They Hate Me Here
This email was addressed to our club president and CC'd to me last night. I added a link for reference but otherwise the email is exactly as received. Errors and all.
Dear Allison,
We have always considered you to be a friend and that you would have had our support when you ran for office. We appreciate your willingness to organize the Dem Club dinners, line up speakers, moderate the sessions, etc. It can be a hard, thankless job sometimes.
We would like to invite you to a meeting with the DLI in regards to the Hispanic people who stood up last Thursday night and objected to the transparent racial profiling on which the so-called Human Trafficking law is based. And your comments regarding the blog by Katherine Durkin-Robinson (forwarded to us second-hand). Of course Katerine is also invited. We will meet Saturday Oct 27th at Dem Headquarters 2pm.
Allison, we must say to you that we're not talking about anything "Funny" as you seem to think it is. The ad hominen attacks are actually vicious in nature and the comments about "Mexicans" are borderline racist. I think that this person is out of line in her blog comments, as most of the respondents seemed to indicate (read the whole thing on the website). And when you speak as the Dem Club President and encourage people to read it, you are not only giving this message a platform you are endorsing it.
I cannot imagine similar derogatory comments made about Black people as a group, or gays and lesbians as a a group, by any Democrat. If such things were said, this person would be immediately called a racist or a homophobe. The comments would most certainly not have been forwarded on so others may read and laugh along. But it seems that "Mexicans" are fair game for racist attacks. We want to tell you that the remarks on this blog were personal attacks. Is that clear?
So, Allison, this is not FUNNY. We may agree to disagree about the impact of racial profiling laws on brown-skinned people, but we must do it civilly. For you to pass this on to a Democrat email list and call it "funny" is not the right thing to do.
We think that this can be corrected and we can all move on. But how do we do that? That's what we would like to speak with you about.
See? This email and that video circulating the Internet are two very important reasons why I'll never run for office.
When people come to an event, disrespect a police officer who's speaking out of the goodness of his heart - they deserve a joke or two.
I am especially shocked that this email went out to dozens upon dozens of people I've never met, interpreting my comments out of context and shouting "racism" where none exists.
Libel and slander at its best. I'll post my reply later today.
Over the years, I've made fun of
- blacks,
- Jews,
- Irish Catholics,
and bowel movements.
Not to mention right-wing Republicans. Every day.
I can only assume that such teasing is acceptable only so long as my targets are *other people*. The minute I poke fun at *you*, it's not so goddamn funny, is it?
Take my work as a whole before overreacting. I'm actually on your side.
Read the article I wrote for the Trib defending the rights of immigrants.
Real racists who raked me over the coals for such views are probably laughing their asses off right now.
And I love how this group wants to meet with me on the Sabbath. How culturally sensitive.
If they throw in free wine, though, I'm there.
posted by kate @ 9:32 AM
14 comments
14 Comments:
A) You're comments WERE funny.
B) "we must do it civilly" - does that include the disrespectful berating of an officer of the law?
C) Calling people of Mexican decent "Mexicans" is not racist.
D) Go Rockies.
Look - I have friends that have been pulled over because of the color of their skin. And THAT is no laughing matter. But to dump all of your anger on one person, who does not even make the laws, is pointless. And now you're jumping on someone (Katerine?) who is on your side. Why don't you take that anger and put it into something constructive, like a respectful conversation with legislators or a letter-writing effort to the Governor. And try using a little humor.
p.s. The Repugs just love it when we fight amongst ourselves.....
That Dem Dinner post is hilarious!
Screw 'em.
BTW, I've lived in the Springs for 6 mind-numbing years now and the District 11 meetings have always been freakshows that make the local news. They've apparently infected the Dem meetings now.
I live in the apathetic D49 area and have been thinking of going to one of the D11 meetings just for the entertainment.
watch out you don't get a cross burned in your yard.
Your comments where not funny and personal. I was there and it was civil, no one was disrespectful toward the officer including the hispanic AMERICANS.
I am shocked someone calling themselves a Dem-Activist would intentionally write untrue comments and call it race riot at the Dem-Club meeting. Get your facts straight and speak the truth of what happened at the Dem meeting. Don't twist it to suit your hidden agenda.
I am especially shocked the link to this blog was sent to everyone that attended the meeting that night besides the ones of hispanic descent. Was it not meant for them to see it?
The people you took jabs at don't know you, but you took it upon yourself to name call.
Don't know what your intentions are. Makes me uneasy that people like you still think backwards in the Dem-party.
'We may agree to disagree about the impact of racial profiling laws on brown-skinned people'
I never saw anyone say that they are for racial profiling laws. In fact, I would wager that Catherine is flat-out against any such laws.
If you really think Catherine's comments were "racist" or "personal" attacks then you ain't been around.
Oh my…Kate… I am so sorry for you …this whole mess is paints a very ugly picture for the Colorado Springs “Democrats”. scary!
Personally, I think they were wrong in only focusing on “Latinos” in regards to human trafficking and the sex trade. This horrible inhumane ‘trade’ does not target any one race or religion. The local Democrats are good for wanting to stop it, but naïve (or raciest?) to think that Latinos are the only target.
Are they choosing to attack you due to their faulty meeting, possibly in a vain attempt to cover up their racial mishap?
Maybe they should do a bit more research:
www.antislavery.org/homepage/antislavery/trafficking.htm
and/or watch
www.crashfilm.com
(for inspiration)
F*#@ 'em if they can't take a joke, Kate! You rock!
'Bout time the so-called Democrats in Colorado Springs got a shake up. I've lived in this hole for 7 1/2 years and have yet to see any Democrats come together for anything - especially an election.
Nice to see you have Klansmen reading your site...
(didn't know they could read)!
sable - if my sources are correct (and I trust them intimately), the officer at the meeting was trying to explain that human trafficking is not just a Hispanic/Latino/Mexican issue. Of course, some people are only interested in issues that affect them.
I find it personally satisfying (if not particularly explainable) to fight for what is right, whether it affects me or not.
Meh, fuck 'em if they can't take a joke. I thought it was funny and sorta made me want to move to CS just for the entertainment value.
I mean, no offense, but if you're their biggest fish to fry, then they've really had a pretty easy run.
"hispanic AMERICANS"
I love how you put this in caps, like we did not know that you are Americans. Doy. Get a life.
I like the post, have the brains to recognize satire, and laughed heartily taking it all with a grain of salt.
To bad self-appointed Latino leaders like Joe "to chicken-shit to call himself José" Barrera are wasting there time yelling at some random State Patrolman and not really advocating for their people. LOVED the comment about the mousse, Joe's a dork.
I've supported amnesty for illegal immigrants, health care and education for their children. And yet - when I make a few jokes, I'm a racist.
What horseshit.
Humor is subjective, Anonymous. So if you don't like mine, that's okay. Go elsewhere.
I like mine. And so do a few others. And that's good enough for me.
I never called anyone a dork. I simply poked fun.
Cause poking *is* fun.
So lighten up, people.
Maybe the Dems in Colorado need to focus more on getting Congress to stop funding this illegal war Mr. Bush got us into with his lies. Maybe they should be up in arms about all the young men and women dying every day, the billions and billions we are spending on the war and not spending on universal healthcare, our country's infrastructure, education. Maybe they should act on holding this president and his administration administration accountable for all the lies, spying, CIA outings that have gone in since W. took office.....Nah, that would be too hard...Attack Kate...yeah that's easy.
Oh and by the way, my last name is Vega.....
I am pleased that tyher majorityy of the emails responding to thre democratic meeting were supportive pf kate, as the initial barrage was not. Sad oart is that most of the negative ones were annonymous - he sure does get around which must be difficult without a backbone.
"Noone was disrepsctful to the police office including the police officer" That is a paraphrase of "Anonnonymous" When the first words out of someones mouth is "Liar", I tend to enjou mousse jokes about that person because tghat person has their own agenda and is dismissive and disrespectful towards other. And ironically wants to be treated as intillengent and with rispect.
Sadly, the police officer said the majority of gilrs being trafficed are oriental which makes the "Latino response even more grotesque in theior response to the "man", the police office who has chosen a profession to protect the public, not harrass the Latino community as those vocal at the meeting would have you think.
It is a question of being open minded and liberal minded which is supposed to be a democratic trait which seemed absent at this meeting among a select group who only care about themselves and have already pronounced sentence. Their disregard for the young girls in this country who are subjected to this violence is abhorent. Everything has to be about them, whether it is or not.
This group, without questioned attacked this police officer and owe him an apology. And Katie has made her self available for you to take your frutrations out against. Shame on you. All of you combined have done a fraction to promote human rights with her actions and printed articles. And she actually signs them so assholes like you can attack her.She n\has more courage than all of you combined.
And as far as the Latino leadership who pronounced guilt on Katie before speaking to her, shame on you. Your hypocracy know no end. You prefer small minded, ignorant bigots being in your numbers as opposed to a vocal supported of all your causes. I disagree with some of Katies positionms because I am a moderate and she is a liberal. And as a liberal who walks the walk, you piss on her, slander and libel her and support bigotted, racist boobs who only think of themself and their groups and feel the world should evolve around them whether it should or not.
It reminds me of of OJ Simpson - set him free because he was one of the juries own, throw justice out with the bath water. If you simply want to defend the abhorent behaviour of your own, it is a free country. You just embarras yourself and lose any credibility you were hoping to garner. How about show some leadership and chastise the behaviour of the horrible actions and bevaiour demonstrated by some of the latino contingent present at the meeting.
Please excuse my typing as I only type with 2 fingers.
And lastly, when it comes to cultural considerration, Katie was magnanimously invited to a meeting that could have been resolved on the phone by a professional adult/leader on her Sabbath - holy day - but know, consideration within the party appears to be dead as has common sense and decency and intelligence.
Again, katie has done more for the democratic party before she moved here than the rest of you pretenders have in your entire carreers. So why not invite her into your inner sanctum to help your party reverse its loosing streak. No...better to eat your own. Suppose that is easy and safer than taking a look in the mirror and being leaders to your own communities and constructively pointing out faults in it to make it stronger and better for future battles.
I guess it would also help to use better judgement in identifying differences between your allies and enemies which currently is a skill the Latino leadership currently lacks.
When one of my own embarrases me or misrepresents what I stand for, I let that person know as opposed to defending their abhorent behaviour. Suggest you take that course before you become completely irrelevant. Learn how to lead as opposed to taking chapters out of Rove's destructive book of repeating lies over and over again until they are believed, the hell with the truth.
OK - rant is over
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