Progressive Leadership in Virginia

One does not have to be sympathetic when an arrogant, malicious, sanctimonious scoundrel gets a comeuppance, but one should be fair. Racism is the belief that the  members of some races are intrinsically superior or inferior because of their membership in the race. It is not just anything that offends a black politician or some nitwits on social media. Racial prejudice is belief in  judging someone on the basis of his race rather than his individual characteristics and behavior. It is not just  anything that offends a black politician or some nitwits on social media.  Virginia governor Northam’s appearance in a photo in 1984 dressed as either a Ku Kluxer or in blackface as an undignified looking  black man is not proof of either. It could have been only  a  crude and tasteless attempt to be funny. Most of us have tried to be funny in crude or tasteless ways about one thing or another at one time or another, and the 1980s were a far less puritanical and uptight  time than the present.  Northam is a loathsome character even by the standards of his trade, and Virginia would be better off if he were run out of office, but in a sane world he would not be hounded out for this.

Still some of it is  amusing.  There is poetic justice in  is having  a so-called rising star of the Democratic party get taken down for a thirty five year old violation of the canons or political correctness in a yearbook.  It was fine fun  to see those objective,  sharp eyed newshawks at CNN tell their audience that he was a Republican, as was watching other active or potential candidates for the Democrats’ nomination for the presidency in 2020 righteously denounce a possible  rival. It has been a hoot to see him admit he is in the photo and apologize, and then change his mind and deny it when things got really hot.

It also is interesting that the old photo is what caused the commotion among Democrats, rather than his statement seeming to approve of  post-delivery infanticide.  Some people believe abortion is a crime, and some do not, but all civilized people should agree that killing a viable, new born  infant is a crime. That he apparently does not see it that way is a far better reason for pushing him to resign in disgrace than a picture in a yearbook.   That other politicians in his party have not disagreed with him in public on that reveals a lot about them – none of it good.