Rod Tam: Hawaii VS "Wetback"

[sansei]

Re: Rod Tam: Hawaii VS "Wetback"

hi this is sansei and i have one question,these people who are trying everything to get Rod Tam ousted from his job,my question is if they made an error as in racial slur,what would happen if someone tried to oust them from their job and they become homeless?

That's what they are trying to do to Rod Tam and I Personally met Mr Rod Tam and he seem's very kind as when I met his Wife when we were at a Picnic when he came when my deceased Father ran it and he's very kind and i admire him for it,even though he made one Racial Slur and apologized for it,his apology for myself is effecient enough and he shouldnt be outsed from his job that he love's.

Well thank's for your time

[TuNnL]

Re: Rod Tam: Hawaii VS "Wetback"

...if they made an error as in racial slur,what would happen if someone tried to oust them from their job and they become homeless? That's what they are trying to do to Rod Tam

Sansei, just because someone loses their job, doesn’t mean they become homeless. Rod Tam has been working as a full-time city councilman for more than six months. This means if he loses his job, he qualifies for unemployment benefits (free money).

But he’s not going to lose his job for uttering what the Star-Bulletin is calling an “ethnic slur.” That’s because when an entire Hispanic community of 100,000 people can only ante up 40 people to protest at City Hall, no one is going to take them seriously.

[sansei]

Re: Rod Tam: Hawaii VS "Wetback"

hi this is sansei and in response to TuNl, i spoke with my eldest sister about Rod Tam who shared her thought's that if he had said this in where my Eldest Sister live's,he would be unemployed and maybe other thing's which could've been worse than when he shared his apology with the public and since my eldest sister say's his apology is good,he should remain in his position and that he shouldnt be unemployed as everyone put's it and that's the truth on this subject.

well thank's for your time

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Rod Tam: Hawaii VS "Wetback"

I heard a bit of his speech and he also mentioned something about ".....illegal aliens from Mexico working in our construction industry.....", to that effect, something about the quality of work.

Well now, so what happened a few days ago. Agents from the US Dept. of Immigration goes down to a construction site and arrests for deportation 2 or 3 illegal aliens, all of whom were Mexican. Now how you gonna ak? <LOL>

Heard it on channel 9 news. Got a good chuckle out of that one. The irony of it all..........

[TuNnL]

Re: Rod Tam: Hawaii VS &quot;Wetback&quot;

so what happened a few days ago. Agents from the US Dept. of Immigration goes down to a construction site and arrests for deportation 2 or 3 illegal aliens, all of whom were Mexican. Now how you gonna ak? <LOL> Heard it on channel 9 news. Got a good chuckle out of that one. The irony of it all..........

And it doesn’t end there. According to KGMB9, 10 more undocumented workers arrested in a February raid — all from Mexico — were deported. Regardless of what people think of Tam’s comment, it looks like he made a valid point.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Hawaii VS &quot;Wetback&quot;

When you first meet Rod Tam, it's easy to be struck with the impression that he's not a very good public speaker. And whenever he's made headlines, its sometimes been for embarrassing things like proposing nap time for state workers. And now, it's for this racial slur. He's definitely not the brightest bulb in Honolulu Hale. And he's far from being charismatic. With these kinds of limitations, you'll likely never see him being elected to a major political office.

Well, it looks like Rod Tam is trying to prove me wrong, announcing his plans to run for Lt. Governor.

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/16144/40/

Now, after watching that interview, does anyone have any questions about my description of him being a poor public speaker and uncharismatic?

Truth be known, even if he never made the "wetback" comment, Tam's the longest of longshots to receive the Democratic nomination for Lt. Gov. He continues to be a hard-working and accessible politician, but he just doesn't have the polish, the smarts, or even notable legislative achievements that would make him a serious contender. I said it before and I say it again. Tam will never win a statewide election.

[sansei]

Re: Rod Tam: Hawaii VS &quot;Wetback&quot;

hi,i also read about his bid for Lt Gov and im defenitaly voting for him as our possible next Lt Gov is i believe in my heart,he'll make a good Lt gov.

Well thanks for your time

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Rod Tam: Hawaii VS &quot;Wetback&quot;

hi,i also read about his bid for Lt Gov and im defenitaly voting for him as our possible next Lt Gov is i believe in my heart,he'll make a good Lt gov.

He's the favorite to win. I heard that this race for this seat is called Rod Tam and the Lt. Governeers.

[Angelito]

Re: Hawaii VS &quot;Wetback&quot;

Having been raised in SoCal many, many moons ago, not all that far from the Mexican border, I was a bit surprised that Tam's reference was taken as a racial slur. "Wetback" was a common word where I lived as our town was filled with Mexican immigrants, legal or otherwise. The word referenced illegal aliens who crossed the Mexico/USA border sometimes swimming across a river to make their break for what they hoped would be a better life. I don't ever recall it having a negative or racist connotation...just that it was faster to say than "illegal alien who crossed the Mexico/USA border"!!! This was during the 1940s, '50s and 60s. During that time I remember that, should someone decide to spew a racial epithet at someone of Hispanic ethnicity, the word s/he would've used was "spic". That word made (and still makes) me bristle, just as much as the "n" word.

Now that I think about it, I don't recall hearing a "wetback" reference during the year I spent in my home town (1992). Possibly the racial element came into play after I left SoCal in the 1970s.

As someone whose family crossed the US/Mexico border looking for a better life (even though we did not do it by swimming across the Rio Grande) I would consider "wetback" a derogatory term. But, admittedly, we as Mexicans use it amongst ourselves. Growing up in Southern California, if one of my Mexican buddies called me a wetback, it was all in fun. Being called a wetback by the older Caucasian gentleman, with hate in his voice, not so much fun. Even when visiting Mexico, my cousins would tell me I went to the US "de espalda mojada" meaning I got my back wet when I crossed the river. Again, all in fun...