Rep. Regrets 'White Men' Remarks

FOXNews.com ^ | Friday, February 27, 2004 | Fox News' Teri Schultz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[FFIGHTER]

MIAMI — U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown (search) apologized Thursday for remarks she made a day earlier when she said Hispanics and whites "all look alike to me."

Brown made the statement during a Wednesday briefing on Haiti with Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega (search), a Mexican-American, and the Florida congressional delegation. During the meeting, attended by about 30 people, Brown sat across the table from Noriega and launched an attack on President Bush's policy on Haiti (search).

She said Republican leaders were "racist" in their policies toward the Caribbean nation, which is almost entirely black, and called the president's representatives "a bunch of white men."

"I sincerely did not mean to offend Secretary Noriega or anyone in the room. Rather, my comments, as they relate to 'white men,' were aimed at the policies of the Bush administration as they pertain to Haiti, which I do consider to be racist," Brown said in a statement on Thursday.

Brown added that she was offended that the meeting on the crisis in Haiti, led by administration officials, "turned into a diatribe rebuking the Haitian government and the Haitian people. I was personally insulted by the anti-Haiti sentiment brought to the table by the State Department and by Republican members of Congress in attendance," she said.

Brown also wrote a letter to Noriega, in which she apologized again "if what I said was construed as a personal affront."

"The State Department delegation that came to meet with us did not include any females or people of color. Given the racial makeup of the people of Haiti, who are 95 percent of African descent, I felt the delegation and the delegation's position were callous and out of touch with the needs (cultural and otherwise) of the Haitian people," she wrote.

After the dressing down, which sent a hush over the hour-long meeting, Noriega responded that he would relay her comments to Secretary of State Colin Powell (search) and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice (search), both high-level African-American members of the Bush administration.

Participants in the meeting said Noriega later told Brown: "As a Mexican-American, I deeply resent being called a racist and branded a white man."

Noriega also pointed to Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (search), a Republican member of the delegation who was born in Cuba, and asked whether he appeared to be a white man. Diaz-Balart's brother, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (search), is also a congressional member from the state.

Brown's response, according to witnesses, was: "You all look alike to me."

U.S. Rep. Mark Foley (search), a Florida Republican who organized the meeting, called the comments "disappointing."

"To sit there and browbeat this man who is a Mexican-American and call him names, it was inappropriate," Foley said. [snip]

[ladtx]

Participants in the meeting said Noriega later told Brown: "As a Mexican-American, I deeply resent being called a racist and branded a white man."

Isn't that remark, in itself, racist?

[reed_inthe_wind]

No apology necessary sweetheart.

[writer33]

Yes it is a racist remark and she shouldn't just get a free pass. But we all know how that works. Don't we?

[Russ]

If the Republican majority both on the committee and in congress as a whole had any guts they would bring a vote of censure to the floor. Public humiliation by her peers is the least that should happen to her. Unfortunately there are too many Republicans who don't want to upset anyone.

[jmaroneps37]

Being a rat means never having to mean it when you say you're sorry.

[JZoback]

I don't see a problem with what she said.

She's a Democrat and they are allowed to say anything to acheive their means.

Republicans on the other hand, must say only the PC correct things.

The double standard has been set up a long time ago by our elite (snort) press and media.

Why be upset by changing the rules now.

After all aren't all (R) racist and bigots?

< / sarcasm >

[Owen]

Why does this not require resignation, as Trent Lott's comments -- far less overt -- forced him out of the Majority Leader's job?

[Enterprise]

It was posted yesterday and there were some great comments! This article is a follow up to yesterday's story. Evidently, someone took Brown out behind the woodshed.

[r9etb]

Corrine Brown appears not to have noticed that Haiti has been a sh*thole for as long as it's been a country, and probably even before that. All U.S. policy decisions with regard to Haiti stem from that inescapable fact.

What Corrinne Brown seems to be saying is that "you can't blame Haiti's sh*thole status on skin color." Fair enough.

It's a plain fact that Haiti has been "led" by black men for the entire time. The skin color of the "leaders" of Haiti is probably irrelevant -- the important fact is that the "leaders" of Haiti are, as they always been, guilty of perpetuating Haiti's sh*thole status.

If Ms. Brown is really concerned about Haiti she'd acknowledge that the place is a sh*thole. But instead, she's chosen to make it a race issue. Despicable, but entirely predictable.

[Elkiejg]

Posted this on another Brown thread - just received in GOPUSA email:

Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX), a founding member of the Congressional Hispanic Conference, is demanding Brown resign her seat in Congress after her remarks were reported in Roll Call.

"Congresswoman Brown's comments demonstrate a complete lack of ethnic sensitivity," Bonilla said. "This irresponsible statement represents a step backward for race relations. I will not stand by and allow these comments to be made without repercussions."

Brown later issued a statement that said, "I sincerely did not mean to offend Secretary Noriega or anyone in the room. Rather, my comments, as they relate to 'white men,' were aimed at the policies of the Bush administration as they pertain to Haiti, which I do consider to be racist."

Bonilla commented to Roll Call, "An apology without a retraction is an effort to take the political heat off herself without an admission that she was wrong. Representative Brown must recognize that racism is wrong and must retract her racist statement."

[boop]

Yep, it's not "the Man" keeping the Haitians down.

[Gefreiter]

"I was personally insulted by the anti-Haiti sentiment..."

How's that? Is she from Haiti? Or is it that people with contrary opinions are racists?

Another of her positions I found curious was that unless you're of a certain ethinicity, you are incapable of formulating policy that might affect that ethnicity. So only black Democrats, say, are equipped to do good things for Haitians because only black Dems understand black Hatians... I guess.... which is utterly asinine.

To follow her thought through, I guess Colin Powell should only be Secretary of State concerning countries in Africa or with a significant population with African heritage (but excluding Arab North Africa), and Condi Rice should be Nat'l Security Adviser but only for American security concerns as they pertain to places with African heritage. Or something.

This Rep is off her freakin' rocker.

[nobody_knows]

"The State Department delegation that came to meet with us did not include any females or people of color. Given the racial makeup of the people of Haiti, who are 95 percent of African descent, I felt the delegation and the delegation's position were callous and out of touch with the needs (cultural and otherwise) of the Haitian people," she wrote.

So in other words.....The problem in Haiti is a black problem, and only blacks could comprehend the situation, let alone debate how to effectively deal with it.

[Theo]

... she apologized again "if what I said was construed as a personal affront."

That is not an "apology." Ugh, how I get tired of these insincere "apologies."

[Cubs Fan]

Typical libs

Always the first to yell racism and always the first to act racist

[martin_fierro]

Ooooh, classy.

[Prince Charles]

Unapologetic black bigot bump.

[freeangel]

Dims NEVER regret anything they say--only that someone publicised them saying it.

[r9etb]

"... the policies of the Bush administration as they pertain to Haiti, which I do consider to be racist."

I'm really curious to know what it is she's calling "racist" about Bush's Haiti policy. I'd also be curious to know how Bush's Haiti policy differs from any other president's Haiti policy.

I'm also yearning to know how she seems not to notice that Haiti has never demonstrated the ability to govern itself for more than a couple of years at a time.... (Save for the glory days of Papa Doc Duvalier and his Tontons Macoutes, which is a great name for a rock band.)

[JoJo Gunn]

That Mark Foley sure has a way with words himself....

[dixierat22]

That's OK,Corrine. DemocRATS and Liberals all look alike to me....

[Colonel_Flagg]

Brown also wrote a letter to Noriega, in which she apologized again "if what I said was construed as a personal affront."

Another non-apology. Anyone else sick of this?

How about "What I said was wrong and I retract it"?

Or would that be too honest for the opposition?

[Iscool]

I don't care if she's black...It's her ugliness that offends me...

[sheik yerbouty]

All liberal morons appear to be alike to me.

[SaveTheChief]

Isn't she a pantload. Sounds like a sexist, racist bigot to me.

[ErnBatavia]

Is that Aunt Esther or is it Geraldine Jones?

[ZULU]

This b#tch should be forced to resign in disgrace from ANY Committees she may chair - if she chairs any. She should ALSO be censured.

What's fair for Trent Lott should be fair for this black Ku Kluxer.

[Dionysius]

Dunb as a doorknob.

[Arpege92]

That's not an apology you witch! Looks like her and Hillary don't know how to sincerely apologize when they are caught revealing their evil hatred for others.

[ForOurFuture]

Brown's contact info:

Jacksonville Office
101 E. Union Street, Suite 202
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 354-1652
Fax: (904) 354-2721

Orlando Office
219 Lime Avenue
Orlando, FL 32802
(407) 872-0656
Fax: (407) 872-5763

Washington Office
2444 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-0123
Fax: (202) 225-2256

[I still care]

I think she should be shown all the forgiveness that was shown Trent Lott.

[bk1000]

link to 1998 account of ethics violation by Brown.
http://www.congressproject.org/ethics/corbrowncom.html

[rockrr]

"The State Department delegation that came to meet with us did not include any females or people of color. Given the racial makeup of the people of Haiti, who are 95 percent of African descent, I felt the delegation and the delegation's position were callous and out of touch with the needs (cultural and otherwise) of the Haitian people," she wrote.


There wasn't a single moron in the delegation either.
No wonder she felt so disassociated......

[softengine]

Evidently, someone took Brown out behind the woodshed.

Sorry. Not enough. Any white person in a similar position, who makes a comment that even intimates race, is vilified - Demands for resignation, and shouts of 'Hate Speech' resound. That is exactly what needs to take place every time one of them (dems) does it. We should be hitting the airwaves, and popping emails off to everyone under the sun, demanding her resignation and accusing her of hate speech.

This is why we are loosing the game. We don't fight back. We have to learn to use the rules they set for the game against them as effectively as they use them against us. Or we are scr3wed. Completely.

Can someone find her email addy and office phone # pls?

[writer33]

I would absolutely agree with that. If Trent Lott had to, then she should as well. But we know how that really goes. That standard only applies to Republicans.

[bassmaner]

All liberal morons appear to be alike to me.

Yeah, they're all RED.

[writer33]

Yes, but no retribution means that she'll continue this sort of behavior in public. Forgiveness is fine, but can we forgive murderers and let it alone at that. No. Same thing applies. There must be some sort of punishment. It doesn't have to be severe. Just has to be done. The sad thing is that it won't be done.

[hattend]

I'm anxiously awaiting the Dems to start demanding her resignation any day now.

Huh? What do you mean "don't hold my breath"?

[PallMal]

Another of her positions I found curious was that unless you're of a certain ethinicity, you are incapable of formulating policy that might affect that ethnicity. So only black Democrats, say, are equipped to do good things for Haitians because only black Dems understand black Hatians... I guess.... which is utterly asinine.

The only thing in common is skin color and that the ancestory goes back to Africa. There is nothing else in common between someone such as Corrine Brown and a typical Haitian. It's as if you can find something in common with an Icelandic and and an Italian, just because they are both white.

Also, aren't the rebels also black? So why doesn't Brown listen to the rebel's demands? Maybe they have reason to be upset with Aristede. Or is it that Aristede is the Marxist, and she hates to see the Marxist "dissed"?

Also, why isn't there, say, half of the Black Caucus sympathetic to the rebel's cause, and the other half on the side of Aristede, just for some sort of balance? These black Congresscritters are all on the side of Aristede, or at least that's how it comes across. There have been reports of Aristede killing his political opponents, but you don't hear Brown or any of her colleagues in the CBC say "these rebels have a point" or something of that nature.

[Trueblackman]

This is not enough, Brown always uses race as a wedge issue and then hides behind Florida 2000. I mean at least those people got to vote, I here in Maryland never had the chance because of a so-caled computer error, no Jesse Jackson, no NAACP or US Civil Right Commission. This is the same women that once called Lt. Cmd Carrol a black Republican who ran against her in 2000 "A freak of nature." She never wins over 55% of trhe vote and runs as a racist.

[ZULU]

I'd add to that the House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay.

He should locate his backbone and testicles and call for a censure vote on this b#tch.

DeLay's contact address is:


http://www.majorityleader.gov/CONTACT.ASP?a=form

[Ohioan]

So Brown wants to lump Whites and non-White Hispanics together; and an apparently (I don't claim to know) non-White Hispanic resents being lumped with Whites. Much ado about nothing.

We should focus on the issue, here, not the verbal by play. Is it in America's interest to admit a swarm of Haitian boat people. We should all evaluate that in the context of America's interest, not the snippish comments made by a couple of intellectually light protagonists, regardless of the race or ethnicity of those protagonists.

There is a net loss, when we let these silly insults--if that was what it was--and umbrage at the insult--if that was what it was--distract us from the real issue.

Frankly, the "politically correct" or the "racial sensitivity" approach plays right into the Left's hands. It creates their issue, not the real issue.

Oh! My my answer to the actual issue is no. It is not in America's interest to allow these people in at this point. Knowing what I do know about Aristide, however, I wish them well in their present Revolution. Hopefully there is a better Haiti in their future. The sad thing is that that despicable Fabian, William J. Clinton, ran off a decent leader of the anti-Communist Haitians, the West Point graduate, General Cedras. (See President Clinton & The Abuse Of Power.

William Flax

[Elkiejg]

Thanks for DeLay's address. Sent the following:

Congressman DeLay:
I'm a FL voter and writing to you in the hopes that someone in Congress will have the backbone and courage to DEMAND the resignation of Corrine Brown (FL) for her racist comments at the White House Haiti meeting.

This person is a disgrace to our state and the entire country and should not be serving in our government.

When is the GOP going to start standing up for itself? A majority of Americans are sick and tired of the slander and lies the Democrats spread.

[socal_parrot]

At least she wasn't niggardly with her apology.