Those who seem to believe that who we were in our youth somehow magically changes when we get into to middle age, don't know much about human nature. The pathology of George Allen's behavior in the context of his siblings and his peers in high school and in college tell us a lot about the man he continues to be.

Just as psychologists look at the behavior of sociopaths in their early childhood, Allen's actions and words, even during his time were not normal stuff, especially in the context of a man whose father coached black players, and was loved by those players.

If you think Allen didn't know his mother was Jewish, you might want to look into improving your critical thinking skills.

If he lies about his past, his family and his casual racism with persists today, knowing his past is useful, and relevant. He might have cosmetically cleaned up his rhetoric, but he hasn't changed.

I suspect a lot of people here who have been excusing Allen's "youthful" behavior, have a few skeletons in their own pasts. And in today's current political climate, you might want to not run for high political office if you don't want your actions and behavior going back to your teen years examined in public.

That is the price of power. And has been for quite sometime.

A candidate that lies to you and tells you s/he's never harbored an offensive thought, ever? I'm just saying, how high do you want the bar set? Seems that we could apply this standard to more or less anyone and get away with it. Which is fine, really, it just leaves us with few people who can lead.

My wife remembers George Allen as a racist at Palos Verdes High School.

She tells the story of how he and a friend tried to foment prejudice by writing epithets on walls as if written by blacks against whites. His cohort eventually ratted

on him.

>A candidate that lies to you and tells you s/he's never harbored an offensive thought, ever?

Nope. However, if you have engaged in antisocial behavior, and did nothing to hide your racism throughout your youth...and been a huge bully through out your life....and held on to to racist ideals up until middle age, you damn well better expect people to notice it.

When Bill Clinton's behavior in his youth became an issue in the 1992 election....and the right made up stories about his trip top Russia and Bob Dornan called him a Russian spy in congress, the rules changed. And it is only hypocrites who suggest that Repubicans are immune to examination of their pasts, especially when it is as appalling as and shameful and unrependent as Allen's.

If you want to be in politics, you might want to think about cleaning up your act when you are young, and not behave like a jerk. Because the people you hurt along the way don't forget and forgive...and if you are sicko like George Allen, and you haven't changed, crying foul about his the defining moments of his youth isn't surprising, but people ignoring the man as he is today...while excusing his youthful sociopathy are a little too much for me, I am afraid.

I really am taken aback

By this foul mouthed liberal attack

There is no basis

Cause I’m not a racist

Just a good ole white macaque

My mama – turns out she’s a Jew

I tried to tell them - “who knew?”

The newspaper Forward

Was very untoward

This mamas boy’s cover they blew

Although it’s been talked of a lot

Running for Prez I am not

Just a year in New Hampshire

And that’s all for damn sure

Cause I know that I don’t have a shot

All this last-minute "revelations" about something a candidate did 30-plus years ago usually backfire--they show a campaign (Webb, in this case) desperate to smear an opponent because it has nothing else to offer.

Webb loses.

Why don't we use the Republican frame for the George Allen issue?

"George Allen: You're either with him or against him."

You can be a racist apologist, like a some posters on here have been (that's awfully brave on an anonymous forum!), or you can call George Allen out for who he really is. Take your pick.

>All this last-minute "revelations" about something a candidate did 30-plus years ago usually backfire--they show a campaign (Webb, in this case) desperate to smear an opponent because it has nothing else to offer.

Webb has nothing to do with these revelations. They are the product of a reporter making cold calls to the UV football team. And they will be futher reinforced in the coming days with even more examples of appalling behavior on the part of these pathetic and appalling man.

Your people changed the rules when they lied about Clinton, Gore and Kerry....and every other slimey tactic the amoral Republican spin machine cranked out in order to poison the discussion and hold down voter turnout.

As Harry Truman once said, "When the Republicans stop lying out about us, we stop telling the truth about them."

There is nothing last minute about these relevations. Allen has been a known quantity since he was in high school. He hasn't changed, nor have the Republicans who can dish the lies, but apparently are uncomfortable with a few hard truths about their morally bankrupt political machine.

If you don't like it, you only have yourselves to blame.

RE: The Negative Impact of anti-white racism is tiny compared to anti-black racism.

Easy for you to say! This old canard - that black racism is somehow less impactful because blacks are basically powerless in our society is not only patronizing and racist, it's also untrue: on the macro (i.e, academic level) it's true - blacks don't have the money or the power - never mind that most white folks don't either. But on the personal level - you know, the one where it counts, black racism can be very hurful, expesnsive and destructive - anyone who lives in a big city can tell you all about it. Le Castor, all your posts are on the level of the text book geek who never has actually stepped into the real world - try it, the ground might feel good beneath your feet.

-- man

1. I live in Manhattan. So i can tell you all about it. And what i see all the time is that all the crappy jobs are generally held by hispanic or black women (and less often men), and all the good jobs are held by white men (less often women). Yes, there are exceptions. But how many times have i arrived at a law firm, and all the janitors, security guards, food service personnel and receptionists are black or hispanic, and all the attorneys and even paralegals are white? This is what i see ALL THE TIME, in firm and firm and after corporation. It's already outrageous. Sometimes i think if i were black, i would be so angry about this that i would be a militant or something.

2. "on the personal level - you know, the one where it counts" -- really, is that the one that counts? Because to me, insults on a personal level may be hurtful to feelings, but not being promoted because of your race (or gender or religion) is hurtful in so many ways, not just personal, but financial, and career-wise. And unfortunately, most black people are not in positions to promote anyone. Most people who are in positions to promote people are white, and male. Like I said, most black people don't control anything that most white people would want, so anti-white racism is almost irrelevant, whereas most of the things people want (all people, black white asian, men women etc.) in America are controlled by white people, especially white men, so racism is very important in that context.