Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland is standing by his statement that Barack Obama is “uppity,” claiming that he has never heard of the term being used in a “racially derogatory sense.”
“It is important to note that the dictionary definition of ‘uppity’ is ‘affecting an air of inflated self-esteem – snobbish,'” Westmoreland said in a statement. “That’s what we meant by uppity when we used it in the mill village where I grew up.”
“I’ve never heard that term used in a racially derogatory sense,” the Georgia Republican added.
The only way you could fail to instantly recognize “uppity” as racist is if racism is all you’ve ever known.
ANYONE who has lived in the south as I have knows what that term means. I’ve heard it said countless times. Not once have I heard the term said in “a good way.”
by about 100 points
Westmoreland is GA-03. GA-07 is John Linder’s district.
Anywhere else but the deep south, Westmoreland would be in deep doo doo.
But my guess is that the white people are just too Republican in his district, which borders Alabama.
OK,
So I never grew up in the South and I DO hate all Repugs, but I also never knew that the word ‘uppity’ was a racial derogitory. I use it as part of my everyday vocabulary, simply thinking it means having a holier-than-thou attitude.
Now, I think McCain and his wife’s $300,000 outfit is by far more holier-than-thou than anything Obama has ever done; but can someone help me out with the etimology of the word?
Do I need to remove it from my vocab?
Sorry for being ignorant, but the only was to get informed is to ask for answers!
He’s being challenged by a decent Democratic candidate
Stephen Camp, a youngish lawyer
http://www.stephencampforcongr…
It is an uphill race in a tough district, but at least someone is working to challenge this kind of embarrassment of a congressperson
Or something similar was the word used by Sen Allen that led to his downfall. Allen denied that he knew the meaning of the word. Not good enough in a purple state.
In redneck Georgia, it would not matter.
Ive never heard that the word “uppity” had anything racial to do with it until this story mand Im not racist. Heck my roomate is black.
what with his sitting pretty in that R+19 district.
Now I’m just hoping that Stephen Camp, his Democratic opponent, can start catching fire and holding Westmoreland to it.
It was listed as one of the fastest growing in the country according to a diary posted the other day. Considering Georgia is like many states with rapidly increasing non-white populations it’s possible that most of the new people are dems. Of course this is a R+19 district, so any trend in our favor is a drop in the bucket.
I keep reading stories about this guy's *unforgiveably stupid* usage of the racially charged, “uppity”, and I keep feeling more and more ashamed for not knowing it as a racist word – especially when so many bloggers are so sarcastically incredulous as to how one could posssibly claim ignorance on the issue.
I'm a little relieved to see comments from others who are in the same boat.
Today at work, I asked 4 co-workers within earshot (3 white, 1 hispanic) if they thought “uppity” had a racial connotation, and they all said no too… I guess you can count the Northeast (RI-02) as another area where “uppity” isn't taboo.
I’m 41 and was born and raised in New Orleans. I’m as progressive as it gets. I’ve never heard “uppity” used in a racist context. So, what exactly are you implying with statements such as: “The only way you could fail to instantly recognize “uppity” as racist is if racism is all you’ve ever known”. I don’t doubt that in some quarters this term is applied. But I’ve never heard it. I resent the broad stroke you’ve painted with your brush of condemnation. I’m not ignorant, and I’m not racist either. So which one are you telling me I must be?
Darrel