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Wednesday, August 16, 2006 12:00 AM

Stepping in "macaca"

With his Confederate-flag-draped past, Sen. George Allen is in trouble for using a term for monkeys -- and racial slur elsewhere in the world -- to ridicule a dark-skinned man at a campaign rally.
By Michael Scherer

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  • Tuesday, August 15, 2006 08:15 PM

    "Welcome to America" is what was offensive

    You give Allen way too much credit for even understanding what "macaca" might mean, though the word sounds offensive regardless of its meaning. But "Welcome to America", addressed to a brown-skinned man born in this country, is worse than offensive. The man is a Virginian, and thus Allen's constituent. To make the assumption because of someone's appearance that he is not an American is worse than offensive. It is a violation of everything this country stands for. Allen's half-assed apology is just spin.

    —Breadbaker Read Breadbaker's other letters

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