A lot of people aren't laughing at some funny money sold at the Evergreen State Fair. Barack Obama supporters were stunned when they saw fake $3 bills featuring a picture of Obama wearing an Arab headdress being sold at the Republican Party booth. "I said this is really a terrible thing to display, and one woman behind the booth representing the Republicans said 'yep,' and smiled, and stared at me," said Democrat volunteer Susan Ronkin. As complaints poured in, Republican leaders stopped selling the bills, but they weren't sure who supplied them. Today, Republican activist Bob Clark of Monroe told the P-I he was the one behind the bills. He shared the apology he emailed to Snohomish County Republican Party chairwoman Geri Modrell:
Several weeks ago, I ran across a website call slick.com and saw the $3 Obama bills and ordered some. As you know, I was in charge of stocking the fair booth with campaign information about all the candidates, bumper stickers, buttons, and etc. When I was putting it all together in boxes, I threw in the bills. ...
I now recognize how offensive they are and I want to apologize to anyone who justifiably takes offense at them.... Campaigns sometimes get really heated and intense and that's no excuse but still I hope you will see it in your heart to forgive me.
The Snohomish County Republican Party said all the bills are gone frome the booth and will not re-appear. "It's done as far as I'm concerned. It's been overblown. I don't want to beat up sincere volunteers who thought they were doing something funny. Bad judgment," said Modrell.
Several weeks ago, I ran across a website call slick.com and saw the $3 Obama bills and ordered some. As you know, I was in charge of stocking the fair booth with campaign information about all the candidates, bumper stickers, buttons, and etc. When I was putting it all together in boxes, I threw in the bills. ...
I now recognize how offensive they are and I want to apologize to anyone who justifiably takes offense at them.... Campaigns sometimes get really heated and intense and that's no excuse but still I hope you will see it in your heart to forgive me.
The Snohomish County Republican Party said all the bills are gone frome the booth and will not re-appear. "It's done as far as I'm concerned. It's been overblown. I don't want to beat up sincere volunteers who thought they were doing something funny. Bad judgment," said Modrell.
How fitting that I can't easily find contact information for this sleazeball online. I'm sure this kind of smear plays well in white supremacist circles, where Bob Clark is probably now regarded as "an American hero". I'm an independent voter who's pulled the plug on the Republican party, for their repeated attempts (like this one) to offend my sensibilities. Goodbye, Republicans...Hello Obama!!!
I don't really understand the problem. If you didn't want one of these you didn't buy one. It's not like they were handed out or stuck on your windshield.
I grew up in Monroe, WA and was one of the few African-Americans who lived there during the 80s into the early 90s. It's a beautiful area, there are nice people there, but mostly I'm not surprised. I was often taunted by classmates who would fling their best "ebonics" phrases at me in an attempt to elicit some sort of reaction. It wasn't unusual for me to have the "N" word directed at me or my family. The only place I can imagine they learned these words is from their parents and I would guess that for some those same attitudes are still prevalent. I'm not angry or bitter about my personal experience, if anything it made me a stronger person who strives to treat people fairly, but this is totally unacceptable and only emphasizes the perpetuation of ignorance that occurs in many homogeneous areas.
I find Ms. Modrell's apathetic stance and lack of action truly reflective of the cultural insensitivity prevalent in that majority area. What would have happened if minority participants had sold money with an illustration of McCain wearing a Klansman outfit, or Palin's face photo-shopped on a gun toting pit bull with hockey sticks with the caption "redneck"? Seriously, how would fair organizers and the city officials have reacted, then? The worst thing you can do in instances like these is nothing and that doesn't fix anything. Yes, there was a sincere mistake, but it was born out of sincere ignorance. So, where's the assurance that this will never happen again? I'm glad I live somewhere where people are more sensitive to, appreciate, and embrace diversity. There's a difference between the sharp jokes of a hot and heavy political race and just tacky, baseless, racist actions.