At Tuesday’s meeting of the Dallas County Commissioners’ Court, Commissioner John Wiley Price, a black, was heckled by whites using what he understood to be racial slurs regarding his alleged participation in forcing the resignation of an Election Commissioner who was a 24-year county employee. Following the session, Price exploded at the offending group that had been in the audience with “all of you are white. Go to hell.” Emphasizing that the following was NOT an apology, Wiley released this written statement:
In the absence of a fair and balanced media outlet in Dallas, I wanted to submit a statement that offers my perspective of an “encounter” that took place at Dallas County today. Unfortunately, my comments were broadcasted [sic] without the benefit and the full context which they were made.I have been patient and accommodating in every regard as it pertains to the recent resignation of a Dallas County employee. There are laws and business practices in place that govern the discussion of personnel matters and I will honor and respect them. I even went as far as to grant a candid one-on-one interview with the Dallas Morning News and have done countless interviews with others.
However, in open court today, after every considerate attempt to discuss the matter further, one of the speakers shot off a racial slur. “Chief Moolah” has its roots in a slang that was used against Italian immigrants and was later used by the same to defame or discredit African Americans. The speaker continued to use terms like “tribal” and his intent to make race an issue was obvious. “Nigger” is “Nigger,” spoken overtly or incognito.
My history and record will reflect that I am one whose tolerance is limited or non-existent when it comes to racial slurs. The comments were bad enough, but to have them hurled by a member of the Tea Party, known for their racial insensitivity, was more than I plan to absorb.
This is in no way an attempt to apologize to those with who felt the need to infuse race into an otherwise orderly meeting. But all of my friends, black, white and brown alike, are well aware that I am always willing to debate, but never at the expense of my race and my heritage. [CBS News Affiliate, Dallas]
Price had every right to state the above. It would have been better had he not spoken out but waited to write and issue the above. Further, the head of the Commissioner’s Court or even the highest County official should have taken the matter to a higher level to address all citizens who would attempt the same name calling to remind them of the rules of order at meetings, of American values and abuse of freedom of speech. It is not just between Price and his detractors. It is a larger issue that requires leadership to totally take it out of the hands of the combatants and to a level of general principle and concern.
AFVET
February 16, 2011
My question is if it WAS a member of the Tea Party, or is this another attempt to demean the Tea Party’s endeavors to right the ship, and put the country back on course ?
That doesn’t sound like the Tea Party to me.
samhenry
February 16, 2011
Doesn’t seem like the tea party to me either and I just updated this article to include the comment that the black commissioner should not have reacted in the course of the session but written his statement afterward. Two wrongs do not make a right. Whatever happened to Robert’s rules of order?
samhenry
February 16, 2011
ertdfg has submitted this comment. Get a blog on WordPress or anywhere and your comments will be unmoderated:
Submitted on 2011/02/16 at 2:05 pm
‘”Chief Moolah” has its roots in a slang that was used against Italian immigrants and was later used by the same to defame or discredit African American.’
Since when? I’ve never heard of this, read this, seen this… and a web search I’m doing doesn’t find any incident of this having a racial component (with this single exception).
Did it just become a “racial slur” today? How exactly does this work? I’m finding no “roots” for this term; can anyone find this… or are we just going to let anything become a racial slur now with no basis needed for that claim?
samhenry
February 16, 2011
A similar comment to the above came from Blynn Shideler
Submitted on 2011/02/16 at 2:27 pm
The explaination “Chief Moolah” has its roots in a slang that was used against Italian immigrants and was later used by the same to defame or discredit African Americans. The speaker continued to use terms like “tribal” and his intent to make race an issue was obvious. “Nigger” is “Nigger,” spoken overtly or incognito.” does not ring true.
I have never heard of the racial slur CHIEF MOOLAH used against italians or blacks, nor can I find ANY support for this conclusion. This seems like a baseless attempt to play the race card.
I believe MOST people listening would assume that the comment was addressing Mr. Price’s presumably islamic religious background (and I have no idea of Mr. Price’s religion and fail to see how it matters). Is “Chief Mullah” a derisive religious slur? I am not sure, it is hardly helpful for reasonable discourse. However it fails to give a proper excuse for Mr. Price’s own clearly racial comments.
arlenearmy
February 16, 2011
A relative told me that Wiley Price is like Al Sharpton.
samhenry
February 16, 2011
Very interesting. One thing about ole Al, he’s more or less a cartoon of himself at this point. Price is far more dangerous – he looks and acts reasonable but her is not when the chips are down. We need leaders to mover from conflict not toward it. It’s such a waste of talent.
DarcsFalcon
February 17, 2011
Somehow, I have a feeling this is like the alleged incident last year when some Rep claimed that TEA party members yelled racial slurs against him and spit on him. With several video cameras recording at the time this was supposed to have happened, there was no evidence of it. Breitbart also offered 100k reward for someone who could produce video. No one has, more than a year later.
All we have is this guy’s word for it that he’s claiming to have heard some people calling him names, but there’s no proof of this? And we have proof of him retorting with the “white people” comment?
And I used to live in a area of NY called “little Italy.” They were quite open to share with me all of the slang terms used about them and “Chief Moolah” wasn’t among them. To me, that only means “big money” and has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with having, or thinking you have, a lot of money to spend.
DarcsFalcon
February 17, 2011
PS – I see you’ve rearranged the furniture again! I like what you’ve done with the place.
arlenearmy
February 17, 2011
SH
I think my relative was trying to say that Wiley Price is the type to play the race card. He sees about every incident from a racial lens.
Dallas is mostly a conservative city. So it surprises me that Dallas folks have not ousted Price.
samhenry
February 17, 2011
Thanks for the clarification. That card, unfortunately, will always be in the deck as long as human beings insist on dehumanizing others and enslaving them – even now by race, sex, whatever it still goes on without end. Young girls sent by their parents to the homes of wealthy people seeing it as a way out for the girl and one less mouth to feed and that family keeping her in bondage and in many cases engaging in sexual and other physical abuse. Kids who are kidnapped into sex trade globally. During the big soccer game in Africa, there were kids for sex available outside the stadium. In Mexico, human traffickers take money from poor people for safe passage to America and once on the other side of the border, slam them into one form of slavery or other. In Africa, blacks and selling blacks into slavery – still and blacks are used badly in Italy where many are migrant workers – the list is long and disgusting. For ANYONE to play the race card should invite censure BECAUSE there are still slaves! This is why I really hate it when it is played. Now in Price’s defense, there was a history between him and the white people in the audience of going back and forth over the case of the worker that resigned. The whites were certain Price was being racist and that he forced him to resign. So Price was sensitive to the issue already and with black slavery here and white people questioning his integrity, bad though it was for a public official to use his language, he was a volcano about to erupt. This is why I give that devil his due. Sharpdton trades on playing the card all over the world never mind our nation. I think Price is a local phenomenon. Now on the side of the whites, I would have to do research into past encounters between whites and Price over other issues. Also Price’s record should be examined. It’s hard to judge what the white folks were doing or even Price because we don’t know that history. I think it is difficult to report this story in any way that is balanced without knowing the history of this conflict. The fact that Price thought he recognized the group as members of the tea party suggests he was familiar with these people and that they did share a history of sorts. That said, he has MOST tea partiers down wrong. Because it is not a formal organization, a lot of people are running around calling themselves tea partiers or being called that by others. It is sad an issue-driven group is being seen in this light by blacks or anyone else. I tell you, Arlene, we all need new glasses or a mind-altering drug. Kiss the chickens from Aunt SH. Did this ramble make any sense?