Va. Gov. Northam is refusing to step down, despite flood of calls for his resignation for 'racist an

[Marcuse]

Source: Washington Post

RICHMOND — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) is refusing to resign despite overwhelming pressure from within his own party and has told at least one lawmaker that he now does not think that a racist photo in his 1984 yearbook includes him, Democratic party officials said Saturday.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/northam-mum-about-his-plans-after-a-flood-of-calls-for-his-resignation-for-racist-and-offensive-photo/2019/02/02/5883402a-26e9-11e9-90cd-dedb0c92dc17_story.html

---

It wasn’t me.

[INdemo]

1. This is all about the G-Damn Republicans holding Northam hostage

What if this yearbook page was just as he said not him?
If Republicans and the Russians are allowed to get by with this shit look out because there is no doubt all sorts of bullshit out there for every single Democratic candidate that Republcans can build a false case with.

However let a fucking communist/Nazi Republican commit sexual assault in their college years they get by with it cause "oh well they were just kids",,or like a Republican making a Racist remark during a Campaign (Florida's Govenors race) nothing happens and what evever Democrats say or demand never ever makes it to print or in the news script..
Its bullshit and if the Republcans and the Russians get away with this we are in deep shit.

Don't give in

[homegirl]

7. I'm with

you. The GOP follows their 11th Commandment, always! Which is why Trump is still in the White House.

Always want to thank you for keeping FDR's photo on your posts. Best president of my long life. PEACE.

[Demsrule86]

9. Good, we won't need a GOP LT governor...and we shouldn't reward the damn GOP over this sort of thing

I do not defend what Northam did (horrible)...but it was 35 years ago. Can people evolve?

[jrthin]

12. Thirty-five years ago was 1984! In 1984 decent people understood

the evils of racism and its symbolisms, i.e., blackface and kkk uniform.

[Pisces]

21. He selected the photo even if he's not in it. He needs to resign. Why would anyone defend this crap

[oldsoftie]

36. But the Lt Gov is also a Democrat. What do they gain by him resigning? A Dem would still run VA

And if it was NOT him, why did he apologize for it the day before? Wouldn't you or I have said from the start, "Its not me in that photo".

Who never looks at their own yearbook photos?

[groundloop]

2. now he doesn't think it's him - THAT is a fatal mistake, he just totally fucked up

OK, right off the bat let it be known that I did some stupid shit while I was in college and in the 30 or so years since have drastically changed the way I look at the world. I was almost kinda' sorta' giving him somewhat of a pass just for the fact that (like me) college students can be influenced by those around them to do things they later realize are ignorant and hurtful. HOWEVER, this latest statement totally turns me against him..... he must resign.

[JudyM]

3. That photo takes up a good share of his yearbook page. If it had bothered him, he'd remember.

[bitterross]

16. Since you know so much can I get the lotto numbers?

How the hell do you know a damn about what he knows, remembers and what bothers him?

You don't you've just joined the lynch mob against him. For ONE picture.

Did you look at his voting record? Did you see he overwhelmingly votes in favor measures that benefit African Americans?

No, you didn't.

[JudyM]

33. Um, looks like you might be the one who doesn't know.

I spent many, many days getting out the vote for him, did you? I’m not looking to “lynch” him (a less than sensitive choice of term on your part in this context) but I don’t think making fun of AA’s experience is the least bit humorous, and clearly that’s what he was doing.

I’ll tell you I’d damned well have known if someone posted a photo of me like that on my yearbook page. I’d have been revolted. And I would not have wondered, hm, was that me or wasn’t it?

If a rethug had done this we’d be all over them for it. We should not have a double standard. That’s what integrity is.

[bitterross]

34. So you're one pic away from any loyalty?

I'm not suggesting one should ever, ever pledge loyalty to a person. Especially since we see that is what Trump requires.

I'm just totally shocked one cannot at all give another person the benefit of the doubt.

You say you worked for him. To get out the vote for him.

I suspect you did that because you saw him as a person who consistently voted for the rights of women and minorities. Because that is EXACTLY what he has done.

His actions in the last decade should far outweigh his idiocy as a college kid 3 decades ago.

I have no respect for anyone who would say they support a person, obviously on their more recent actions, and then throw them under the bus for something stupid they did 30 years ago. If that is even him.

You just tell me what an upstanding, perfect person you were 30 years ago. How you never, ever sided with the wrong side of history then. How you never, ever discriminated against anyone. How you have nothing for which you should ask forgiveness.

I'm an atheist but I believe whole-hardheartedly in the Bible verse "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

Just as soon as you are so freaking holy you pick up a shinny stone to throw.

[JudyM]

35. Your anger is making you see words that were not said.

And apparently our Commonwealth’s most senior democratic leadership would fall to your hostile accusations as well:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142258722

[IronLionZion]

4. He doesn't know if it includes him?

He knows. This is very disappointing.

[homegirl]

5. The GOP always

follows the ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT. A Tactic Democrats should learn to utilize.

This is the Al Franken story repeat!

Investigate, call a committee, hold hearings and the reportedly "liberal" media should keep the coverage to bare minimum, not drill it for two days-round the clock!

[Fuzzpope]

6. Live streaming

Career suicide.

[underpants]

8. He was done after this anyway

Can't run for another term. At least not in 2021.

He was going to go back to his practice or semi-retire and make the money lobbying that all ex- Va Govs make. Even a dumbass like Gilmore.

[Jarqui]

10. Northam refuses to shake hands with black opponent EW Jackson

Link to tweet

https://www.facebook.com/ewjacksonsr/posts/2035807636513874

E.W. Jackson
19 hrs ·
It has been discovered that Ralph Northam, Gov. of VA has pictures in black face and a KKK outfit. During a campaign for Lt. Gov of VA, he refused to shake my hand after a TV debate. If he had been a conservative and I a black liberal, it would have been national news and he would have been driven from the race. Because he is a leftist like most in the media, it did not even get a mention in the MSM. Stand by for my live comments.

[Pisces]

20. He needs to resign NOW!! It's him in the photo. Why would this picture be in his yearbook.

[cstanleytech]

11. I honestly how no issues with him deciding to stay as it was not a crime.

Disrespectful and ignorant as fuck? Yes, but not a crime,
Besides the only peoples opinion that matters are the people that vote in that state as they are the ones that have to live with the consequences no matter if its a vote for governor or a vote for someone running for city council.

[Ferryboat]

14. Agree

It will be the voters of the state who should be the ones to drive him from office if they choose to.

As someone elsewhere pointed out, what is going to happen to next generation of leaders when everything you post on social media is fair game. Those stupid things done in youth that all of us would cringe at if it became widespread public knowledge.

Why are we doing the work for republicans driving democrats from office?

[jrthin]

15. Unfortunately, all democrats have to live with the consequence of

him engaging in hateful symbolism. Were he to remain in office, he gives credence to the both side-ism argument; republicans are bigots and racists and democrats are bigots and racists. Trust me, this picture will be used in the 2020 election. Furthermore, this is not a local issue; it is, as it should be, a national issue.

I loath the its awful but it's not a crime argument. This reasoning has helped lead us to where we now are in history. This type of reasoning has led us to the vulgar politicians who now lead this country...case in point, the vermin in the WH.

[Jarqui]

13. Some of those who have weighed in

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Jarqui]

17. Northam says he'd ban sanctuary cities if one ever appears in Virginia

https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/northam-says-he-d-ban-sanctuary-cities-if-one-ever/article_f7284d85-4de8-5ac2-b2ad-9564074a6480.html

[alp227]

19. But he ultimately vetoed a bill that would've done so

In April 2018.

[Turbineguy]

18. Maybe he'll switch parties.

Trump's base eat that shit up.

[Rollo]

22. When I was a kid in the 50's, my older sister and her friend donned blackface for Halloween...

This was in a small New England town, but I later found out it was not immune to racism. I was too young to understand what it was. It was just described to me that they were dressing as "bums", but that did not explain the charcoal on their faces.

I do remember my sister getting hell from our mom for the outfit - she was very displeased about it.

However, fast forward, and my sister eventually married a person of color and had two nice kids with him. People make mistakes when they are younger; some people are able to change.

I don't know Northam well but it appears to me his record since medical school has been exemplary particularly with regard to civil rights. I think Mark Twain described the slow awakening process in Huck Finn, where he finally began to accept runaway slave Jim as a fellow human. We are a long way from that era, but people can and do change if we take some effort to open their eyes and minds.

[0rganism]

23. Wreck-it Ralph

when it comes to destroying anti-Trump Democratic momentum, he's the best

[YOHABLO]

24. Let the people who voted for him to decide. Fellow Dems, don't be distracted. Stay focused.

[OldManTarHeel]

26. I Voted For Him . . . He Needs to Resign !

He'll only drag the Virginia democratic party down if he does not, and give the pubbies ammunition against us, he's literally dead weight at this point, and his PR campaign over this debacle has been the absolute worst.

[Clash City Rocker]

27. It wasn't boorish, it was racist

Stop trying to put a happy face on this. You can argue that he’s changed his ways since, but the people here who try to make this seem like an innocent mistake really piss me off. Call it what it was, it was racist.

[onetexan]

28. Well put. We don't need to lose another good Democrat. Northam apologized. Let's take it and

stop demanding his resignation. This is ridiculous!

[fountainofyouth]

31. What's wrong with the black Lt. Governor who would take his place?

He's a perfectly "good Democrat," no? Since apparently that's the only metric we're using to evaluate our elected officials.

[onetexan]

32. Nothing's wrong with the Lt. Gov. The problem is

Many people are too eager to throw a good Dem under the bus because of something foolish he did 35 years ago. Since then there hasnt been anything that has surfaced to point that he harmed anyone or discriminated against anybody. Everyone makes mistakes. The guy was 25 years old for God's sake. Dont tell me you havent done anything foolish in your life.

[IphengeniaBlumgarten]

29. Is a recall feasible?

His explanation, roughly: I'm sure it wasn't me because I clearly remember another time I was in blackface but I don't remember the time that is recorded in the photo.

That is a pretty awful excuse, but he is resisting resignation. Maybe VA voters ought to start a recall drive. Is this feasible? No one seems to have mentioned it.

[OldManTarHeel]

30. Senators Kaine & Warner Along w/ Rep. Scott Are All Calling for Northam to Resign . .

As he should . . !

[atreides1]

37. Justin Fairfax is next!

https://wtkr.com/2019/02/04/lt-gov-justin-fairfax-responds-to-report-hinting-at-allegations-of-sexual-assault/

[Marcuse]

38. The plot sickens...

[Seeking Serenity]

39. Why is this a national story?

Shouldn't this be up to the people in Virginia? Why are people who don't live in Virginia demanding his resignation (or demanding he not resign)?

[ROB-ROX]

40. This is another GOP plot

THE PICTURES WERE TAKEN YEARS AGO. A PERSON CAN CHANGE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. IF HE WAS BAD I THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOP. I THINK HE SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE TIME TO EXPLAIN AND PROVE HE HAS CHANGED....SCREW THE GOP WITH THEIR RACIST CRAP...

[0rganism]

41. i hope his stubbornness is a holding operation to protect the lt. gov

at this point, i have no doubt of 2 things:
1. gov. Northam is an insensitive unrepentant asshole who didn't think his antics from the 80s were a big deal
and
2. the VA Republicans are staging a soft coup to take over the governorship

[tonekat]

42. The Democratic Self-Destruct Sequence

Seems to be activated.

Real racism is legislating to restrict the rights of certain communities. Gerrymandering is one form of it. Restricting the ability of certain communities to vote is racist.

Poor taste when being "one of the boys", while repulsive doesn't indicate an active desire to repress one part of society.