State Rep. Apologizes After Allegations Of Racist Remarks

used 'negro de merde," or black piece of s***

but he's not a racist, no sir. no hint of racism there.

....Many outraged black leaders had called for Arza's resignation. He did not do that on Thursday, but apologized while insisting he is falsely accused.

"Once again, I ask for your forgiveness and understanding if I have ever offended anyone by anything I have said," Arza said.

Arza, who is Hispanic, said he is a minority and he talked about having two black men as mentors when he was growing up.

On Thursday afternoon, Crew made comments about the apology.

"While I'm glad he chose to apologize to his colleagues, it does not constitute an apology to me. Whether said in public or in private, the language he used is despicable. There's no question about its insensitivity and no excuse for it. A statesman would stand up and admit he did wrong and offer a sincere apology," Crew said.

it's the apology of a coward.
Jesse Ventura used it all the time.
it also says, in a backhanded way, 'if you were offended, there's something wrong with you.'

"I'm sorry you were offended." Slightly different, but same idea. I hate that, but most people don't even see what's wrong with it.

i was expecting him to blame this all on the 'PC police'...i guess his staffers and friends in the media will

and yet insists he's not a racist, and doesn't see why that would be offensive to anyone? Is he cool with being called by racial epithets himself, then?

:eyes:

The f*ckers are so eager to forgive, one wonders whether they had any issues with what he said. It seems more like "Gee thank God that's over with," than it does "congratulations on manning up and doing the right thing."

On edit: not to mention the fact that he used the whole "if you were offended" cop-out.

Posted on Sat, Apr. 29, 2006
Arza is bitterThe crude and racist invective that state Rep. Ralph Arza is accused of using against Miami-Dade Public Schools chief Rudy Crew is just part of the campaign to undermine the county's public schools.

As the man who carries water here for the Bush education agenda, Arza is bitter and frustrated with defeats suffered in his hometown. Miami Edison High School remains public and open. Miami Central High and Holmes Elementary are still open and public, too. The class-size amendment remains in force thanks mostly to Miami's state senators and the growing influence of the United Teachers of Dade. Miami-Dade is the seat of growing resistance to FCAT testing, school vouchers and merit pay for teachers.

When it became clear that Crew would not embrace Arza's ''destroy what's there'' agenda, Arza signaled to his allies on the School Board and in the school administration that defiance and obstruction would drive Crew out of town. Elements of the district are in open rebellion against Crew's leadership. Clearly, the thing that has sent the ''education guru'' over the edge is that Crew is still standing and still in charge in Miami-Dade Public Schools.

PAUL A. MOORE, Miami
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/editorial/letters/14461206.htm

Rep. Arza is Cuban, specifically.

From the end of the original post's article:

"While I'm glad he chose to apologize to his colleagues, it does not constitute an apology to me. Whether said in public or in private, the language he used is despicable. There's no question about its insensitivity and no excuse for it. A statesman would stand up and admit he did wrong and offer a sincere apology," Crew said.

Arza said the accusations have caused him and his family great pain.

He talked to Gov. Jeb Bush about the situation. The governor told Arza that even if he did not say anything wrong, it would be OK to apologize if he felt there had been a misunderstanding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arza, Arza standing with Mario Lincoln Diaz-Balart, on
the left,whose aunt Mirta was married to Fidel Castro.

Unbe-freaking-lievable. This man is grotesque. He apologizes to the assembly, not to the man he insulted, then the stupid bastard claims he has been caused "great pain."

What a colossal @$$hole.

as white racism against blacks. Some Hispanics can outdo the KKK in this regard.