Obama Delegate Forced To Quit After Remark

Chicago Sun Times   |  Abdon Pallasch   |   April 8, 2008 11:56 AM


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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 here.

 

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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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 04:33 PM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:12 PM on 04/09/2008

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 .

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:16 PM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:53 PM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:34 PM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:19 AM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:56 PM on 04/09/2008

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!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:30 AM on 04/09/2008

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????

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:26 PM on 04/09/2008

So if I tell your wife, mother or sister "stop running around in the street LIKE a ho" then I'm not insulting them? OK.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:57 PM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:50 AM on 04/09/2008

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?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:32 PM on 04/09/2008

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

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:04 PM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:33 AM on 04/09/2008

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

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:02 AM on 04/09/2008

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

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:41 AM on 04/09/2008

And "verbiage" too?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:03 AM on 04/10/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:53 AM on 04/09/2008


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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:23 AM on 04/09/2008

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.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:54 AM on 04/09/2008

should/nt the title read

OBAMA forces delgates to quit after remark

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:43 PM on 04/08/2008

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!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:43 PM on 04/08/2008

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!!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:15 PM on 04/08/2008

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

Guess I should step down as her father.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:03 PM on 04/08/2008

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

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 05:58 PM on 04/09/2008

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".

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:06 AM on 04/09/2008

I don't think calling little kids monkeys or munchkins or whatever is uncalled for here.
I think though that MAKING IT RACIST is a big deal.

More baloney from the Obama camp:(

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:52 PM on 04/08/2008

I'm a black female and I call BS on this one. She should have never been asked to leave her post as a SuperDelegate. Sounds like her neighbor is a racist against her or is EXTREMELY jealous.

This is a NONSTORY and should have never gone any further than between the neighbors. Next time those damn kids climb that tree Ms. Ramirez-Sliwinski should have called the police because they are trespassing on private property.

Then have their neglectful mother pick them up from the police station.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:20 PM on 04/08/2008

It's a story because Obama pulled the race card, yet again. This is so stupid.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:03 AM on 04/09/2008


MoxieGurl, I think the children were in their own tree, and not trespassing. But you make my point and I agree with you *todally*!! My late mother in law was called monkey until the very end by her own mother, and they were both part Indonesian. Go figure. Obama Kuping Lowo must have heard kids called monkeys before, without any ill intent. In Indonesia there are monkeys in the tree all the time, and kids as well ;)! In the U.S., however, there never are monkeys in the trees, so I am certain that the neighbor never thought there were monkeys in that tree. Just kids, monkeying around. People are just so sensitive.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:10 AM on 04/09/2008


They were in their yard,not hers. However. I do agree that It is a non-story.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:16 AM on 04/09/2008

Obama supporters non story,

rest of the world its a story , it goes to his judgement. oh and um his RACE Cards.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:01 AM on 04/09/2008

She's just a delegate. Not a superdelegate.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:20 PM on 04/08/2008

That's BS. The kids were playing in a f'ing tree. What's wrong with calling kids playing in a tree monkeys?!

That's total BS. People are too F'ing PC

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:04 PM on 04/08/2008

What is wrong with calling kids playing in a tree monkeys? What is wrong with that? Are YOU kidding? There ain't no monkeys in them trees over thar in Pennssylvania. Yes, there ARE monkeys in Indonesia, but not here in OUR country. No, sirree. Lady should have called them birds. Birds! That is what we have here in OUR country! Don't you know? Man! Obama fired the lady, because as President he might have to talke to someone in Indonesia in the future, and he has to keep his nose clean. You know how in this day and age EVERYTHING IS RECORDED, votes, anything. That is why Obama does not vote much, does not give too many opinions, other than telling that we WANT CHANGE, and he *aint going to say nuthin about monkeys*, or crocodiles, or tears. Get my drift?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:22 AM on 04/09/2008

Would anyone have cared if those kids were not black?

Would you care if Chinese or German kids were called monkeys for playing in a tree?

They were called monkeys because they were playing in a tree not because they were black. Get a grip.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:53 PM on 04/09/2008

People are too sensitive these days. Why didnt McC tell the dude who thwarted out folks got Tigher, and they have JMcC, their audacity of hope. This is a direct hit and the dude should have been thrown off the bus. McC is running a negative campaign where they want all the folks especially Obama's latino supporter to leave his campaign. This is expected of shakey McC who appears to be either very nervous lately or he has a touch of Parkingson D. This negative campaigning needs to stop. We need to stop the drama and vote positive for our candidates.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:11 PM on 04/08/2008

It was barack who forced out a delegate for calling little kids monkeys.
The little kids were black, so now the woman is labeled a racist in her community, because of Obama.

I am not sure what John McCain has to do with it. But claiming someone has Parkinson"s disease doesn"t really sound like you want to stop the negative campaigning.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:56 AM on 04/09/2008

Fun fact!

The police were called, and the officer gave her a TICKET. If it was as simple of a situation as this article portrays, there wouldn't be a ticket.

I think the fact that she got a ticket says so much. She couldn't be as harmless as she pretends.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:59 PM on 04/08/2008

according to the article, she got that ticket for saying something that 'alarms' another person???? how much more over the line into 'thoughtcrime' are we willing to take our pc bullcrap?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:55 AM on 04/09/2008