Staff Reports
In a recent installment of "Real Time With Bill Maher," Donna Brazile, former acting Chair of the Democratic National Committee, came under scrutiny for a racially insensitive comment directed at Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Brazile not only mispronounced Ramaswamy's name but also suggested that he should "go home." Such behavior would typically be condemned as blatantly racist, but this incident reveals a peculiar double standard when the target is a Republican.
During the show, Brazile mispronounced Ramaswamy's name, making it rhyme with "tech," and advised him to "shut the hell up and go home." Adam Kinzinger, a former congressman and current senior political commentator for CNN, who was also present, joined in the mispronunciation. When host Bill Maher called out Brazile on her error, she dismissed it with a casual "well, whatever."
RACISM: Donna Brazil purposefully mispronounces @VivekGRamaswamy name and publicly called on him to return ‘home’ presumably to India (FWIW Vivek was born in America). pic.twitter.com/WXwyPZgbnh
— @amuse (@amuse) November 19, 2023
Maher attempted to highlight Brazile's apparent double standard on racism, but Brazile humorously pointed out her own name as somehow exempt from scrutiny. Despite mocking Ramaswamy's name, she demonstrated that she could pronounce it correctly. Maher suggested that their refusal to learn Ramaswamy's name might involve a degree of racism, but Brazile denied any racist intent.
It's essential to recognize that persistent mispronunciation or mockery of non-English names, despite the achievements of figures like Vice President Kamala Harris and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, raises concerns about power dynamics and respect, as noted in a CNN article. Mispronouncing names has been linked to racism and other forms of oppression, as argued by associate professor Rita Kohli. Had a similar incident involved a white person mispronouncing the name of a black or Middle Eastern individual and telling them to "go home," it would likely lead to calls for resignation.
Ramaswamy responded to the exchange with humor, wondering aloud how people would react if a white Republican intentionally mispronounced Brazile's name and told her to go home. Brazile's comment clearly invoked his ethnicity and country of origin, underscoring a double standard in how racism is perceived and addressed by the left. Fairness dictates that the left should hold itself to the same ethical standards it advocates, if not higher. While Brazile and Kinzinger may be unlikely to admit to any malicious behavior, it's crucial to acknowledge the underlying implications of their actions.
