Why Reagan Railed To Nixon
On African Envoys
New York Sun,
by
Ira Stoll
Original Article
Posted By: abuela10,
8/5/2019 10:11:38 AM
Ronald Reagan phoned President Nixon in 1971 and described African ambassadors at the United Nations as “monkeys” who were “still uncomfortable wearing shoes,” the Atlantic magazine reported recently, calling it evidence of “Reagan’s racism.” Anyone who refers to humans as animals is a turkey. But so long as the topic of racism by a Republican president is in the news, let’s give this one a closer look.
About what was Reagan so upset?
Reply 1 - Posted by:
JunkYardDog 8/5/2019 10:34:13 AM (No. 143228)
The sort of racisim that the Democrats claim to be expert at uncovering is the sort of racisim that they themselves are notorious for promulgating. It takes one to know one, as the saying goes-and no one out-does the Democrats for racisim. A Civil War, Civil-rights amendments. racist Jim Crow segregation...the list of racist episodes wholly due to the inherent moral superiority the Democrats feel over all of us repeatedly showcases the Democrat mindset. We Know Better Than You, We Know What Is Best For You, We Want Your Help IN Re-Writing The Pesky Constitution That Always Get In Our Way, You Need To Be Ruled By US and You Don't Really Want Freedom. Yes, that is their endgame.
22 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
HotRod 8/5/2019 11:16:45 AM (No. 143295)
I didn't see any evidence presented that proved the phone call happened. President Reagan is dead and gone, and cannot defend himself. The democrats know this, so they think they can tell lies with impunity.
So, prove it, Ira Stoll! No third-hand or anonymous sources!
18 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 8/5/2019 12:13:09 PM (No. 143363)
Racism? Or maybe just too close to the truth?
12 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Smart11344 8/5/2019 12:38:32 PM (No. 143388)
Is the truth "racism"?
12 people like this.
Am I the only one here who doesn't necessarily see "racism" in Reagan's language? Consider these common expressions: "To make a monkey out of oneself or someone". "Monkeying around." "Monkey's business". and others mentioned in the ABC website article "Learn English: 7 monkey idioms used in English". NONE have racial connotations. Also recall that when Liberal Democrat and football announcer Howard Cosell referred admiringly to an agile (black) NFL player as "that little monkey", and caught hell for it, he explained "I call my own little grandson that!" In the context of Reagan's remarks to Nixon, he was clearly referring to the CLOWNISH or CORRUPT connotations of the expression. And remember, he made a movie with a chimp as a co-start. Nearly half a century after these remarks were recorded, the term when used to describe any black person certainly sounds racist to our PC-ears, but Reagan grew up in an era when "gay" had a different meaning, too. Given the complete lack of any evidence Reagan was even a bit prejudiced, shouldn't this singular remarks be given the benefit of the doubt?
21 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Lawsy0 8/5/2019 2:44:59 PM (No. 143515)
This is exactly like Bill Clinton's remark to someone that under different circumstances, Barack Obama would be bringing them coffee.
15 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
worried 8/5/2019 3:21:09 PM (No. 143550)
How about Lyndon Johnson's comment with the passage of the civil rights act "That should keep the ni...rs voting for us for the next hundred years", or words to that effect. I may not have the quote exactly right, but that is the essence of it. Remember Lester Maddox, George Wallace, Bull Conner, etc.? All democrats and all racists.
18 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Sunhan65 8/6/2019 6:07:48 AM (No. 143926)
FTA: "The consequence was to consolidate Communist rule over hundreds of millions of Asian people."
The author wants to defend Reagan, which is laudable, but he's saying silly things here. The Chinese Communist Party had ruled China with an iron fist since it defeated the Nationalist government. While African countries voting to recognize the PRC over Taiwan was annoying, it did nothing to consolidate Communist rule on the continent. That had already happened in 1949.
Speaking of which, President Nixon was about to do far worse. He engineered the recognition of People's Republic of China and far more comprehensively betrayed Taiwan. Did Reagan refer to Nixon and Kissinger as monkeys when that happened? I doubt it. Reagan criticized them because he opposed Communism.
Reagan wasn't a racist. He was angry. There's a difference. The monkey remark was a mean comment made in private between two guys who grew up in a time when using ethnic insults wasn't considered racism. Ethnic slurs were considered rough language akin to swearing, and most politicians used them in private.
14 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Goose 8/6/2019 7:56:27 AM (No. 143997)
"Monkeys" was too insensitive. Maybe he should had said A-holes?
8 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
franq 8/6/2019 8:12:27 AM (No. 144009)
I found it humorous. I guess that makes me a racist. But I am an older, white, heterosexual male. So I am racist by default.
13 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Lawsy0 8/6/2019 8:45:44 AM (No. 144040)
Oh #11, you have totally cracked me up this morning. I am matronly myself, having grown up during the Lunch Counter riots, when my Caucasian-ness prevented me from having an opinion. When the real racists were crying ''Witch doctor!'' I head them saying Rich Doctor. Being of marriage age, I thought that was a great idea.
5 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
starboard 8/6/2019 9:03:03 AM (No. 144060)
More virtue signaling ( aka fake humility ) from the people who have no virtues. They hide behind the word racism. That's all they have to offer the country. They think calling someone racist makes them a better person. Since, there's strength in numbers, they feel secure that what they say will be broadcasted and supported by the media and the like minded cult members of their party. Whatever happened to the word kindness. I remember from growing up, that when competing with an adversary, kill them with kindness. Being kindhearted impresses more people than being vile and ugly. The Beto's, Cory's and Pete's who think they can lead this country should spend sometime looking at themself as a human being not as a candidate.
In some ways, Marianne is on the right track but she's aliened herself with a demonic party. Her message is oxymoronic. How can you preach love when you run with the pack of hateful people.
Yesterday, the Democrat party stooped to an all time low by politicizing the tragic events of the weekend.
9 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
ARKfamily 8/6/2019 9:35:26 AM (No. 144110)
It could also be one other factor. When we communicate, sometimes we don't articulate enough. Sometimes what we meant to say didn't happen because we may have left out one or more words. If Reagan had said, "acting like monkeys who are still uncomfortable wearing shoes," it changes the whole sentiment. We are not to bear false witness against one another. It is a commandment that is easily misconstrued. Democrats need to be very careful casting "racism" on someone because they do not truly know that person's heart.
5 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
Strike3 8/6/2019 9:45:00 AM (No. 144122)
Everybody knows what happens when you bring third world people to a place like New York City. They act like they are still in the third world and it's perfectly understandable. It has nothing to do with race.
5 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
little guy 8/6/2019 10:15:21 AM (No. 144150)
Isn't it racist to assume all those ambassadors were black? Back then several ... from Rhodesia and South Africa ... were white!
3 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
NotaBene 8/6/2019 11:13:47 AM (No. 144233)
Now that we have Cold War with the Chicoms, Taiwan recognition seems a good idea if we could count on the monkey vote.
0 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
Arby 8/6/2019 11:21:42 AM (No. 144249)
Harry Reid and Joe Biden praising Obama with faint damns is just as bad. Obama's 'typical white woman' and the Boston Police being 'stupid', etc. etc. etc. is just as bad. All people (except for political robots) say bad things from time to time; the test is--do they DO good things? Trump wins this race every time.
4 people like this.
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