Scott Brown Finally Takes Some Responsibility for His Staff Members’ Racist Behavior
Posted: September 26, 2012 Filed under: 2012 elections, open thread, racism, Scott Brown, U.S. Economy, U.S. Politics | Tags: Cherokee Nation, Chief Bill John Baker, Elizabeth Warren 32 Comments
This morning, Principal Chief Bill John Baker of the Cherokee Nation released the following statement in response to the Scott Brown staffers who attacked Brown’s opponent in the Massachusetts Senate race, Elizabeth Warren, with racist “war whoops” and “tomahawk chops” in Boston last weekend.
The Cherokee Nation is disappointed in and denounces the disrespectful actions of staffers and supporters of Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown. The conduct of these individuals goes far beyond what is appropriate and proper in political discourse. The use of stereotypical “war whoop chants” and “tomahawk chops” are offensive and downright racist. It is those types of actions that perpetuate negative stereotypes and continue to minimize and degrade all native peoples.
The individuals involved in this unfortunate incident are high ranking staffers in both the senate office and the Brown campaign. A campaign that would allow and condone such offensive and racist behavior must be called to task for their actions.
The Cherokee Nation is a modern, productive society, and I am blessed to be their chief. I will not be silent when individuals mock and insult our people and our great nation.
We need individuals in the United States Senate who respect Native Americans and have an understanding of tribal issues. For that reason, I call upon Sen. Brown to apologize for the offensive actions of his staff and their uneducated, unenlightened and racist portrayal of native peoples.
Brown first responded by simply releasing a statement George Thomas, a member of the Pequot nation in Massachusetts.
“Being of Native American and African American ancestry, I find it insulting and wrong for Professor Elizabeth Warren to claim minority status as a Native American at Harvard,” Thomas said in the statement. “Professor Warren has never reached out to the Native American community within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to offer an explanation or an apology.”
Thomas said Warren should receive two ‘F’s: one for her failure to apologize, and one for fraudulently presenting herself to Harvard as a Native American.
I believe that Thomas made this statement some time ago–before the racist demonstration last Saturday. In addition, there is no evidence that Warren used her Native American ancestry for personal gain.
In any case, someone must have put heavy pressure on Brown, because this evening he released another statement that called the behavior of his staff “unacceptable.”
After a second day in which a video of racist behavior by his staff members threatened to overwhelm his re-election bid, Senator Scott P. Brown’s campaign issued a statement Wednesday evening saying he “regrets” what he called “unacceptable” behavior.
He also issued a verbal warning to his staff members who participated in the tomahawk chops and Indian war whoops — and to all of his staff — that such conduct would not be tolerated, according to a statement from his office.
The statement, from his spokeswoman, Alleigh Marre, follows:
“Senator Brown has spoken to his entire staff – including the individuals involved in this unacceptable behavior – and issued them their one and only warning that this type of conduct will not be tolerated. As we enter the final stretch of this campaign, emotions are running high, and while Senator Brown can’t control everyone, he is encouraging both sides to act with respect. He regrets that members of his staff did not live up to the high standards that the people of Massachusetts expect and deserve.”
I doubt that Brown wanted to do this, and he sure didn’t have the guts to stand up and say it himself. If he does ever appear in public again, perhaps a member of the press could ask him where he got the psychic power to determine an individual’s ethnic heritage by simply looking at him or her. I’m not sure how George Thomas does it either.
Meanwhile, Warren received the endorsement of the Firefighters’ Union today.
Flanked by firefighters in front of a station in South Boston, Elizabeth Warren accepted the endorsement of the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts and said she would stand by them if elected to the U.S. Senate.
“This race is not about what kind of truck you drive. It’s not about what jacket you wear. It’s about how you vote, and Scott Brown has turned his back on firefighters,” Warren told the crowd on Wednesday morning.
In the 2010 special election, there was some opposition within the organization to supporting Brown’s opponent, Attorney General Martha Coakley. The endorsement of Warren was unanimous, according to PFFM President Ed Kelly, whose union represents 12,000 firefighters.
Go, Liz, Go!!!
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
The news articles are calling attention to the fact that Chief Baker has supported Democrats in the past. I fail to see what that has to do with this. The behavior by Brown’s staff was clearly racist, and Bakers speaks for the Cherokee Nation, not just himself.
Greg Mitchell @GregMitch
2nd video surfaces, Scott Brown still with no apology on Indian mockery, just “regrets.” http://bit.ly/S09kT1
(notice it’s not characterized as an apology)
and Robert Reich @RBReich
The GOP now so firmly associated with nativism, homophobia, racism, and misogyny that, if it were a corporation, it would re-brand itself.
and
that picture completely grosses me out. He’s just not attractive in any way.
Are you telling me that picture is an ad for Brown? I know it is a Playgirl centerfold, but did they really use that? Also, not to be misunderstood, I know he is a fake and a racist and as someone with Cree heritage I don’t need to dismiss him further.
I have no idea …
This is all I have to know:
Scott Brown Voted Against 3 Jobs Bills, Voted to Ban Birth Control, Voted Against Equal Pay for Women, Voted Against 9/11 Heroes.
No, of course it’s not an ad for brown. It’s a photoshop I found at blog that was mocking him. The naked photo is from when Brown was in college and posed for Playgirl. And the point was to gross you out. Any normal human being should be grossed out by this creep. The message is, how can a guy who did this have the nerve to criticize Elizabeth Warren for valuing her family history?
BB, I’m a normal human being and I was surely grossed out. I was just asking, knowing what he is doing to Warren on her heritage if he really ran on his cheese cake photo. That’s all.
I understand pdgrey. Sorry if my comment sounded critical. I’m just angry about what Brown is doing. I didn’t mean to take it out on anyone here.
Brown was never a Playgirl centerfold. The famous pic was run in GQ.
“In addition, there is no evidence that Warren used her Native American ancestry for personal gain.”
There is no proof, but plenty of circumstantial evidence Warren used her NA background to help her get Ivy League jobs; namely that she listed herself as that minority in a book used by hiring deans at law schools, and stopped listing herself after she got tenure at Harvard. She continues to say (as recently as Monday) that she did it to make herself visible to other NA academics, but she never went out of her way to make any contact with any NA groups on any campus that can be shown.
I am totally for Warren and against Brown, but to deny the overwhelming evidence that Warren was up to shenanigans re the NA question makes us look obtuse. But it IS now too late to apologize. The best course is now to let Brown and his minions blow it up all they want, and look like fools harping (in racist ways) on a relatively minor matter. So far they are doing a great job of that.
Thanks for the correction on the nude photo, Eric.
Thanks Dak, I knew his shitty record, I was just asking about that picture. I mean if he would run on this openly racist point, “look at her”, I don’t know what he would do.
how is this woman even close?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/linda-mcmahon-social-security-tea-party_n_1917626.html
Scott Brown must be terribly confused. This is how the Republicans always rally for a fillibuster of an Obama jobs bill just before McConnell despatches them to the floor to vote.
According to Greg Sargent, this Ad will replace every other Romney Ad running starting tomorrow. Sounds like it may have a small problem.
The Atlantic: Mitt Romney’s ‘Them’ Problem
“The difference is my policies will make things better for them.” I’d say he’s talking about them 1%…
Obama is strarting to land some punches now. Maybe this is debate prep 😉
Obama steps up Romney jabs in Ohio
New Obama ad showing the many sides of Mitt. 😉
From a comment at political wire about the ad. “Nothing says confidence, competence and cool like suddenly shifting to a “strategy” best characterized as a cross between a crazed weasel and a poo-flinging baboon.”
Check this out.
http://www.salon.com/2012/09/26/fla_voter_fraud_charge_has_ties_to_romney/
Hey, where are all those “friendly feminist” blogs and commentators when it comes to the treatment of Elizabeth Warren by this slap happy misogynist whose supporters and staff members stand around mocking her and mocking American Indians while they are at it?
Oh wait, Elizabeth Warren is just a middle aged woman who would never be considered “sexy” by any means, nor is she throwing “big winks” out to the audience that some males believe is aimed at them.
Jeeze, I can remember some very indignant Palin supporters who leaped over one another in her defensewhen she read notes on her palm because she was too dumb to remember her talking points.
Bet Elizabeth Warren could give an accurate account of Paul Revere’s famous ride without sounding like a complete idiot.
But this little tirade was done by Brown’s staff and not the “lamestream media” so I guess it doesn’t require a “feminist response” from those jokers who troll the web looking for excuses to prop of the Queen of the North Star whenever someone challenges her incoherency.
I don’t know where they are Pat………….but thanks to our group, for speaking up and out. I am pissed off and angry, cause it seems to never end, and I am tired of lowly bastards.
Most are cheering on Romney/Ryan and probably Scott Brown would be my guess. You can’t make any sense out of their actions so I wouldn’t really try.
My 9th grandparents are Thomas Warren – coming over here from England, living 1600, Surry Co. Va. His wife was Sarah Greenleaf, born in Va. about 1614……………….In my opinion, anybody coming over here that early on was likely born to someone in the lines who were native Americans. For women, they were swept under the rug, and were called sqaws, and the whites were sqawmen……….believe me when I tell you that they did for the most part trade the indian women, for as much as a tomatoe. The off spring were called half breeds, you’ll remember many a Indian movie using the term. As in my family, things were better left unsaid, in the closet so to speak. It took me 12 years to make a connection – only because a bible surfaced in South Carolina. To this very day, I cannot tell you the given name of my Cherokee ancestors, but like Elizabeth oral family history left stories, and didn’t bury her in the family cemetery.
You are right BB – the behavior is racist, and that’s the point.
It’s amazing how many Sky Dancers have Native American ancestry. It has to be fairly common, especially in the southwest and also the upper Midwest.
Yep. My husband and therefore my daughter have a distant Nez Perce ancestor. I think intermarriage was not as uncommon as people have been led to believe, especially out west where women were scarce.
“Senator Brown has spoken to his entire staff and issued them their one and only warning that this type of conduct will not be tolerated. As we enter the final stretch of this campaign, emotions are running high, and while Senator Brown can’t control everyone, he is encouraging both sides to act with respect.”
This is classic. He gave his staff their one and only warning that what should be a firing offense will not be tolerated, that is, after just this one time…
Then the statement says basically that he can’t control the objectionable behavior of his own staff, but he is “encouraging” them to play nice.
Just stand back and let them self destruct.
Whatever, Eric. I don’t give a shit what box Warren checked. Neither you nor Scott Brown has the ability or the right to judge someone’s ancestry or ethnicity. White males are so anxious about being overwhelmed by women and racial and ethnic minorities. Tough shit. Things change. The rest of us don’t want white males running everything and controlling our lives anymore.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-alesan-dawkins/elizabeth-warren-and-the-_1_b_1915087.html
“Whatever, Eric. I don’t give a shit what box Warren checked.”
So sorry you feel you have to take a nasty tone in this discussion. First, I read that article, and while it’s interesting, it turns the concept of “passing” completely on its head. Light skinned Blacks (or native Americans) “passed” as white for the obvious social and economic advantages. Nobody “passed” as Black or NA. That would be called something else. However, I agree with the conclusion that race is a fiction, as a scientist. We are so nearly identical genetically that there is much more diversity within any “racial” group than among them. Also, we are all one species that interbreeds with no problem, well biological problem anyway. Interesting that had any other hominid line survived to the present day, we might not be able to say that. Imagine the “race” problems then!
“Neither you nor Scott Brown has the ability or the right to judge someone’s ancestry or ethnicity.”
While Brown seemed to make this claim in the debate, I don’t think I did any such thing!
“White males are so anxious about being overwhelmed by women and racial and ethnic minorities. Tough shit. Things change. The rest of us don’t want white males running everything and controlling our lives anymore.”
I get that, BB. For the record, I am not judging Warren on her ancestry or ethnicity. I happen to believe her that she has some NA in her family tree, though as I think we can agree, there is no hard proof one way or the other. I am not even saying (here, anyway) that she was totally unjustified in claiming minority status. At least it makes sense in that it could conceivably have given a hiring committee to give her a close look than she might have had otherwise. Or she could have done it just to meet other Native American professors, but that seems less likely. But since you did not rebut any of my factual points, I won’t reiterate any here that you are not interested in.
What the cons are so incensed about is that Warren appears to them to have taken advantage of a program or philosophy that benefits people other than whites, when in any reasonable sense, she did not share in the privations and disadvantages of non-whites. They hate such programs anyway, but to see somebody taking advantage seemingly unfairly just makes them crazy. What I was suggesting, as I had from the beginning, was that Warren would have done much better to say, “Yah, maybe in retrospect listing myself as a minority, based on family lore, was not such a good idea, sorry”.
Anyway, I’d like to thank you, BB, for not censoring my posts. I know it must seem to you like I’m attacking Warren, or women, but if you read what I’m actually saying, I’m really not. I just think she got some bad advice about taking the hard line on her minority claims. Nice job on the blog as a whole; I do appreciate your, and your colleagues’ work.
“What the cons are so incensed about is that Warren appears to them to have taken advantage of a program or philosophy that benefits people other than whites, when in any reasonable sense, she did not share in the privations and disadvantages of non-whites. They hate such programs anyway, but to see somebody taking advantage seemingly unfairly just makes them crazy”
yes, that’s EXACTLY what they’re incensed about. you nailed it. The lack of privations and disadvantages and the hideous spectacle of a “white” person benefitting unfairly is what’s keeping them up at night. if she were full-blooded and grew up on a reservation, Scott Brown (who thankfully did NOT benefit from any philosophy that advantages people like him, he’s Meritocracy Incarnate) would not be using this issue. it would not resonate with anyone to question how someone of full-blood who grew up on a reservation. she could check all the boxes she wanted with confidence, the idea that she’d be portrayed as an affirmative action charity case who never could’ve gotten hired (or, indeed, into school) on merit, who robbed a more deserving white man of his place, and who was judged and graded on second grade standards (because that’s what affirmative action is, you know)? Nonsense!
Except she didn’t take advantage of affirmative action, according to every one of the people who hired her. At least that’s what the Globe said after a lengthy investigation and talking to more than 20 of them.
As usual, Seriously nails it:
And why should anyone feel they have to apologize for taking advantage of affirmative action anyway? It was put in place by the very white men who are now whining about its unfairness, to correct a wrong; a disadvantage suffered because of prejudice and bigotry. Now they want to point fingers and demand that people prove that they deserve to be treated equally. This argument already happened, that’s why we have affirmative action in the first place, and no it hasn’t outlived its usefulness, it’s still needed as evidenced by the behavior of Scott Brown and his staff as well as their defenders.
—Pat Johnson
“slap happy misogynist” Damn, that woman can turn a phrase, can’t she? I love it, Pat!