Politicians demand John Wayne Airport name change rather than racist history – diversity

The Orange County Democratic Party passed an emergency resolution this week urging the Orange County Board of Supervisors to change the name of John Wayne Airport.

Chapman University professors Fred Smaller and Dr. Michael A. Ada Brisio, chairman of the Democratic Party of Orange County, including Moody’s, submitted the proposal, calling it “white hegemonic, anti-LGBT”, “condemning John Wayne’s racist and bigoted remarks” and anti-national.

The remarks came in response to a question from Playboy magazine’s 1971 interview where Owen said he believed in white supremacy and did not feel guilty about “these people were slaves five or ten generations ago,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

“I believe in white supremacy until blacks are educated at some point in their responsibilities,” Owen said. “I do not believe in giving leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.”

Wayne used a gay porn reference to the movie “Midnight Cowboy” and made derogatory remarks about Native Americans.

“I don’t think we made a mistake in taking this great country away from them. … [O]The so-called theft of this country from you was a matter of survival, “Wayne said.” There were a lot of people who needed new land and the Indians selfishly tried to keep it for themselves. “

Although previous attempts have been made to remove Wayne’s resemblance from the airport, the resolution claims that the current “national movement to remove white hegemonic symbols and names” could be the catalyst for doing so.

“It is widely acknowledged that racist symbols cause long-term physical and emotional stress and trauma, especially to blacks, people of color and other oppressed groups, and that the removal of racist symbols provides the necessary process for the community to remember and recognize historic historical acts of violence.” , ”The resolution said.

The resolution also cites the increasingly diverse population of Orange County as the reason for the change, saying ents9% of respondents to the Orange County annual survey “see the county’s growing ethnic diversity as a source of great energy.”

What the airport should be named, politicians suggested a simple solution: Orange County Airport.