Alabama governor apologizes for wearing blackface in college

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Kim Chandler, Associated Press
Updated 8:54 pm CDT, Thursday, August 29, 2019

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey apologized Thursday for wearing blackface decades ago, becoming the latest politician to face scrutiny over racially insensitive photos and actions from their university days.

Ivey, 74, issued the apology after a 1967 radio interview surfaced in which her now-ex-husband describes her actions at Auburn University, where she was vice president of the student government association.

"I offer my heartfelt apologies for the pain and embarrassment this causes, and I will do all I can — going forward — to help show the nation that the Alabama of today is a far cry from the Alabama of the 1960s," Ivey said.

Ivey released a recording of the college radio interview she and then-fiance Ben LaRavia gave. In the interview, LaRavia describes Ivey as wearing coveralls and "black paint all over her face" while pretending to search for used cigars on the ground in a skit at the Baptist Student Union party. The skit was called "Cigar Butts." No other details of the skit were given.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/education/article/Alabama-governor-apologies-for-wearing-blackface-14399984.php

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College "kid" Kay Ivey

[Mendocino]

1. Nice hair

You have any spiders in there?

[mbusby]

2. Similar to.....

...Texas Blue Hair, bee hive addition.

[SCVDem]

3. Tell it to Sarah Silverman

She lost a job!

[House of Roberts]

4. Grandma's really old

and she's trying to get into heaven now.

[ck4829]

5. Might be time to pass a resolution calling for the expulsion of Kay Ivey

[Polybius]

8. Good luck getting that passed in the Alabama legislature

That state is so Red it's frightening.

[ck4829]

9. Maybe some other state could do this...

Since the Alabama GOP thought it was important to pass a resolution calling for Rep. Omar to be expelled from Congress and all.

[Jedi Guy]

10. Not likely for two reasons.

One, it's Alabama. Two, Ralph Northam did the same thing in the 80s and he's still in office. If one must resign or be expelled over wearing blackface, so must the other. You can't very well have it both ways.

[ck4829]

11. See post #9

[Jedi Guy]

12. My point still stands.

If you try to expel Ivey while Northam remains in office despite having done the same thing, that's pretty hypocritical.

What the Alabama legislature did regarding Omar isn't really relevant, since Ivey isn't a member of that body and doesn't control what it does.

[ck4829]

13. So does my point

"ALGOP Chair Lathan defends Ilhan Omar resolution — ‘Because the representative is from another state does not mean the people in Alabama just be quiet’"

https://yellowhammernews.com/algop-chair-lathan-defends-ilhan-omar-resolution-because-the-representative-is-from-another-state-does-not-mean-the-people-in-alabama-just-be-quiet/

We need to stop being quiet and we need to save Alabama from the racism and corruption in it... even if that means saving Alabama from itself.

[Jedi Guy]

14. Okay then.

If the California state legislature passes a resolution demanding that Ivey step down, should they not also pass one demanding that Northam do the same?

[maxrandb]

19. Such bullshit

Nice try at that bullshit bothsiderism crap though.

Everything in Ralph Northam's record, history, policy positions and life over the past 30 years shows nothing but a complete rejection of racism, bigotry and prejudice.

Everything in Ivey's life and politics for her entire life... right up to today...demonstrates that she's a racist ass who embraces racism and white supremacy.

One of these things is not like the other, but you just go right ahead and continue posting Russian disinformation...comrade.

Donnie Dollhands and the Retrumplicans appreciate your efforts.

[Jedi Guy]

21. Da, tovarisch!

Is wonderful day in glorious Mother Russia! Cannot wait until shift at IRA is over so can buy liter of vodka on way home, then have good Russian borscht for dinner!

Less flippantly, the debate here is around wearing blackface. If one is going to demand Ivey resign while not making the same demand of Northam, then to me that smacks of hypocrisy and double standards. I'm not interested in giving out passes for reprehensible behavior to people just because I like their politics. It's also worth noting that Ivey at least owned up to her reprehensible behavior, whereas Northam admitted it, then denied it while saying that he did wear blackface as part of a Michael Jackson costume around the same time. So he didn't wear blackface, except for that time when he did.

In any case, you can take your hypocrisy (and your personal attack on me), roll 'em up nice and tight, and cram them where the sun don't shine, comrade.

[maxrandb]

22. I prefer to hold people accountable for their entire body of work

You seem to think that there's no difference between a racist ass like Ivey, and a decent man like Northam.

Why, that ALMOST sounds like "there's no difference between Donnie Shit for Brains and Hillary".

You can try to spin it anyway you want, but you're parroting Retrumplican and Russian talking points.

Your bothsiderism argument is exactly why we ended up with this shitshow.

You go right ahead and continue to try to equate Ivey with Northam, but some of us have no patience for your turd polishing.

[Jedi Guy]

23. So you're comfortable in your hypocrisy. Good to know! Tells me all about you worth knowing. N/T

[hughee99]

24. Exactly! It's different because we don't like her politics!

I don’t get why people don’t understand it. For someone with the wrong policy positions, this is a valid reason to remove them from office.

[Midnight Writer]

6. Please notice that these paragraphs do not identify the Governor's political party.

[ck4829]

7. Great catch!

[Jedi Guy]

15. Northam is mentioned in the article as well.

They don't state his party affiliation, either.

[SharonAnn]

16. I did a lot of stupid stuff in college in the 60's and wore my hair like that.

For Heaven's sake, I do think that if one accepts responsibility for inappropriate behavior and apologizes for it, we could just accept it and move on. Doesn't matter which party.

If there's anyone who didn't do something inappropriate during those years, I don't think they're human.

[maxrandb]

20. Except that it would not be surprising

If it were found that Ivey dresses in blackface TODAY.

Stop normalizing this crap. She already has the overwhelming support of white supremacists...

[Retrograde]

18. Good. Now can she apologize

for signing a punative abortion law into effect as governor, and do something to repeal it?

[ck4829]

25. Kick

[rampartc]

26. the governor is more likely to be impeached for her degree from auburn

than the blackface schictk. alabama is considered superior at the only college event that matters in the southeast.

Waaaaaar Eagle!

it was very difficult to avoid some kind of minstrel show in that very retrograde southern fraternity culture. the really embarrassing photos would be the mandatory frat drag show. do those demonstrate disrespect towards women? probably.