Republican commisioner doesn't want N****r-rigging

SheHateMe

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2012
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A Republican county commissioner in rural Kansas is resisting calls for his resignation after a comment he made during a public meeting last week.

Saline County Commissioner Jim Gile (R) used the term "n****r-rigging" during a commission discussion April 2 about hiring an architect to work on a county building, the Salina Journal reported on Saturday. Gile apologized for the comments, but residents called for his resignation during a commission meeting Tuesday afternoon.

The Salina Journal reported:

In a recording made by County Clerk Don Merriman of the study session, Gile, who is white, can be heard to say the county needed to hire an architect to design the improvements rather than "n****r-rigging it."
His comment brought laughter from others in the room. Salinan Ray Hruska, who attends most commission meetings and study sessions, asked Gile what he said.

"Afro-Americanized," Gile replied.

"He's like that congressman from Alaska," Commission Chairman Randy Duncan can be heard to say of Gile's comment. (the one that thinks Latinos are called "Wetbacks"


Gile told the Salina Journal that he knew the term he used from when he was growing up and that he meant to say "jury-rigged." He also insisted that he is not racist, noting that a friend he considers a sister is black.

"I am not a prejudiced person," Gile told the Salina Journal. "I have built Habitat homes for colored people."

This is a classic excuse....and how do you confuse N****r-rigged with jury-rigged?

He even went so far as to say "Afro-Americanized"...so he knew what he said and what he meant to say.


Source
 

xBiffx

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2011
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Pretty tasteless. I think calling for his resignation is a bit much.

Stupid people make stupid comments. News at 11.
 

SheHateMe

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2012
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Pretty tasteless. I think calling for his resignation is a bit much.

Stupid people make stupid comments. News at 11.

Would you want someone like that as your county commissioner?


Then again, he made this comment in a meeting where the townfolk were present and they thought it was pretty hilarious...so I guess they deserve him.
 

xBiffx

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2011
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Would you want someone like that as your county commissioner?


Then again, he made this comment in a meeting where the townfolk were present and they thought it was pretty hilarious...so I guess they deserve him.

No, but then I can vote on that decision.
 

Londo_Jowo

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Jan 31, 2010
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This is a classic excuse....and how do you confuse N****r-rigged with jury-rigged?

He even went so far as to say "Afro-Americanized"...so he knew what he said and what he meant to say

I have heard it called N****r-rigged, Jury-Rigged, and Afro-Engineered or Afro-Engineering over the last 30 plus years (Navy & industrial sites). I've even heard black mechanics/millwright use this terminology as well as not being offended when someone else used any of these terms. Hell some of them used the term because they were proud that they used their own ingenuity to make something work when others couldn't.
 

Ventanni

Golden Member
Jul 25, 2011
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Language changes over time. Although it's a pretty poor choice of words to use in a public setting, the message he was portraying is that he wants the job to be done well and done right. Calling for his resignation just seems silly and overplayed.
 

Matt1970

Lifer
Mar 19, 2007
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Would you want someone like that as your county commissioner?


Then again, he made this comment in a meeting where the townfolk were present and they thought it was pretty hilarious...so I guess they deserve him.

Better than than the Senate Majority Leader and then 3rd in line for the Presidency.
 

lotus503

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2005
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After the introduction of the macgyver tv show in 1985, there was no cause to use these terms as descriptors unless you want to flaunt your racism.

;)
 

xBiffx

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2011
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After the introduction of the macgyver tv show in 1985, there was no cause to use these terms as descriptors unless you want to flaunt your racism.

;)

He provably didn't have TV back in 1985. Maybe he still doesn't. ^_^
 

Zeze

Lifer
Mar 4, 2011
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This. Plus, generally speaking, stupid ones have an even more limited lifespan. Although, unfortunately, that's not a fact.

That's all nothing considering stupid people breed like rabbits.
 

Zargon

Lifer
Nov 3, 2009
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he also used the term 'colored people' which is pretty offensive these days too

mostly it shows his age
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
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I have heard it called N****r-rigged, Jury-Rigged, and Afro-Engineered or Afro-Engineering over the last 30 plus years (Navy & industrial sites). I've even heard black mechanics/millwright use this terminology as well as not being offended when someone else used any of these terms. Hell some of them used the term because they were proud that they used their own ingenuity to make something work when others couldn't.

Yep...I even had a black ironworker work for me...said he was my "n*gger-rigger." :shrug:
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
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Language changes over time. Although it's a pretty poor choice of words to use in a public setting, the message he was portraying is that he wants the job to be done well and done right. Calling for his resignation just seems silly and overplayed.
Agreed, but it raises a good point. If you never use such terms, even when it is safe to do so, then you will never embarrass yourself by using them when it isn't safe to do so. Pretty simple concept that should be Lesson #1 for any politician.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
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he also used the term 'colored people' which is pretty offensive these days too

mostly it shows his age
Agreed. I find it most amusing that "colored people" is now offensive but "people of color" is now politically correct.
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
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His sin, I think, was to use the term in the pejorative. Had he said, we don't need some fancy expensive architect to waste money on when we can get better results with a nr from the Architecture Dept. at our our local community college.

At any rate, I see the language centers of the brain as running on automated and ingrained processes, that we can speak without conscious attention to language formation, that we can, if we grow up around racist speakers, learn to speak racist language without necessarily having racist feeling or defeat our racist bigotry in our hearts but still leave the automated language that comes our of our mouth unchanged. I would take this man at his word that he's not a racist at heart just because of some words he used, and I can understand why he would be disinclined to quit over it. And people often laugh in situations where somebody in authority or approved social standing commits a social gaffe. It is not a sign of agreement or approval. It is also an autonomic process signaling internal tension.