The photo above (from The Virginian-Pilot) is from the Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook page of Ralph Northam. Mr. Northam is currently the governor of Virginia. He was elected on the Democratic Party ticket. This yearbook was not published in the 1950's (when racism was commonplace in Virginia), but in 1984 when any decent American should have known that appearing in Blackface or a KKK costume was inexcusable.
When the photo was first made public, Northam owned up to it and apologized, saying:
"Earlier today, a website published a photograph of me from my 1984 medical school yearbook in a costume that is clearly racist and offensive. . .decision I made to appear as I did in this photo and for the hurt that decision caused then and now. This behavior is not in keeping with who I am today and the values I have fought for throughout my career in the military, in medicine, and in public service."
Sadly, he has now backtracked. Now he claims that he was not in either the Blackface or the KKK costume, that the photo was placed on his page in error, and that he did not know what appeared on his page (since he did not buy a copy of the yearbook). I find that very hard to believe. Even if he did not buy a copy, he very likely knew what appeared on his own page.
Is Northam a racist? I don't know. But at the very least, he has an extreme lack of sensitivity regarding racial issues. And either racist beliefs or the lack of sensitivity to racial issues would be grounds for a resignation.
The Republicans have called for Northam to resign. That's more than a bit disingenuous, since they have spent the last few years defending actions as bad, or worse, by their own politicians (lying, pedophilia, racism, religious bigotry, homophobia, rape, drunkenness, sex abuse, etc.). If Northam was a Republican, I have no doubt they would be defending him.
But I am not a Republican. I am a Democrat. And being a Democrat, I must demand the same high standards of politicians from all political parties (and Independents). This yearbook page is indefensible, and his lying about it just makes the situation much worse.
Governor Ralph Northam MUST RESIGN!
