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 Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 2:48 pm
I live in Maryland. Primaries are coming up this year. Our state comptroller since '99 has been William Donald Schaefer - who has a lengthy record in politics here - the mayor of Baltimore from '71 to '87 and governer of Maryland from '87 to '95. He's been credited with cleaning up much of Baltimore and getting it functioning better economically, taking stricter measures against the Chesapeake Bay's pollution problem and higher standards for public schools.
However, Schaefer is surrounded by quite a bit of controversy. He fought frequently with his sucessor, Paris Glendenning, calling him "Ayatollah" and a "despot". He said people who had AIDs "brought it on themselves" and are "a danger" and has been calling for a public registry of HIV+ Maryland residents since the '90s. Schaefer has also frequently referred to women as "little girls" and exibiting other disgusting behavior towards women.
Last February, Schaefer made suggestive comments to Elizabeth Krum, a 24-year-old assistant to Governor Robert Ehrlich. Responding to Schaefer's request for tea, Krum set a thermal mug in front of him. Schaefer watched her walk away, then beckoned for her to return. When she obliged, he told her, "Walk again," staring after her as she left the conference room. Schaefer refused to apologize, saying, "She's a pretty little girl. She ought to be damn happy that I observed her going out the door. The day I don't look at pretty women is the day I die."
Last month, while at a meeting at the public works board considering a contract to provide testing services for the English as a Second Language program, Schafer demanded to know whether the program would benefit Korean students. "Korea's another one, all of a sudden they're our friends, too, shooting missiles at us," he said. Schaefer was referring to North Korea's test launch earlier that week of a long-range missile, which fell into the ocean. Schaefer refused to apologize for his comments after a meeting with South Korean community leaders. Schaefer has also made public critical comments about a employee at McDonald's who had difficulty taking his order, swearing to never go there again.
On the same day while being questioned about the ESOL program by a female reporter, Schafer responded by calling her a "sweet little girl". During the same interview when he was asked if he would debate Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens - also running for comptroller this year - he replied he "wouldn't debate her on how to bake a chocolate cake."
The sad thing is - even with the mounds of controversy, offensive and demeaning and bigoted remarks Schaefer has made, he's still leading in the polls and many people in Maryland - a pretty liberal state - still support him. There have been many letters to our local newspaper - written by both men and women - over the incident with Ms. Krum - saying she should be grateful he told her she was attractive. HELLO. There is a HUGE ********, GLOW IN THE DARK, NEON LINE between telling a woman she is beautiful and asking her to walk back by you again so you can stare at her behind.
I wrote a letter to the paper about this but if this man gets back in office I am going to be disappointed in my fellow Marylanders.
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Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:24 pm
Seems to me that people like him for his politics and his inbumbency rather than his personal views. The must figure that it's worth having a bigot and sexist man in office if they're reletivly happen with what is going on in your state. There are a lot worse things to be too.
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Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 4:49 pm
*Shakes head* What absurdity...
The thing is, people seem to think that there is a difference between "political views" and "personal views," but it's not really defined. I mean yes, there is a difference between sexually harassing women and trying to pass laws to keep them only in a sexual role, but the underlying feelings are the same.
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Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:35 pm
Yeah. This guy showed up accompanied by state troopers at somebody's house after they wrote a negative editorial about him. Talk about abuse of power..
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:33 pm
As other have said, people do separate personal and political views. Thing is people forget that they sort of do go hand in hand. Personal views effect political views as has been seen time and time again.
Is he considered the lesser of two evils by any chance? That could also be a reason why he's still leading in the polls.
Also I've realized that even in this day and age, people still don't know the difference between a compliment and being... well, a jerk.
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Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:02 pm
LadyNox As other have said, people do separate personal and political views. Thing is people forget that they sort of do go hand in hand. Personal views effect political views as has been seen time and time again. Is he considered the lesser of two evils by any chance? That could also be a reason why he's still leading in the polls. Also I've realized that even in this day and age, people still don't know the difference between a compliment and being... well, a jerk.
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Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:50 pm
Cyanide Kitten LadyNox As other have said, people do separate personal and political views. Thing is people forget that they sort of do go hand in hand. Personal views effect political views as has been seen time and time again. Is he considered the lesser of two evils by any chance? That could also be a reason why he's still leading in the polls. Also I've realized that even in this day and age, people still don't know the difference between a compliment and being... well, a jerk. I'm glad things are turning up. With any luck, you won't have to deal with incredibly horrible politicians.
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