This is kind of a fascinating story I found at the blog Booker Rising that got me to thinking about how conservatives always accuse non-conservative blacks of playing the mythical "race card."
The so-called "race card" was brought up again as part of a political battle being fought in Arizona's third congressional district in a Republican primary. The battle is between Ben Quayle (who is white), son of former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle, and a man named Vernon Parker, who happens to be black (you will see the significance of the racial factors quite quickly).
The two are going at it and have exchanged more than a few jabs that you can read about in the link provided below. But, something significant was said by Ben Quayle, who uttered the following: "(Parker could) quickly become the national poster boy for the Democratic Party" when it comes to unethical politicians."
Parker's camp soon claimed racism. I didn't see it or hear it at first, but whatever.
Here is an excerpt from an Arizona Capitol Times reporter's blog:
Quayle said if Parker wins the primary election he would be a “national poster boy” for the Democratic Party, paving the way for a Democrat, presumably Jon Hulburd, to win the general election.That’s when things got dirty.
Parker spokesman Jason Rose issued a press release saying Quayle called Parker “boy,” a racially charged word against African Americans.
“To have the 33-year-old son of one of the wealthiest families in America refer to a leading Republican African American as ‘boy’ is over the top,” Rose said.
The only thing “over the top” is Rose issuing that statement.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous. ‘Poster boy’ has absolutely no racial content to it. It was just to say that if elected in the primary then he would be somebody who was emblematic of bad ethical behavior,” Quayle said.
OK, now I get it. I don't agree with it, but at least I understand where the Parker folks are coming from with the allegation.
Quayle is in a little hot water ... maybe not boiling, but it is heating up. There have been calls on him to issue an apology for his words.
This is, to say the very least, a reach. Saying "
In this context, "boy" clearly is not used in a racist way.
Sorry Vernon, I can't black you up on this one. From what I read, you're wrong.
