Since I last commented on the blackface/KKK robe scandal involving a picture in Virginia Democratic governor Ralph Northam's 1984 medical school yearbook entry and Northam's subsequent admission that he wore blackface when he dressed as Michael Jackson in a dance contest (but he denies having been in that yearbook photo), the state's other two top elected Democrats have gotten involved in scandals. First came accusations of sexual assault against Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, who is black, from two different women, then Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, who volunteered without goading from the press that he word blackface in 1980 when performing rap songs in college - he was a rap fan in his youth - then apologized for it and said he wished he'd never done it.
All three Democrats have been facing pressure to resign because of the party's zero-tolerance policy against racism and sexual assault. Herring even called for Northam's resignation before he admitted to doing the same thing Northam did, which takes a lot of gall. And if all of them resign their posts, the Republican Speaker of the House of Delegates becomes governor. The Republicans control both houses of the Virginia legislature.
Okay, let's take these three cases individually. First, Fairfax. He's in the hottest of hot water because wearing blackface is merely tasteless and stupid, but sexual assault is a crime. He's in a no-win situation because, first of all, in the Me Too era, denying charges of sexual assault essentially means you're calling the accuser a liar - and at this point, women who bring such accusations forward are tired of being dismissed as liars. Besides, Fairfax has two women accusing him of the same thing - how probable is it that neither one is telling the truth? Impeachment proceedings against him were started in the Virginia House of Delegates - by a Democrat - but rescinded so as not to interfere with the state budget process. This issue is not going away. Expect Fairfax to fall.
Mark Herring is the easiest case to call. He's not going anywhere; despite his hypocrisy in calling for Northam's resignation over wearing blackface in light of a blackface moment of his own, he told the truth about his past and had made no effort to conceal it. The fact that he wore blackface while imitating a rapper, of course, isn't going to be taken well, and in fact the director of a New York hip-hop museum - that's right, there's actually a museum devoted to America's greatest entertainment folly - chastened Herring for what he did and demanded that Herring make contribution to the museum as part of his penance.
I'm not going to comment any further on Herring's case. Suffice to say that Herring will be forgiven and allowed to move on.
Not so Ralph Northam. He has tried to turn his scandal into what is being called a "teachable moment" - he says he's learning about the hurt he caused and why "blacking up" to dress as Michael Jackson was so hurtful, and he says he is devoting the rest of his single term - Virginia governors are only limited to one term - to fighting racism in Virginia. As usual, Northam's comments have been met with skepticism and incredulity. Many black leaders in Virginia say he can atone for his sins by supporting historically black colleges and addressing black economic opportunity and the scholastic achievement gap all he wants, but the fact that he's revealed himself to be just another clueless cracker has led many Virginia blacks to conclude to quit the governorship and go atone in private. Paradoxically, many black leaders still support Northam, noting the strides he's already made for black Virginians in his first year in office and pointing out that, like Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas morning, he's not the man he was. Also, 58 percent of black Virginia voters surveyed want him to remain in the governor's office.
None of that matters. Northam survives because of Fairfax's scandal, as the Republican Senate pro tempore would be acting lieutenant governor if Fairfax were forced out of office and any person Northam appointed to the post would have to run in special election in November 2019 to complete the lieutenant-gubernatorial term. So it would further confuse the already muddied line of succession. But if the lieutenant governor specially elected this November is a Democrat, then it's only a matter of time before Northam is forced out, Democrats being safe in the knowledge that a Republican wouldn't succeed him. If the Democrats were suddenly willing to put principles over politics and sacrifice the governorship, the lieutenant governorship, and attorney general's office tomorrow, though, Northam would be out by Tuesday. I will give Northam credit for this much; he's hung on longer than I expected him to.
The simple lesson is that, if you're a white guy who loves black music and you want to emulate your idols, don't wear blackface. And if you want to dress like Michael Jackson . . .
. . . you'll be pleased to know that it can be done without wearing blackface.
See?
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