(Image Source: The Telegraph)
BY TRACY PFEIFFER
ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO
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A member of the Orange County Republican Party in California is facing calls for her resignation over an email she sent depicting President Barack Obama as a baby chimpanzee.
REPORTER, VOICE OVER: “She says she meant it to be ‘funny.’ This picture showing President Obama as part of a family of apes was emailed by Orange County Republican official and Tea Party member Marilyn Davenport. Along with the picture, she wrote, ‘Now you know why no birth certificate.’”(KNBC)
Other GOP officials -- including the chair of the Orange County Republican Party -- have been quick to condemn the email, calling it quote- “dripping with racism.”
After OC Weekly broke the story, Davenport defended herself by saying it was just a joke, and later sent an apology email, saying...
“I simply found it amusing regarding the character of Obama and all the questions surrounding his origin of birth … In no way did I even consider the fact he's half black when I sent out the email. In fact, the thought never entered my mind until one or two other people tried to make this about race."
The email goes on to compare the picture with similar images of George W. Bush during his presidency -- but in a statement, a member of the California chapter of NAACP explains, they’re two very different issues.
REPORTER, READING TEXT: “History has shown that blacks have been depicted in this fashion in the past to degrade African Americans as not human. Anyone who does not know this history is either ignorant, had their head buried in the sand, or as we at the NAACP believe, simply racist.”(KABC)
Finally, a writer for the Baltimore Sun says, he might be able to give Davenport some benefit of the doubt since she was caught up in the birther conspiracy aspect of the picture -- but prefers she didn’t try to sugarcoat it.
“...if she's so out of touch with reality that she couldn't see how picturing the country's first African-American president as a chimp could be considered racist, she should resign due to transparent stupidity. I'd almost rather her say: ‘Yes, it's a racial joke. But sometimes racial humor is funny’ … At least that would be honest.”
Members of the Orange County Republican Party say they’ve reviewed the bylaws and cannot force Davenport to resign, but will continue to ask for her voluntary resignation.
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