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Rep. Charles Rangel says he thought cracker was 'a term of endearment'

There are simply no words for this level of stupidity.

Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel meant no disrespect when he previously called Tea Party members “white crackers” — he says it was actually a compliment.

The longtime Capitol Hill Democrat said Monday that he thought cracker “was a term of endearment” and was puzzled by the firestorm that his use of the term in a 2013 interview set off.

In a chat with the Huffington Post on Monday, Rangel offered a half-hearted apology for using the word when comparing the Tea Party to Jim Crow segregationists.


Rangel: Calling Tea Party 'white crackers' was a compliment - NY Daily News

Awesome. Stupid and a crook. What a combination! And he won re-election by a landslide.

Oh... Rangle, former head of Ways & Means also believed the tax code didn't apply to him. But they let him skate on by. Just more skating...
 
How, exactly, is Obama racist? This should be fun.

AFAIK Obama has never outwardly expressed any racism. But I do think that there is enough circumstantial evidence to indicate that he is at least bigoted when it comes to whites. For example his pal Wright. I really don't see how a person could sit listening to Wrights racist garbage for 20 years and "not notice" it.
 
There are simply no words for this level of stupidity.

Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel meant no disrespect when he previously called Tea Party members “white crackers” — he says it was actually a compliment.

The longtime Capitol Hill Democrat said Monday that he thought cracker “was a term of endearment” and was puzzled by the firestorm that his use of the term in a 2013 interview set off.

In a chat with the Huffington Post on Monday, Rangel offered a half-hearted apology for using the word when comparing the Tea Party to Jim Crow segregationists.


Rangel: Calling Tea Party 'white crackers' was a compliment - NY Daily News

Awesome. Stupid and a crook. What a combination! And he won re-election by a landslide.


he won re-election because he keeps on bringing the candy in a district that has nearly 80% eating it. As far as his supposed stupidity, he's a liar, he knew damn well what it meant as it came from his time growing up. Does anyone expect he's telling the truth?


Tim-
 
Who am I voting for? I eagerly anticipate you telling me my beliefs again.

You are irrelevant to my prior statement. I clearly stated someone is voting for Rangel; no one cares what your beliefs are. :lamo
 
Rangel, ignorance is no excuse, remember?
 
You need to read too.


"It is official: Barack Obama is the nation’s first black president."


"A White House spokesman confirmed that Mr. Obama, the son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, checked African-American on the 2010 census questionnaire. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/03/us/politics/03census.html?_r=0

How in the hell is that an example of racism? By that idiotic logic had he chosen "white" he'd be just as racist.
 
Gosh, a black man said something derogatory about white racists? Heavens to Murgatroyd!

Who are the "white racists"?

And no, he didn't say something derogatory, according to him. It was a "term of endearment".
 
All I know is that there was a baseball team in Atlanta - a minor league team - called the Atlanta Crackers. I don't believe that team was owned by Charlie Rangel, but perhaps you can prove me wrong.

And it's all of you right wing folks getting your panties in a knot over what Rangel said. Not me, and sure as hell not Rangel.
 
All I know is that there was a baseball team in Atlanta - a minor league team - called the Atlanta Crackers. I don't believe that team was owned by Charlie Rangel, but perhaps you can prove me wrong.

And it's all of you right wing folks getting your panties in a knot over what Rangel said. Not me, and sure as hell not Rangel.
from wiki:
Origin of the team's name[edit]
According to Tim Darnell, who wrote The Crackers: Early Days of Atlanta Baseball, the origins of the team name is unknown.[5]

Darnell cites several possibilities as to why this name was chosen:

A term that means a poor, white southerner.
Someone who is quick and efficient at a task.
In reference to plowboys who cracked the whip over animals.
A shortened version of "Atlanta Firecrackers", the earlier 1892 minor league team.
However, this list does not represent the most likely origins of the name. The term "cracker" is derived from the Gaelic "craic", meaning entertaining conversation or boasting.[6] It was used in the 18th century to denote Irish and Scottish colonists of the Deep South backcountry. The Earl of Dartmouth had this to say in a 1766 correspondence: "I should explain to your Lordship what is meant by Crackers; a name they have got from being great boasters; they are a lawless set of rascalls on the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas, and Georgia, who often change their places of abode."[6]

During the period of Reconstruction following the American Civil War, there was also a political party of the same name. Organized in Augusta, Georgia, this party's platform was one of "opposition to Catholics and segregation of blacks."[7]

While now sometimes used as a derogatory term for a white southerner that promotes racism, it is also used as a term of pride by white southerners to indicate one that is descended from those original settlers of the area.[6] It is much more likely that the Atlanta Crackers derived their name from the more positive usage, indicating they were proud to be Georgians.
now, notice the pre-civil rights era span in which the crackers were active
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965.
additionally, there was a negro league team by the name of the Atlanta Black Crackers (1919-31)

this issue about the atlanta team name gives rangel NO cover
he was stupid to use the expression "crackers"
to pretend he did not know what he was doing when he effected the black dog whistle using the term "crackers" is about as credible as him not knowing his tax liability while also chairing the house ways and means committee
 
Charles Rangel says he thought cracker was 'a term of endearment'

Actually, in some places, it is. For example, it is not uncommon in the state of Florida, to hear someone say, "He's a good ol' cracker boy."

That means, that the person is a Florida native. Many, many, years ago, when people would drive cattle through Florida, to graze, the native Americans there, Seminoles and whatnot, could hear them coming from miles away as they could hear the cracks of their bullwhips. Thus, the term "cracker," in that particular region. There was no offensive meaning intended.

But, in our new age of uber-political-correctness, one must watch what they say to whom, and where. For if anyone could possibly take offence to anything, they do. The same with "tar-baby."

<edit> All apologies. After I posted this, I read some previous, more eloquent and detailed, posts that addresses this already.
 
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