Fight over John Wayne Airport name reaches Trump Twitter feed

In recent days, the Democratic Party of Orange County, two Chapman University professors and a California senator joined the voices demanding a new name for John Wayne Airport – suggesting the late actor’s racist comments make him a poor fit to represent the county.

But some Republicans, including President Donald Trump, are pushing back.

“Now the Do Nothing Democrats want to take off the name John Wayne from an airport. Incredible stupidity!” Trump said in a tweet Monday, June 29.

At issue is whether offensive remarks made half a century ago by the iconic movie star should disqualify him from such a high-profile honor.

Some argue that at a time when many Americans are marching against racial injustice – and as cities and states are ousting relics of slavery – Wayne’s sentiment toward Black, Native American and gay people cannot be ignored.

“We are seeing this across the nation. Look at what just happened in Mississippi,” said Ada Briceno, chair of the OC Democratic Party. On Sunday, June 28, Mississippi’s legislature voted to remove the Confederate emblem from the state flag.

Others contend that Wayne, famous for his roles as a swaggering cowboy, was a man of a less enlightened era whose deeds should be viewed holistically.

“I do believe that a person should be judged on the totality of their actions and contributions to society, which is why I support keeping the name John Wayne Airport,” Michelle Steel, Orange County Board of Supervisors chair, said in a statement Monday, June 29.

In a 1971 interview with Playboy magazine, Wayne said, “I believe in white supremacy until the Blacks are educated to a point of responsibility,” adding, “I don’t feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves.”

Regarding Native Americans, Wayne said, “There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.”

Wayne also referred to gay people using a slur.

Those sentiments did not draw widespread criticism until years later, when they resurfaced, thanks in part to the Internet.

Days after Wayne’s death in 1979, the Orange County Board of Supervisors decided to rename Orange County Airport after him. At the time, they described the longtime Newport Beach resident as “a symbol to the world of the traditional American values.”

But Wayne’s own words reveal quite the opposite, Briceno said: “His racist and homophobic views do not conform with the values of Orange County, nor of our country.”

Chapman University professors Fred Smoller and Michael Moodian last week posed the rhetorical question in a Voice of OC piece: “If we named the airport today, is this the symbol we’d pick to represent our diverse, cosmopolitan community?”

Ultimately, only the Board of Supervisors can make that call. “The name of the airport is strictly a local decision,” said Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Steel, for one, does not advocate revisiting her predecessors’ verdict. “(Wayne) was an ardent supporter of our men and women in uniform, and his family foundation has been a national leader in cancer research,” she said.

The Republican Party of Orange County, too, announced its opposition to a name change.

“We best secure our liberty by keeping our history in front of us,” party chairman Fred Whitaker said in a statement. “There are no perfect men, but there are many to whom we owe a debt of gratitude, regardless of their imperfections.”

Wayne’s son said in a statement that his father “was not a racist.”

“There is no question that the words spoken by John Wayne in an interview 50 years ago have caused pain and anger,” Ethan Wayne said. “They pained him as well, as he realized his true feelings were wrongly conveyed.

“If John Wayne were here today, he would be in the forefront demanding fairness and justice for all people,” the younger Wayne said. “He would have pulled those officers off of George Floyd, because that was the right thing to do. He would stand for everyone’s right to protest and work toward change.”

What ever “The Duke” might think in 2020, said California Senator Thomas Umberg, other luminaries would be more appropriate to represent the county’s airport than “a self-proclaimed white supremacist.”

In an opinion piece that ran Saturday in The Orange County Register, Umberg suggested a few alternative local heroes – among them, World War II Medal of Honor recipient Walt Ehlers, who rescued squadmates during the D-Day invasion of Europe.

“When the millions of travelers arrive in Orange County,” Umberg concluded, “they should know what we honor, what values we hold, who we think is a role model.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from https://ift.tt/eA8V8J Orange County Register https://ift.tt/3ePxxIs