As a current event - I am sure you will hear all about this incident, but here is my take as a Race and Ethnicity Studies student, a minority, a woman, and a human-f****ing-being.
Recently Maine's governor, Paul LePage, made some comments during a press conference on the issues facing his state. LePage highlighted the heroin epidemic his state currently has (read more here) and the traffickers themselves.
LePage's racist comments began with who these people were - "D-Money, Smoothie, Shifty." Traffickers who come from nearby states and "impregnate a young white girl" on their way out.
Not only are his comments ignorant and problematic for both a politician and human being; but these comments are perpetuating stereotypes that hinder any of the progress that has occurred in bettering racial tensions.
What makes this incident even more disturbing? When media outlets caught on to this, and forced an apology from the LePage camp, he completely disregarded his racist remarks. Instead, LePage spoke to reporters and apologized for "saying white women" instead of "Maine women." Going on to defend himself, he mentioned the demographic of Maine as predominantly white.
I AM SORRY. WHAT?
This is not the first incident of racism for LePage and this is his second term as governor.
It is this mentality that has sparked much of the current discussions on race, lives mattering, and perpetuated institutionalized racism. I hope the outcry against LePage can remind voters to keep their elected officials in check and better yet, end this racist ignorance.
