Elongated arms hanging down and carried like a chimp. Notice his occipital lobe as well? Prounounced brow. Lastly when he spoke it was chimplike.

[Osas Obaiza]

07:30 PM on 04/21/2011

One deals with hundreds of years of racist significance and the other deals with an odd looking ex president. Sadly G W kind of looked apish, Obama does not in comparison, so thus the picture is purely racial. Please tell me you see the difference. Once whites started being compared to apes and treated poorly because of this, then it would indeed be just as bad.

[lottais]

08:56 PM on 04/21/2011

This has been explained about 3000 times in the 200 pages of this thread.
This defense is disingenuous - all it takes is about 20 minutes of reading or a few keystrokes and a google search for anyone who is over the age of five yet remains somehow unaware of CENTURIES of black = primate commentary. People making this argument are, sadly, not concerned with your accurate explanation.

::sigh:: Thanks anyway!

[Tammy Kreischer Smith]

10:58 AM on 04/22/2011

I am a white female in my 40s...I have had a black step father since I was a little girl. I have a sister and 2 brothers of mixed race. I have dealt with racism my whole life, and have been around alot of black and white people. I have concluded the differences between the 2 races and have come up with this. There are 2 types. (obviously you are type 1) 1. the white people who keep racism alive by being racist and the black people who keep racism alive by thinking that everything they see and hear from white people is racist. 2. the whites and blacks who really want to racism stop and dont see color. The leaders of these black groups keep racism going by screaming it everytime they see the difference between the colors. They get offended over everything and scream to me "I want to keep racism alive" Get over it!! Blacks are not the only race dealing with racism in this country. All nationalities deal with it these days. I know there are alot of racist black people. Is the a white leader? How about a Indian leader? Oriental leader? Mexican leader? When I looked at that picture I laughed and though...he has those ears...LOL Being type 2 (which maybe the woman who sent that out is) I never saw it as racist....and most other people I know didnt either !! Get over yourself !!

[profoundimagery]

04:56 PM on 04/21/2011

I am proud to see some emergence of concern for the horrors of racism. Imagine what the results would be if the same people who flock to distractions like this, used that anger and disgust to sign petitions to LEARN, sign and pass on petitions that TEACH FACTUAL TRUTHS, then RALLY WITH COMMON AWARENESS OF EMPECCABLE TRUTH and CHALLENGE AND VANQUISH THE LIARS and VOTE out the oligarchs enslaving our countries - according to factual truth hidden from view by racism and entertainment:

• http://action.democraticgovernors.org/page/s/voterrights
• http://www.moveon.org/r?r=207278&id=26722-15188175-QuQw5tx&t=3
• Fact Card http://www.dccc.org/page/s/gopfactcard
• Catholic Reaching Out To Muslims http://www.uscatholic.org/blog/2011/03/catholics-solidarity-american-muslims
• We ARE ONE http://local.we-r-1.org/
• REAL NEWS – Best International Uprisings Explanation http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6511
• http://www.videobb.com/video/U9kNz2z1PDbA
• http://www.changingtheendgame.org/
• https://secure.consumersunion.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2475&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr004=nl6ge3erq4.app244a
Those more fortunate than I but who give far less - please give a damn and give a dollar to those who have PROVEN they fight for your interests. Yes, corruption is in everything, but it's stupid to disregard allies working to change it from within, or condemning the entire system without KNOWING or using it. The oligarchy attacks based on our levels of inactivity where it counts.

[Joshy X]

06:28 AM on 04/22/2011

Obama will get the exact same respect that democrats gave to Bush

[profoundimagery]

04:49 AM on 04/27/2011

Please tell me what "respect" did Bush deserve? Are you referring to starting a war in Afghanistan that he abandoned when intel reported that it was the primary location of Osama Bin Laden AND the mainbody of Aquaida? Perhaps it was the illegal and totally unaproved war declared on Iraq? Maybe it was deregulating safety standards, consumer protection standards, Television standards that allowed profane programing during prime time? Perhaps it was defunding education while handing over public education to corporations with a record of underacheiving teachers and whose budgets for advertising is more than that of teachers? Or maybe it's the oil and pollution subsidies and free money? All of these things and more qualify your boy for war crimes, torture, genocide and at the very least life in prison. Obama has done some real bad stuff, but he saved our proverbial asses in the process. While doing so, your Bush left-overs who control media and 75% of Congress blocked every possible avenue for recovery. That did not happen with Bush because he never even tried to do anything for recovery for anyone but the rich. So bring it on Joshy X. Lets see what you know about the difference between Bush and Obama. Please bring it so I can give you the same lashing that I gave the Tea Party in their 3,000 viewer-per-post facebook forum. I love the fact that none of them (or their representatives) could ever respond to the facts.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

04:41 PM on 04/21/2011

I f this was a dem the cries of crucify would echo from the hallowed Halls of Faux News!
 
Brightbart and his trusty girlfriend OH, Keefe would soon arive in the Bat wing Crazy Mobile,
 
But since A repugnaught done did this!
 
a contract has been drawn up for 3 years and all the fudge you can eat!

[larrdjones2]

04:40 PM on 04/21/2011

Grow up you babies.....I bet you thought the Bush/Hitler trans-images were hilarious didnt you? I know I know Bush lied...Million...whatever

I dont know who pouts more, my 2 year old daughter or my Liberal friends.....

[Sandmann6712]

05:10 PM on 04/21/2011

KU Basketball fans

[WHEELS221]

05:52 PM on 04/21/2011

This comming from a member of the GOP obviously...

[thestargazer]

04:17 PM on 04/21/2011

Who knows, maybe it's the apes that should be offended?

[hungupstrungup]

05:34 PM on 04/21/2011

Ha ha ha, so clever! See, you turned it around, so that the President is not the one being insulted, the chimps are.

What a riot! Oh, please stop, my sides hurt. . . I can barely breathe!

If only, by actual count, 335 posters to this thread hadn't already made the same lame comment . . . . .

[WHEELS221]

05:54 PM on 04/21/2011

LOL, it's what the GOP does best. Shoot the messenger to discredit the truth (or) twist things around..lol..

[thestargazer]

06:38 PM on 04/21/2011

Then make it 336. Glad I'm not alone, make sure you keep that count accurate.