Will Mayor of Charlotte Grovel to Blacks?
by Jeff Davis
Everytime a celebrity or politician makes any kind of comment about Blacks, he runs the risk of being subjected to a barrage of accusations from the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Even a comment intended to be neutral or even positive can be re-interpreted by likes of Sharpton so that he can grab another 15 minutes of fame at the expense of a White man’s career. Traditionally unflattering remarks about Africans are followed by a long process groveling. Don Imus made the mistake of criticizing himself for pointing out how ugly one Black women’s basketball team was, opening the door for others to pile on, which they did. Now one politician in North Carolina has chosen the path of NOT apologizing for politically incorrect remarks. It will be interesting to see if he can get away with it.
Newsday reports that “The mayor [of Charlotte, N.C] said he stands by his comments that black youth are imitating gangsters, despite a call from the local NAACP to apologize. Mayor Pat McCrory, who is white, said he was accurate when he wrote that ‘too many of our youth, primarily African American, are imitating and/or participating in a gangster type of dress, attitude, behavior and action.’ His remarks came in a July 5 letter to the city manager in which McCrory congratulated police for their presence the night before, when 169 people — mostly black — were arrested.”
Note that McCrory didn’t state that young Blacks were gangsters, he said they were IMITATING gangsters. This comment is actually about as mild as it could possibly be, and yet the local NAACP is freaking out. Newsday reports “‘The mayor painted African American youth with a broad swath that cuts deep in many of our communities,’ said Ken White, president of the Charlotte branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. ‘Mr. McCrory’s comments reinforce that stereotype especially to those inclined to hold on to racist thinking and behavior,’ White said… McCrory told The Charlotte Observer that he understands his remarks offended some people, but he cited statistics that more than 60 percent of Charlotte’s gang members are black. ‘My role as mayor is to communicate what I consider to be concerns and in doing so you have to step on some toes,’ he said. ”
Okay, let’s follow this one and see if the NAACP can successfully gin up a lynch mob (again) or if their power is waning sufficiently so that McCrory can keep his job. If so, it will set a very interesting precedent. This is a comparatively mild politically incorrect remark, but if McCrory can get away with this, what might the next politician or celebrity get away with NOT apologizing for. The slippery slope angles both ways, you know.