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Republican Party leaders in central Illinois are calling on their own candidate for state senate to step down following racist remarks he made at a candidate's forum last week.
Al Reynolds, who is considered the Tea Party candidate in Illinois' 52nd District, has been unavailable to the media since saying that African American men preferred dealing drugs to going to college, because it is "easier."
"I've been in the city and the dichotomy of the women and the men in the minorities, there is a difference in the fact that most minority women, either the single parent or coming from a poor neighborhood, are motivated more so than the minority men," Reynolds said, when asked what he would do to increase diversity at state colleges. "And it's a pretty good reason. Most of the women who are single parents have to find work to support their family. The minority men find it more lucrative to be able to do drugs or other avenues rather than do education. It's easier."
The room was silent as Reynolds made his remarks.
"We need to provide ways that are more incentive, other than just sports avenues, for the men for the minorities to want to go to college and get an education and better themselves before the women have to support them all."
The comments were made at a forum co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Champaign County NAACP, according to the News-Gazette of East Central Illinois.
The comments gave Reynolds' Democratic opponent, incumbent Sen. Mike Frerichs, plenty to respond to:
"I've been in this community for a long time now," Frerichs said. "I've been working in this community for a long time and I've worked with a lot of African-American men. They're not pursuing careers in sports. They're not trying to sell drugs. They're trying to support their families. They're trying to be good people."
Source: Huffington Post
Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from New Jersey. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Follow him on Facebook.
Source: Huffington Post
Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from New Jersey. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Follow him on Facebook.
Comments: (19)
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By: ohreally on 10/27/2010 11:28AM
let's call a spade a spade.. Those comments were dead on for many of the black men and teenagers out here.. it's sad but it's the truth.. there are many black men out here doin the right thing but there are many more who aren't and they are bringing are culture down w/them..
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By: girlking on 10/27/2010 11:40AM
We all know that in some - keep in mind that I'm saying some - instances that statement is true. When you look at the percentage of women who are in college vs. the men, Black women out number Black men. Some of the choices that some - again, some - Black men make they can't blame anyone except themselves. Hopefully this statement from Al Reynolds will wake up some Black men and they will get it together.
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By: A on 10/27/2010 12:55PM
Just because there are more black women enrolled in college than black men doesn't mean that all of the black men are out banging and slinging. A lot of black men work "straight" jobs like at McDonalds, Auto Zone, Home Depot and for the government. Some black men are blue collar workers, you know. Please research and know the facts before perpeptuating stereotypes. That's all I am saying.
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By: soundoff on 10/27/2010 4:46PM
TO A ::Did you read what you wrote not all black men are like that do not feel sorry for your self worth as a black man but lets be real many black men and boys are lazy,unresponsible,street prone,thugish school is just not a major issue with our black men and boys whom do not see past today not a long the future so AL just kept it real would it be different if a black man had said it he just addressing some concerns that concern us all as a nation we have to start some where the world is looking at us are the black man is the weight of the race let's hope for a wake up notice to our men it's trifling to see this and I refuse to take care of people whom have no ambition and that's what the world sees in us.
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By: Sir topham hat on 10/27/2010 12:04PM
The statement by Al Reynolds can apply to all men across the ethnic landscape. Within the college world, there are more women in college than men and again that's across the ethnic landscape. So what is the big deal? There are more white woman in college than white men, so does that make white men lazy, or more proned to be homosexual or pedophiles or drug dealers. There are more asian women in college than asian men, so does that make asian men lazy, or more proned to be gangsters or drug dealers. Here we go again.
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By: Judy on 10/27/2010 12:38PM
It looks like yet again the Tea Party movement that is made up of both blacks and Whites has done their research on this issue and have concluded what we all already knew.
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By: Sir topham hat on 11/11/2010 11:37AM
And what is that?
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By: kchi on 10/27/2010 4:49PM
What you have read, I read the passage and understood well what did you miss?
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By: Brady on 10/27/2010 1:52PM
This a another lame attempt straight out of the democratic play book. Use race to get the Negros riled up. Use their sensitivity to race, to keep theom on the plantation. Like we are just that dumb. Truth be damned!
It is a statistical fact that regarding education, that Black Women or more motivated than black men. He is right! thats doesnt make the man bad or a criminal, still it is true. god blessem both
He goes of tract when he says “The minority men find it more lucrative to be able to do drugs or other avenues rather than do education”.
He should have said “SOME” minority men find it more lucrative to be able to do drugs or other avenues rather than do education.
But he didnt, so it is what it is. SO WHAT!
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By: coast cooker on 10/27/2010 2:28PM
IN OTHER WORDS ALL THE WHITE DRUG DEALERS ARE EDUCATED.....
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