Sounds like some things never change in the "party of tolerance".

A Democratic love-fest came to a screeching halt Friday after a high-ranking Hispanic party official abruptly resigned amid allegations he used a racial slur during a heated argument with a black aide to Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean.

Alvaro Cifuentes was chairman of the DNC's Hispanic Caucus and is well-known in national Hispanic Democratic circles.

Cifuentes was attending the DNC's winter meeting in Washington, D.C., on Friday when he and the aide got into an argument.

It's not clear what started the fight, but sources said Cifuentes called the aide, who is black, "boy" twice during the confrontation, and two conference attendees were alarmed enough to try and restrain Cifuentes.

Sources said they believed Cifuentes' actions to be physically intimidating, and his words racially insensitive.

DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney confirmed the resignation Friday evening, saying it occurred after a meeting with Dean, the former governor of Vermont. She said that Cifuentes resigned his post as caucus chairman, but remains a member of the DNC.

Asked if Dean forced Cifuentes to resign his post, Finney said: "Gov. Dean and Alvaro had a private meeting this afternoon. Following that meeting, Alvaro attended the Hispanic Caucus meeting, [and] submitted his resignation. It was accepted by the caucus."

First, I don't buy the notion that "boy" is necessarily a racial slur. But if the Democrats truly consider it to be one, why is Cifuentes permitted to remain a member in good standing of the DNC, which is the party's governing body? Why don't Dean and the rest of the top-ranking Democrats insist upon Cifuentes' complete removal fromt he body?

Could it be that racism isn't really that big a deal in the eyes of the Democrats -- any more than it was during the days of slavery, Jim Crow, and massive resistance?

Posted by: Greg at 12:54 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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