South Carolina GOP activist explains comment comparing Michelle Obama to escaped gorilla

I am a 50-year-old Black male, and usually, not very emotional; but I have to admit that I got so angry behind Rusty DePass' comment about First Lady Michelle Obama that I nearly cried. I do not understand why some people cannot just let go of hatred and ignorance. Rusty DePass is a coward; and an apology is not enough! The fact of the matter is; he is not sorry - he just wanted to get his sick view of Blacks in general in the open, and he took this opportunity to do that. The only thing fools like him understand is removal from whatever office they hold. This is the only resolve I feel is fair at this point. We'll never prosper with nit-wits like this in power! The Obamas are EXTREMELY classy people, and I just don't understand why DePass felt the need to make a comment like this; but then again, how can you rationalize the irrational.

It made me very angry as well. I don't understand these people.

A phone call from Obama will put him in his place. You probably won't hear from him again.

One thing for certain! He is "sorry". Very sorry, ugly personality indeed and there are no excuses. The author is right. You got caught.

Have you ever looked at a gorilla; they have light eyes, thin lips and straight hair. Now, you tell me who looks more like a gorilla?!

I am an English-American, a mother of two grown daughers, and have always been a working mom. I admire Michelle Obama, and am proud to have her as our First Lady. She is beautiful, intelligent, a modern woman juggling a demanding role with being a mother and a wife. Rusty DePass is passe. I am confident that most of the wonderful people in the USA will put his rude comments into proper perspective. I will take Queen Elizabeth's judgment over his.

What a country...a comedian gets slammed for drawing a juxtaposition between an "abstinence until marriage" governor and her 18-year-old unwed pregnant daughter (granted Letterman's joke crossed the line of good taste), but the GOP gets to make these comments about OUR First Lady. Gee, you are right Sarah Palin, there is a double standard.

I'm sorry but I am sickened by this bigot's comments and then his stupidity. I don't think he's a coward because cowards actually are smart enough to run! Good Ol' Boy backroom southern bigotry brought into the limelight once again. Too bad there is no such thing as a public stockade. I think that is where he deserves to spend some time with daily banana rations.

Good ol' boy........my ass! The man is a PIG and a bigot. Who is this dirt bag????? And why give him ANY publicity??????? They love that crap.

if you have ever spent time in the south - I live in middle VA - it is quite possibly the dumbest population you will ever encounter. I say clinically that I live in a functionally retarded community. I could go on and on but suffice it to say there are companies which make a living off of the "stupid factor" (the company's words) in VA. I think this man believed his was a harmless blue joke which goes to show you how utterly stupid southern natives are. They are the embodiment of their bad upbringing - the proof is in the pudding: they are all morbidly obese, ill healthed, and functionally retarded and spiritually void. Christians by declaration but nothing Christlike about them. And on another note, we could not have a more magnificent first lady.

"I think this man believed his was a harmless blue joke which goes to show you how utterly stupid southern natives are." You generalization is just as ignorant and hateful as any other bigoted remark. There are stupid people everywhere, not just in the south.

"I think this man believed his was a harmless blue joke which goes to show you how utterly stupid southern natives are." *Your generalization is just as ignorant and hateful as any other bigoted remark. There are stupid people everywhere, not just in the south.

This is the face of the GOP. He is an old white man from the south, are we supposed to expect anything else? And the Republicans wonder why they can't attract more minorities. I would like to hear Michael Steele spin this.

I date a white dude once and his mother was soooo scared that I was going to get pregnant and ruin her son's life. We were both 18. He went to private school, I didn't. He was in college, I wasn't. I had my own apartment and made more money. We worked at the same job. He's aunt met a black guy and had in his words "hella kids" and was currently on walfare. Never to finish school. I seen him about six years after we broke up. He was currently a waitress, with an AA transfer degree still living at home. Me, a law and justice major with a 3.7 gpa working for Washington state, no welfare with one child. I asked about his mom, and admitted that because I was an inner city youth with two drug addict parents I may have been looking for a way out. LMAO. WOW! what a shocker huh! I still remember the redness of his face when I told him "your mother is ignorant". When I think about it now, I laugh and kiss my kid! Who right now is trying to put black tape on her finger in honor of Irani democracy which she seen on the news. Black finger mommy! When I read this comment, I was beyond pissed off. We can't never get a break. He meant to say exactly what he said, just like every one else. I hate these ill-hearted apologies because we're not children.

Umm, he is a white republican in the Deep South, they all say and feel this way, not at all shocking since most are smart enough to only say it with kindred minds, I guess except to those who think racism is dead.

Having said you were off-base on the Sotomayor pinata cartoon, I want to say that you are absolutely completely right-on this time. This guy is an idiot. No apology is necessary, but it is necessary to get this stupid, racist, idiot statement out in front of the people, because the day is past when this sh*t was acceptable, not just in the "black community" but anywhere.

Why didn't this make the talk shows. No one would touch it yet they scrutinize every thing our President does. So when an ignorant person says something racist, you don't hear it on Fox News at all....hummmmm. Why hasn't the Governor of SC called for his resignation. Is it because he too thinks the same way? What an idiot? Guess what, he is in charge of Elections in the State. What does that say about the vote in SC?

This type of behavior will continue because these people will never be severely punished for their offensive remarks. If a Black person were to make disparaging remarks about Ronald Reagan that referred to him as a sub-human, they would fired and black balled from their jobs. This idiot should lose everything and made to live in Compton for the next five years. Maybe then he'll learn to respect people of color.

And this does not make it into the so called main stream media???

I am a native South Carolinian and I know this man and he has always made ignorant remarks. It is an embarrassment what these people do to our state. He actually holds no position of authority here anymore and as result of his comments hopefully, he will never hold a position of authority again. But, what really gets under my skin, is how black members of the Republican Party come to these racist rescue, such as Mr. McCall of the Rock Hill, SC Republican Club. You never know that there are black members of the SC Republican Party until one of their white members screw up with his racial remarks. How sad, please do not look at my state as if we're all slow, stupid and ignorant.

No Perry, I don't think most of us will judge your state by what one person or a few ignorant types with ignorant behavior carry out. But we will comment because this type of ignorance has gone on to long and now that we are in 2009 it is time for the whole country to grow up. Maybe that's wishful thinking, but I never have lost hope.

Mrs. Reynolds, the fact that he is southern has nothing to do with his comment. And last time I checked, the 1st amendment still gives us freedom of speech whether it offends you, me or anyone else. Fact is, by you sayin that he's southern means that you're implying that he's racist just because he's southern and that offends me. But guess what, the 1st amendment gives you that right to feel that way and say what you feel. i don't agree with it but that's your right. If he were black, bet you wouldn't say anything then.

This is 2009 and its sad to see racism so visible. From the monkey joke to the ape. We have a very, very capable president and a very classic first lady. DePass, along with others scrutinizing their every move and the name calling makes me very angry. Also, instead of the GOP splitting and trying to prove the president wrong, coming up with their own no good plans, they should be working with him. We should keep the Obamas always on our prayer list. This incident with Depass is another reason that I think Clarence Thomas should give up his seat on the supreme court

Ms. Reynolds is apparently living on Mars...where she should be living. Because to answer your question, Ms. Reynolds; It became acceptable to bad rap Mrs. Obama about the same time it became "acceptable" to bad rap Sara Palin. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Your momma & daddy should have taught you that...you cry baby liberal.

Two things @ Olden. First Lady Michelle Obama did not seek public office. Sarah Palin did. Also, to disparage the first lady, whether you like her or not, is tasteless. Sarah Palin trashed herself and the media trashed her too. To say a person looks like an animal is not a political point, it is personal. These are some things your mom might not have told you.

People not from the south confuse a number of issues. I was born and raised in the south. Memphis, TN to be exact. I was in high school when Martin Luther King, Jr. was assasinated. My were the streets that had armed national guards on the corners and a daylight curfew. One thing about the south, is people will let you know where they stand. They are not politically correct, because they tell it like they see it. Just because they are deluded, we endure their delusions when we know they are harmless. Think of it like the process of placing development impaired students in the general population to prevent them from being alientated. You should know by know it does not take a lot of brains to hold local offices in most localities. It would help and be beneficial to the people if the people who did hold office were intelligent, thoughtful, and conversant with all the people they represent. However, in this day and age you only need to be likeable and electable. So we get good ole boys in office. The other point I would like to make is the repeated use of the word ignorance. You should know the difference between ignorance and stupidity. Ignorance is treatable. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge. A person can learn and be better. However, stupidity is terminal. If you live stupid, you will die stupid. You remain stupid in the face of clear knowledge, facts and proofs the oppose your understanding. I do agree the we need to start a national movement and remove stupid people from office because they can not change.

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