SANTA ANA, Calif. — In the most recent transfer to modify position names in gentle of U.S. racial historical past, leaders of Orange County’s Democratic Party are pushing to drop movie legend John Wayne’s identify, statue and different likenesses from the county’s airport on account of his racist and bigoted feedback.
The Los Angeles Times reported that previous this week, officers handed an emergency answer condemning Wayne’s “racist and bigoted statements” made in a 1971 interview and are calling at the Orange County Board of Supervisors to drop his identify, statue and different likenesses from the world airport.
The answer requested the board “to restore its original name: Orange County Airport.”
“There have been past efforts to get this done and now we’re putting our name and our backing into this to make sure there is a name change,” stated Ada Briceño, chair of the Democratic Party of Orange Count
According to people who crafted the answer, the trouble to oust Wayne, an established resident of Orange County who died in 1979, is a part of “a national movement to remove white supremacist symbols and names (that are) reshaping American institutions, monuments, businesses, nonprofits, sports leagues and teams.”
In a 1971 Playboy mag interview, Wayne makes bigoted statements towards Black folks, Native Americans and the LGBTQ group.
He stated, “I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.”
Wayne additionally stated that even if he didn’t condone slavery, “I don’t feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves.”
The actor stated he felt no regret within the subjugation of Native Americans.
“I don’t feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them. … (O)ur so-called stealing of this country from them was just a matter of survival,” he stated. “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 as films corresponding to “Easy Rider” and “Midnight Cowboy” perverted, and used a homosexual slur to consult with the 2 primary characters of the latter movie.
Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner informed the Times that he had simply heard in regards to the Democratic answer and used to be blind to its wording or advantage.