Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski is no longer an Illinois Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention.
Obama’s campaign called Ramirez-Sliwinski and persuaded her to step aside as a delegate because the campaign felt her remarks were “divisive and unacceptable.”
“We discussed it with her and given the incident, she decided to step down,” said Ben LaBolt, a spokesman for Obama. “She will be replaced as a delegate.”
“The incident” also earned her a $75 ticket for disorderly conduct, a scolding from the ACLU, tut-tutting’s from assorted academics, and it placed her career as a member of the Carpentersville Board of Trustees in grave jeopardy.
Ramirez-Sliwinski’s next-door neighbors, Dametta Stewart and Georgia Lockett … [their] sons were climbing a tree in front of the Stewart house … Georgia Lockett, who lives next door to Stewart, said she heard the whole thing and called the police.
“Why would anyone speak to a kid like that? I feel that was a racist statement,” Lockett said Sunday. …
“My comment was, ‘This is not a tree for them to be climbing in like monkeys,'” she said, adding that she calls her own grandchildren monkeys. “I would have said the same thing if they were Mexican kids.”
The Board’s only Hispanic member, Ramirez-Sliwinski was already on thin ice as a result of her opposition to English-only and anti-immigrant crackdown measures … plus, her failed attempt to expel a member convicted of assaulting his wife with a baseball bat.
In these times, it should be all about respecting people’s differences and staying away from words that could set them off, said Tim Johnson, a sociology professor at Judson University.
Some people just don’t fit in.
Filed under: Barack Obama, culture |
The Confluence 
WOW.
It’s going to be really sad, should The Precious get the nomination and he and his folks are subjected to actual and horrific racism by Republicans…
This is not good – I’m starting to censure myself when I write anything on-line for fear of being called a racist. I have never felt that way before and I resent it.
What is happening is that I no longer feel like I want to reach out and understand anymore as I feel more and more bombarded with concern over what I say and feel.
This is not good.
Chelsea Clinton was just colloquial. Yep, that’ll work.
They give tickets for calling kids “monkeys” now? I don’t understand why the police got involved.
Oops my last comment got cut off, what I meant to say was that the same people that consider this a heinous racist offense probably thought that using the expression “pimped out” in reference to Chelsea Clinton was just colloquial.
And here I thought Obama 08 = McGovern 72 or Mondale 84 or Dukakis 88. Turns out Obama 08 = Ari Fleischer 01 (“Watch what you say, watch what you do” ).
One can only imagine what an Obama (“We are who we have been waiting for.”) administration will look like. Any criticism will be translated into “racism” and the media will again be cowed into submission. Monkeys do swing from trees and apparently the mothers have not shown any interest in teaching their offspring to respect boundaries. With that, everybody get on board the Obama Express for “change”.
How did she end up an Obama delegate? She sounds far too sensible for me.
Maybe she should have said squirrells instead of monkeys but I mean, jeez, it’s just a simile. Better yet, she should have just upped her homeowner’s insurance and let them break their necks.
… Mama called the doctor and the doctor said:
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
When monkeys are outlawed, only outlaws will have monkeys.
I’m confused about the police too. Why were they called?
My favorite place in my old Bronx neighborhood park was the “monkey bars”. That’s what they were called. If Obama wins, late night comedians will have to give it up. Hillary can be mocked and ridiculed but Obama will cry “racism”. This is so sad! I feel we will be going back to the 60’s if Obama wins the presidency. Racism was not supposed to be an issue until the Obama people made it one.
ronk: Well, *that* song is now banned from Kinder Care. Thanks a lot, Obama.
“When monkeys are outlawed, only outlaws will have monkeys.”
Truer words were never spoken, Ron.
I called my own kids and nephews “monkeys” when they were climbing on trees and things.
Jeebus, “political correctness” has run amok.
Over at Balloon Juice we started referring to Obama as the Magic Unity Pony or “MUP”
This was not meant to be derogatory and was (and still is) used by his supporters.
Then one day somebody objected to the term, claiming it was racist.
The Obama supporters made fun of the commenter.
Not everything is racist.
Is this the new McCarthyism?
Shainzona,
Agreed. I hate the way I have to filter everything I say for fear of saying something inappropriate. Nothing like reaching out to everyone in a voice of unity. Where’s my unity pony?
Sweet JM&J. Ok. SO. She told kids to “Stop acting like monkeys and get out of the neighbors tree”……and……she has to “stepdown”. This is not near as big a deal as it has been played out to be. She was a “regional” delegate. She went to the caucus for her precinct and voulunteered to go thru all the hoops and possibly go to the National Convention. Shes just a regular “Joe” if ya will. Any way. This is dumb. Cops should not be called over someone refferring to unruly children as “Monkeys”. That is not a slanderous statement. It is pessimistic, angry people with too much time on their hands that make big issues out of nothing. Let’s move on. The neighbors don’t get along…and….this never should have made it into a “national” news report or whatever. Slow news day I guess.
Unbelievable.
Wow, must really not be a fan.
Do I have to take “No More Monkeys Jumping On The Bed” out of our evening reading rotation? I’m hoping it’s still OK, since for some reason I didn’t get the nod as an Obama delegate.
So, she can’t say words that some consider racist, but a guy assaulting his wife with a baseball bat is just fine? He wasn’t booted off!?!
Wow! Just wow!
This is the new liberal fascism if the Obama wing of the Democratic party takes over.
Watch what you say. Don’t compare kids to monkeys.
These are the squakings of a minority that is becoming even more marginalized. Hispanics will soon be the majority in the US with whites the largest minority. AAs will be relegated to about the same influence gays have in the party, roughly none.
Instead of calling for unity, AAs want to demonize gays. Donna Brazile called including gays in matters of equal rights, “an afront to the civil-rights movement”. Obama has several anti-gay preachers in his campaign. Repeated calls for him to distance himself from these divisive figures have gone unheeded. Why? He is counting on AA support, and his calculus shows gays are not popular in those circles.
All my gay friends have turned against Obama because of his gay-baiting with the AA community. I hope others will too. If he is the nominee, look for more calls of racism. By the end of his campaign, anyone not supporting him will be branded that way.
This is so scary!
Helloooo! kids are called “monkeys” – and they climb on “monkey bars” on playgrounds.
I don’t get the Tiger Woods “racist slur” either.
But expecting the public to walk on eggshells over “perceived” racist statements – and finding the police at their door – is scary.
>>>>If he is the nominee, look for more calls of racism. By the end of his campaign, anyone not supporting him will be branded that way
Mawm – I’m afraid you are correct.
Last summer, Obamabots labeled the Edwardses as racist and sexist. During the SC debate – Obama made a very demeaning and condescending remark about Edwards. No apology ever given.
And yet Obamabots wonder why Edwards didn’t endorse Obama.
I hope Elizabeth Edwards speaking out now about UHC will help Hillary.
Splashy – not familiar with the baseball bat story.
How did she end up an Obama delegate? She sounds far too sensible for me. Maybe she should have said squirrells instead of monkeys but I mean, jeez, it’s just a simile. Better yet, she should have just upped her homeowner’s insurance and let them break their necks.
Wonder if it’s too late to get her elected a delegate for Hillary somehow.
Ahhhhh….the sixties! Hope my entire memory won’t have to be erased. Jeez…and what about evilution, fer crissakes…no monkeys?? Sigh…this is sick…
YouTube – The Monkees (Theme)
The Monkees theme song! (more). Added: February 10, 2006. The …
Watch video – 49 sec –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0FUvLfxyp0
Margaret, it’s in the blog post we are commenting on:
“The Board’s only Hispanic member, Ramirez-Sliwinski was already on thin ice as a result of her opposition to English-only and anti-immigrant crackdown measures … plus, her failed attempt to expel a member convicted of assaulting his wife with a baseball bat.”
She tried to get the member expelled, but failed. Ergo, the member that assaulted his wife with a baseball bat was Ok, but she was not.
Amazing!
Krugman, evidently also racist –
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2008/04/krugmans_obama_problem.cfm
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i am not concerned about being called a racist because i’m not one. i will use the word monkey in the right context if i so choose to do so. i would have made those folks fire me, and then i would have sued them. but that’s me!