Communication Breakdown

On April 28th, the Buffalo News’ editorial page offered up its recommendations in the upcoming school board races. One of the most intensely watched races is that of developer and tea party gadfly Carl Paladino. While the News expressed support for Paladino’s proposals for fixing the school board – many of which are totally reasonable – it would not endorse him. 

But we won’t endorse Paladino, either. He insists that he is not racist, but he shows no comprehension that the emails he forwarded not only suggest that – and powerfully – but that they would be painful and insulting to thousands of minority families and students in the district he wishes to serve.

While he is, in some ways, the candidate this district has needed, we cannot lend the weight of this page to a candidate who still insists those vile emails were funny. No one is perfect and it is always necessary to allow people their failings, but in life, there are some bright lines. Paladino crossed this one.

Nevertheless, it seems all but certain that Paladino will win this race; the South Buffalo neighborhood supported him overwhelmingly in his 2010 campaign for governor. If he does win, it will be his chance to prove that he is not racist.

He could go a long way toward showing that by acknowledging the despicable nature of those emails.

These emails (NSFW)

To be clear, I read that editorial very carefully – it’s not condemning Paladino for sending the emails, but instead for not acknowledging that they were disgusting, misogynist, and racist. There’s no question he sent them around, but he can’t just say, it was stupid, it was wrong, I’m deeply embarrassed and sorry. He’s like Otto from A Fish Called Wanda

So, what does Paladino do? He blasts some more emails out calling the News and its editorial page writer Dawn Bracely names. 

That’s not enough, though.  Paladino pal Larry Quinn had to chime in, too. 

Both of these guys need to take some remedial reading comprehension classes. Perhaps a lesson in humility wouldn’t hurt, either. It must be nice to be so righteously indignant over a perceived slight. It’s also easy to see all the answers for Buffalo’s failing schools from atop a mountain of white privilege. 

13 comments

  • My take on the editorial was that the writer acknowledged that Carl Paladino is the right person for the job, but wouldn’t say as much because of a perception problem. Paladino’s response basically called her out for not have the balls to display the courage of her convictions.

    • “perception problem”?

      You come off as something of an imbicile when you assume that crazy carls’ primary issue in life is that he suffers from a ‘perception problem’.

      • You’re the one without an original thought with nothing but name calling as a retort.

      • @ BuffaloB
        “Imbicile”? You mean imbecile, imbecile.

        • Ya know … I caught that the other day when my autocorrect didn’t and I thought to myself “I wonder if anyone would catch it…?” and then you did! So I sincerely thank you!

          Edit : I voted your post up!

          • Has happened to me many times. I can’t stand spelling fascists and have no idea why I bothered to write that. I don’t think Carl Paladino is a true racist. Biased, bigoted – perhaps, yes. If his problems were strictly the result of the emails, he would have recovered from them a long time ago. His real problem stems from the fact that his “business”, his wealth, his fortune flows – continues to flow – from sweetheart deal overpriced government contracts. This is the very thing he purports to run against. People look at him. They look at what he campaigns on, they look at what he did, does, and says. Then they say “Carl, are your eyes brown because you’re so hopelessly full of sh*t?”

  • It’s about time we have someone that speaks out and is REAL-everyone has flaws, most of them are cleverly hidden behind closed doors that you will never, ever see. I guess that makes people more comfortable, just not knowing what someone is really like. It seems like Paladino is actually going to get something done, and I’m sure that’s a scary thought for the people of Buffalo where historically NOTHING gets done. Give the guy a chance, I have a feeling he is going to kick some major ass.

    • Or get his ass kicked.

      He’s already gotten it kicked once, and made WNY look like a laughingstock nationwide once again.

  • Shorter editorial – Paladino could probably do a pretty good job but he is an unrepentant asshole. So what is Carl’s response? To act like an unrepentant asshole.

    Paladino’s problem is his hyper-sensitivity and inability to deal with fair criticism. If someone passed around an email portraying him as a pimp, he would never forgive the sender. But we are supposed to completely overlook his transgressions, because he assures us that he is not a racist. He probably isn’t. Apologize for the stupid emails and put it behind you already.

    • John (not McCain)

      If it walks, talks and e-mails like a racist, it’s probably a racist.

    • tonyintonawanda

      Dead on. He reminds me of Fonzi on Happy Days when Fonzi couldn’t bring himself to say he was wrong. “I was wrwrwrwr…….” Carl believes that you never admit you’re wrong, never compromise and never forgive those who do compromise.

    • And that’s why I wonder how he’ll do IF he’s elected to the school board. What’s he going to do once he’s in office and the Board is faced with a major(or even minor)crisis? Will he work with his fellow board members, or stamp his feet, whine, and cry like a 10-year-old brat? Knowing his past history, I’m going with the second option.

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