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A Broadview Heights woman is accusing state Rep. Robert F. Hagan of using a term that some believe has a racist connotation on a social networking site.
Hagan, D-60th, of Youngstown, used the term “buckwheat” in a
Facebook posting Saturday.
He said the posting wasn’t racist, and the attack on him is the tea party’s attempt to make him look bad.
“I have a history of supporting equal rights and civil rights,” Hagan said.
The Facebook discussion started between Hagan and Maggi Cook, of Southwest Ohio, regarding Wisconsin Senate Democrats not showing up at their Statehouse because of their governor’s attempts to remove collective bargaining rights and cut benefits for public workers.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich has proposed similar cuts.
Hagan opposes the cuts.
Rachel Mullen Manias, a GOP activist from Broadview Heights, outside Cleveland; a man named Kevin Crowther and others joined the discussion.
The discussion continues, with Manias, Cook and Crowther, who is black, arguing for the need for cuts and Hagan against what’s bee n proposed.
Manias then wrote, “I’m guessing your (sic) from an entrenched area ripe with corruption. I don’t recognize your name as a Cuyahoga County resident, but I’m guessing you’re from the land of Traficant...”
Hagan responds that she’s not making sense. Two others comment and then Crowther returns to the discussion of public unions.
Then Hagan writes, “I ran against Traficant buckwheat ... so take your personal shots, and shove them where the sun don’t shine.”
Hagan said “buckwheat” is a term he’s been using since he was a kid and that it carries no racial connotation for him.
He said he wasn’t aware of the race of any of the people involved in the discussion and that his comment was directed at Manias, not Crowther.
Manias, who e-mailed the discussion to The Vindicator, believes the word is inappropriate in any case.
“I find it completely unacceptable that a career politician finds the word ‘Buckwheat’ to be socially acceptable and appropriate in any situation,” Manias said in an e-mail.
For the complete story, read Sunday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.
Comments
Seriously?!?! Why is this a story? This woman needs to be put away for stupidity!
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And where is the video of Kasich calling a police officer an idiot for doing his job?
Please, Vindy, I don't agree with racist-oriented remarks such as Mr. Hagan's, but surely you are showing your butt in terms of who you favor with your various selections and highlights.
I'm not a big Hagan fan, but the comment was not racist.
Thanks to Manias, Cook and Crowthers the world now has definite proof that there is no shortage of stupid.
I read the facebook pages and it seemed to me that Manias, Cook and Crowthers had the email attention of a Senator and Manias, Cook and Crowthers didn't have the maturity to intelligently communicate during the facebook session. Hence, the three fired at him rudely and moronically.
Facebook debates:
Hagan - 1
Manias - 0
Cook - 0
Crowther - 0
Case closed.
Next case please.
I see all the white people have bellied up to the racist bar to tell everyone that Buckwheat isn't a racist word. Of course it is. Hagan loves all colors of people, especially when it's time to vote.
rfederer
"I see all the white people have bellied up to the racist bar to tell everyone that Buckwheat isn't a racist word. Of course it is."
But it's okay for Corey Poitier (who by the way is black) to say:
“Listen up, Buckwheat — this is not how it is done!”
to Obama. So it's not racist if a black says it, but it is when a white does?
Just like the n-word, huh?
Their are way more things to worry about in today's society then someone saying "Buckwheat", especially when you don't even know the race of the person your debating with.
And by the way I can't stand the idiot Hagan.
Pizza face Hagan is at it again. Remember his racist rant when he lost the mayor's race in Youngstown. He is and will always be a phony knucklehead.
BUCKWHEAT PANCAKE MIX SHOULD BE BANNED !
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I...
After Bob decides to heavily tax and regulate Facebook he will be the first to drop out ... same day Zuckerberg turns it into a paid site.
BUCKWHEAT !!! Really Bob--- I knew Buckwheat, and he wasn't Irish. Sometimes some people only open their mouths to '''change feet''.
Shannon Jones, the bovine puppet who introduced Senate Bill 5, has a Facebook page, but she's "temporarily" disabled it as not to accept citizens commenting on her wall page...she claims because of the profanity directed toward her!! Go figure that one! At least Hagan has the cojones to engage with people who disagree with him. And the simple FACT remains...the woman's avatar was a picture of Hello Kitty. Seriously? Hagan couldn't have possibly know she was black. This is just a stupid, stupid story...generated by another crackpot Tea Partier. I wonder what Hello Kitty thought of the Governor calling a cop an "idiot"? That sure wasn't respectful, was it?
Well Abe
At least you used the term "Tea Partier" and not the sexually charged term that hagan used in today's Vindy column.
I find that term extremely offensive and this is at least the 5th time in the last year that the Vindy has allowed it to be used in print.
Stop it already.
Oh and abe, Obama did and said a lot worse than "idiot" when referring to the entire police dept up in Mass, when his friend was in trouble with the law.
And I wish cotton was a monkey! Let's see if you be axk me, we habe white history month, the white panthers, miss white america contest, white entertainment network, white knights polch forcs. Sew eye gess theemm whit folk are all raciest. Hurray for Hagan!
Hagan is Vulgar and talks like a sailor, he should not be a state rep with his language and temper! Attached is a link to a screenshot of him insulting young kinds on FB back in November. Enjoy Vindy.
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/43...