KOLLANDON, Ans. -- Another debate, another controversy surrounding Nationalist candidate Rosamond Burkes.
The wealthy, elderly businesswoman, who is running for Ansleigha governor, is known for her controversial comments about race.
During a governor debate in 2016, she called Black Lives Matter protesters "thugs" and said police were right to use force to bring them under control at violent demonstrations.
This year, she's seeking the governorship again, and again, at Monday night's debate in Kollandon, Burkes ventured into controversial territory with her latest remarks on race.
"Today in this country, we have young Black boys who grow up without a dad, their mothers are working two or three jobs to provide for their family, because dad walked out or is in prison. So these young boys grow up with no supervision, they turn to the streets and the gang culture, which is all they've got, because they don't have that family support they need.
"And then their role models are rap artists, who are thugs and drug addicts and they write songs about shooting people, they write lyrics calling women 'bitches' and 'whores' and 'sluts.'
"Young black boys grow up in this sort of environment, and then we wonder why they're angry, why they're violent, why they hate police, why they deal drugs, why they end up in prison, why they're abusive toward women."
"When you have no dad at home and mom's working multiple jobs and all the older boys on your street are dealing drugs and doing drive-bys and pimping girls, and your idols you look up to are rap singers who espouse violence and degrade women, it's clear why young Black men have run-ins with police and have higher crime rates. It makes sense why young Black women have so many children out of wedlock and are on welfare. It's not rocket science here," said Burkes.
Moderator Jason Jones pushed back, challenging Burkes to offer evidence that young Black men are more prone to criminal activity.
She dodged the question.
"I'm not saying that these problems only exist in the Black community. They don't, they exist in Latino communities and Arab communities and White Communities and Indigenous communities. I'm not picking on Black people here, but I am saying that the Black community needs better role models for their young men.
"We shouldn't be glorifying these rap artists who do drugs and shoot people and violate women. We shouldn't be celebrating these guys and lifting them up in our society. They're not heroes. They're not worth celebrating. They're thugs. They're gangsters. They're pigs.
"Anybody who talks like that to a woman and treats a woman that way is a disgusting pig in my book.
She continued.
"I'll tell you what Jason, if one of those thugs walked up to me with his pants falling off his butt, smelling like marijuana, and called me one of those obscene words, I'd shove one of my heels up his sorry ass so fast he won't even see it coming.
"He better hope his buddies are there to help him, because he'll need help walking when I'm done with him."
There was a mix of raucous laughter and disbelief at that last specific exchange, but most of her remarks were met with confused and disapproving looks from her fellow candidates, and a small spattering of applause from the audience, who were on the edge of their seats during her seemingly off-the-cuff commentary.
"I'm not quite sure where to begin after that," said moderator Dick Clemson, a local TV News anchor from Kollandon.
"There's a lot to unpack in what you just said there, Ms. Burkes," added Clemson's anchor partner, Kate Crispell.
Churchtown Mayor Paul Biddington raised his hand, asking to speak.
Turning to Burkes, Biddington admonished her words.
"I'd like to go on the record and say that what you just said, Rosamond, was filled with stereotypes and dog-whistle phrases, it's not based on facts, it's based on fear and the fear-mongering that White elites have been doing for so long in this country," he said to wide applause from the audience. "And I want everyone up on this stage to reject what she just said."
Fellow candidate Becky Grael, speaker of the State House of Representatives, shook her head in mutual disbelief and disapproval.
"It's really, really disappointing that we have a candidate in this race who is falling for and spewing these racist talking points," said Grael. "There is no room on this stage, or in this party, for this kind of racism. If that's the kind of campaign you're going to run, you're in the wrong party."
Again, resounding applause.
Moderate businessman Russ Hawley was less critical and more diplomatic in his response. Courting many of the same moderate and conservative voters Burkes appeals to, he was more cautious in his criticism.
"I think you made some valid points, Rosamond. We do have a crisis of family support and poverty and drugs in many of our minority neighborhoods. But there are many reasons for this, and to point at one specific group and repeat stereotypes and unfounded, unsupported claims about increased crime rates, increased predisposition to crime and abuse, that's not true, it's not the temperament we need in our next governor, and it's not representative of the values of the Nationalist party," said Hawley.
After the debate, the Ansleigha Nationalist Party released an official statement condemning Burkes' comments.
"The ANP does not support or condone the racist and misleading comments that Rosamond Burkes made at Monday night's debate. The ANP fully rejects Ms Burke's words. We value the Black community. We recognize that systemic racism and historic oppression continue to hold back the Black community, as well as other minority groups, and we celebrate the leaders in the Black community and our Black celebrities who have fought for equality and racial justice."
Anticipating the fallout from her comments, the Burkes campaign released a fundraising email directly after the debate.
"Rosamond spoke the truth about problems in the Black community. She said what the politically-correct politicians are too afraid to say. It's a tough topic, but she's not afraid to confront it. And now the Nationalist Party elites, the liberal establishment and the "Fake News" media are attacking her for saying the truth."
The email then asks readers to donate to the Burkes campaign and provides a link to her website.
"Will you stand with Rosamond and fight back against the political correctness and stupidity of the party elites? If we can't have freedom of speech and speak openly and honestly about society's problems, we don't live in a free country anymore, we live in a censored dictatorship. Help Rosamond continue the fight against political correctness and the elites!"
The fundraising email was sent out 45 minutes after the debate ended, prompting some critics to speculate if Burkes planned ahead of time to make the controversial comments at the debate.
A spokesperson for her campaign denied that claim, saying Rosamond "always speaks off the cuff."
Burkes is known for her outspoken, unfiltered and colorful comments.
A lifelong Nationalist, as a young woman, she was an ardent feminist and anti-war protester.
Now, as a candidate for governor, she remains a strong feminist and anti-war activist, but over the years, she has become more right-wing on issues of race and law and order.
Some have suggested Burkes' views would be more welcomed in the Conservative Party, but she's been openly critical of Conservatives too, in addition to her own party.
Despite being asked to pledge to support whoever wins the NAT nomination, Burkes has declined to do so and has hinted she may quit the NAT and run as an Independent or third-party candidate.
Should she choose to do so, it's unclear which party would be more adversely affected by her candidacy. Polls show she appeals to working-class Nationalists from rural areas, so she could steal votes from the NAT. However, she draws widespread support from many Conservative voters too, which could siphon votes from the CNS candidate.
The most recent poll showed Burkes in fourth place in the NAT primary race, however, since that poll, several candidates, including Attorney General Jon Erickson, have dropped out. No polls featuring the four remaining candidates have been conducted yet.
The wealthy, elderly businesswoman, who is running for Ansleigha governor, is known for her controversial comments about race.
During a governor debate in 2016, she called Black Lives Matter protesters "thugs" and said police were right to use force to bring them under control at violent demonstrations.
This year, she's seeking the governorship again, and again, at Monday night's debate in Kollandon, Burkes ventured into controversial territory with her latest remarks on race.
"Today in this country, we have young Black boys who grow up without a dad, their mothers are working two or three jobs to provide for their family, because dad walked out or is in prison. So these young boys grow up with no supervision, they turn to the streets and the gang culture, which is all they've got, because they don't have that family support they need.
"And then their role models are rap artists, who are thugs and drug addicts and they write songs about shooting people, they write lyrics calling women 'bitches' and 'whores' and 'sluts.'
"Young black boys grow up in this sort of environment, and then we wonder why they're angry, why they're violent, why they hate police, why they deal drugs, why they end up in prison, why they're abusive toward women."
"When you have no dad at home and mom's working multiple jobs and all the older boys on your street are dealing drugs and doing drive-bys and pimping girls, and your idols you look up to are rap singers who espouse violence and degrade women, it's clear why young Black men have run-ins with police and have higher crime rates. It makes sense why young Black women have so many children out of wedlock and are on welfare. It's not rocket science here," said Burkes.
Moderator Jason Jones pushed back, challenging Burkes to offer evidence that young Black men are more prone to criminal activity.
She dodged the question.
"I'm not saying that these problems only exist in the Black community. They don't, they exist in Latino communities and Arab communities and White Communities and Indigenous communities. I'm not picking on Black people here, but I am saying that the Black community needs better role models for their young men.
"We shouldn't be glorifying these rap artists who do drugs and shoot people and violate women. We shouldn't be celebrating these guys and lifting them up in our society. They're not heroes. They're not worth celebrating. They're thugs. They're gangsters. They're pigs.
"Anybody who talks like that to a woman and treats a woman that way is a disgusting pig in my book.
She continued.
"I'll tell you what Jason, if one of those thugs walked up to me with his pants falling off his butt, smelling like marijuana, and called me one of those obscene words, I'd shove one of my heels up his sorry ass so fast he won't even see it coming.
"He better hope his buddies are there to help him, because he'll need help walking when I'm done with him."
There was a mix of raucous laughter and disbelief at that last specific exchange, but most of her remarks were met with confused and disapproving looks from her fellow candidates, and a small spattering of applause from the audience, who were on the edge of their seats during her seemingly off-the-cuff commentary.
"I'm not quite sure where to begin after that," said moderator Dick Clemson, a local TV News anchor from Kollandon.
"There's a lot to unpack in what you just said there, Ms. Burkes," added Clemson's anchor partner, Kate Crispell.
Churchtown Mayor Paul Biddington raised his hand, asking to speak.
Turning to Burkes, Biddington admonished her words.
"I'd like to go on the record and say that what you just said, Rosamond, was filled with stereotypes and dog-whistle phrases, it's not based on facts, it's based on fear and the fear-mongering that White elites have been doing for so long in this country," he said to wide applause from the audience. "And I want everyone up on this stage to reject what she just said."
Fellow candidate Becky Grael, speaker of the State House of Representatives, shook her head in mutual disbelief and disapproval.
"It's really, really disappointing that we have a candidate in this race who is falling for and spewing these racist talking points," said Grael. "There is no room on this stage, or in this party, for this kind of racism. If that's the kind of campaign you're going to run, you're in the wrong party."
Again, resounding applause.
Moderate businessman Russ Hawley was less critical and more diplomatic in his response. Courting many of the same moderate and conservative voters Burkes appeals to, he was more cautious in his criticism.
"I think you made some valid points, Rosamond. We do have a crisis of family support and poverty and drugs in many of our minority neighborhoods. But there are many reasons for this, and to point at one specific group and repeat stereotypes and unfounded, unsupported claims about increased crime rates, increased predisposition to crime and abuse, that's not true, it's not the temperament we need in our next governor, and it's not representative of the values of the Nationalist party," said Hawley.
After the debate, the Ansleigha Nationalist Party released an official statement condemning Burkes' comments.
"The ANP does not support or condone the racist and misleading comments that Rosamond Burkes made at Monday night's debate. The ANP fully rejects Ms Burke's words. We value the Black community. We recognize that systemic racism and historic oppression continue to hold back the Black community, as well as other minority groups, and we celebrate the leaders in the Black community and our Black celebrities who have fought for equality and racial justice."
Anticipating the fallout from her comments, the Burkes campaign released a fundraising email directly after the debate.
"Rosamond spoke the truth about problems in the Black community. She said what the politically-correct politicians are too afraid to say. It's a tough topic, but she's not afraid to confront it. And now the Nationalist Party elites, the liberal establishment and the "Fake News" media are attacking her for saying the truth."
The email then asks readers to donate to the Burkes campaign and provides a link to her website.
"Will you stand with Rosamond and fight back against the political correctness and stupidity of the party elites? If we can't have freedom of speech and speak openly and honestly about society's problems, we don't live in a free country anymore, we live in a censored dictatorship. Help Rosamond continue the fight against political correctness and the elites!"
The fundraising email was sent out 45 minutes after the debate ended, prompting some critics to speculate if Burkes planned ahead of time to make the controversial comments at the debate.
A spokesperson for her campaign denied that claim, saying Rosamond "always speaks off the cuff."
Burkes is known for her outspoken, unfiltered and colorful comments.
A lifelong Nationalist, as a young woman, she was an ardent feminist and anti-war protester.
Now, as a candidate for governor, she remains a strong feminist and anti-war activist, but over the years, she has become more right-wing on issues of race and law and order.
Some have suggested Burkes' views would be more welcomed in the Conservative Party, but she's been openly critical of Conservatives too, in addition to her own party.
Despite being asked to pledge to support whoever wins the NAT nomination, Burkes has declined to do so and has hinted she may quit the NAT and run as an Independent or third-party candidate.
Should she choose to do so, it's unclear which party would be more adversely affected by her candidacy. Polls show she appeals to working-class Nationalists from rural areas, so she could steal votes from the NAT. However, she draws widespread support from many Conservative voters too, which could siphon votes from the CNS candidate.
The most recent poll showed Burkes in fourth place in the NAT primary race, however, since that poll, several candidates, including Attorney General Jon Erickson, have dropped out. No polls featuring the four remaining candidates have been conducted yet.
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