My opponent is undecipherable and probably an “embed”

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60-year-old Indian-born citizen Tom Abraham, recently decided to run for City Council Seat 4 in Orange City, Florida. The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports:

Hello. I’m ignorant. I want to be your city councilman.

Change and new ideas versus continuity and experience highlight the race for Orange City Council Seat 4, where newcomer Tom Abraham aims to oust two-time incumbent Don Sherrill.

“It is time for the residents of Orange City to go for a change,” Abraham said. “Don Sherrill has been a silent party participant, unless he is provoked by something like the salary increase. I don’t see him actively involved. If he is not involved, why give him four more years?”

Abraham, 60, was born in India and became a United States citizen in 1989. A nuclear medicine technologist, he has lived in Orange City for almost three years.

He got involved in city politics this year after the Orange City Mobile Home Park in which he lives was cited for various code violations.

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p>The old saying, “all politics are local” rings true once again. When a person feels that their very home is threatened, why not run? Abraham’s opponent is incumbent Don Sherrill. Says Don:

“I think I have done the job expected of me as a city councilman,” he said. “The proof is that my peers selected me vice mayor with added responsibility. They have the faith in me to get the job done.”

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p>I wouldn’t be so sure about that Don. Especially after they hear the following. From the Orlando Sentinel (thanks for the tip Arkaay):

A two-term City Council member has made disparaging remarks about the ethnicity of his Indian-born opponent in next week’s election.

During a candidate’s forum and again in an interview with an Orlando Sentinel staff writer, Seat 4 incumbent Don Sherrill criticized challenger Tom Abraham.

Sherrill derided Abraham’s accent at a political forum hosted and videotaped by the John Knox Village retirement community Oct. 12.

“I don’t know what to rebut because I don’t understand what he was saying, and I don’t mean that facetiously, I really don’t understand him,” Sherrill, who wears a hearing aid, told the group of about 40 people.

It gets worse. A lot worse.

According to the article, Abraham actually learned to speak English in India from the age of five. Let’s put that issue aside for the moment and move on to the bigger one.

In a later interview with the Sentinel, Sherrill said that residents would not vote for Abraham if they saw and heard him.

“I’m usually not prejudiced, but I don’t want an Indian in my government,” Sherrill said.

“As far as I know he could be a nice guy, but these kind of people get embedded over here. . . . You remember 9-11.”

Ouch. How do you really feel? Don’t worry guys, he is “usually not prejudiced.” I mean a guy named “Tom Abraham” could be an Islamic terrorist who is part of a sleeper cell, right? Don’s “peers” that he mentioned earlier quickly jumped ship:

“Wow, that’s harsh,” council member Jeff Allebach said. “I didn’t know there was a prerequisite for what an Orange City council member should look like.”

…another councilman, was taken aback. “I don’t feel that there should be any racial or ethnic slurs made to you or to anyone else, period,” he said.

Council member Chuck Abell, a Sherrill supporter, reacted with disbelief. Abell said he did not condone “that type of comment,” though he agreed Abraham is difficult to understand.

Abraham is actually being gracious about the whole thing:

“It is not a very intelligent comment,” said Abraham, 60, a political newcomer. “That is just part of his personality that I cannot correct.”

Hopefully the voters will correct it.

63 thoughts on “My opponent is undecipherable and probably an “embed””

  1. you know… i have to give Abraham props for coming out of the whole thing with grace and dignity. he could’ve stooped to some unbelievably low level or highlighted his opponent’s ignorance and just gone to town with it.

    it saddens me that four years later, 9-11 is still associated with anyone who is brown and accented.

    i used to think that the United States was the MOST amazing country in the entire world, but things like this remind me that–it’s sort of like a Monet. you know pretty from far away?

  4. can we get a picture?

    I couldn’t find one. Coincidentally though I did find the picture of an Indian Tom Abraham running for city council in Sugarland, TX. It is an auspicious name.

  5. Manish,

    Instead of posting his email (which some dolts will send crap to), why not start a petition that people can put their John Hancock on, and send a cohesive statement.

    Dunno, there is always a 10% rule.

    I just don’t want ONE bad apple to give this guy more ammo to sling back. Any ideas folks?

  6. Sounds like the people of Orange City really need a new councilperson.

    Does anyone know a web site or address to make last-minute donations to the Abraham campaign?

  7. Does anyone know a web site or address to make last-minute donations to the Abraham campaign?

    We are working on it.

  9. Sounds like the people of Orange City really need a new councilperson.

    Yes

    Does anyone know a web site or address to make last-minute donations to the Abraham campaign?

    Be careful….Mostlikely you dont live in orange city. Is it legal for people outside a city to support a candidate ?

  11. “Is it legal for people outside a city to support a candidate ?”

    Well, I hope so, because the red states sure pulled a number on us in 2004 if it was illegal…

  13. hehe.. don sherrill will be hearing from the bean.. thats for damn sure..

    he’s a complete ignoramous blabbering idiot.. jeez louise.. thank god abraham is running…

    i swear… the south (sorry.. since i moved here 3 years ago from the west coast, i feel that i can make blanket statments about this area which i really find to be quite.. ehem.. stiffling).. has a lot of racist people in it.. not saying the rest of amrika doesn’t.. but it is really palpable here…

  14. “I’m usually not prejudiced, but I don’t want an Indian in my government,” Sherrill said. “As far as I know he could be a nice guy, but these kind of people get embedded over here… . You remember 9-11.”

    If they ever wanted to revive that 70s tv show All In the Family , I think the search for the new Archie Bunker is over.

    Here’s a classic quote from Archie (on African-Americans):

    Now, no prejudice intended, but I always check with the Bible on these here things. I think that, I mean if God had meant for us to be together he’d a put us together. But look what he done. He put you over in Africa, and put the rest of us in all the white countries.

    Sounds astoundingly like Don Sherrill’s comment… the guy is a natural for the Archie Bunker role !

  15. It’s funny how educated white politicians can be ignorant AND a$$holes.

    I like the petition idea.

  16. The funniest thing about racists is when they get their terminology wrong. An “embed” would refer to an embedded journalist, which is actually a good or neutral term, depending on how you felt about the state of journalism in America.

    I think Archie Bunker was trying to insinuate that our brown brother was a “sleeper” or a “cell” or something.

  17. I’m usually not prejudiced, but I don’t want an Indian in my government,” Sherrill said.

    His government?!!

    Reminds me of a speeding ticket I got when I first came to the US. The cop, while writing the ticket, told me: “You guys can’t come to my country and speed.” Well, back then I was new to this place, on B1 visa, was nervous and worst of all, guilty as hell(I was doing 60 in a 25 mile zone). So I let his comment slide.

    I hope the voters make sure that it’s not his government anymore. A petition sounds good.

    M. Nam

  18. My letter to Don Sherrill:

    Dear Don Sherrill,

    I recently read about some comments you made in a forum about Tom Abraham’s ethnic background and accent. As you put it, “IÂ’m usually not prejudiced, but I donÂ’t want an Indian in my government.” This statement is deeply troubling to me, an American citizen of Indian descent currently living near Philadelphia.

    My main question for you is this: Why shouldn’t an Indian be qualified to be a City Councilman? Political office is open to any U.S. citizen. Racial exclusion is a thing of the past, and the vast majority of Americans feel that those kinds of racial prejudices shouldn’t have a place in our democracy.

    Sincerely,

    Amardeep Singh [Title etc]

  19. I actually enjoy racists at some occasions. I like it when they diss at brown people because they are jealous of our speed and ability to acquire wealth. I like it when they give me the feeling they are doing it only because maybe their uncle lost his job to a brown guy.

    But I hate it when they compare every brown person to a terrorist. The White Americans aren’t that dumb, I don’t see why CNN doesn’t publicise the CONTRIBUTIONS we have made to the west.

  20. “As far as I know he could be a nice guy, but these kind of people get embedded over here… . You remember 9-11.”

    A tribal xenophobic response. I have noticed that Americans of European decent and in general Americans are very sophisticated and articulate about their tribal instincts (xenophobia too). They always have a cover of properiety over their speech so as to not let their tribal instincts show. This ignorant fool is just a dumb f$#k. He doesnt know the sophisticated way of hating.

  21. Perhaps writing letters to the editor of the of the Orlando Sentinel denouncing Sherrill’s actions will highlight how this is far more than a local issue.

    Sherrill may not want Indians in “his” government, I don’t want parochial jingoists in mine.

  22. I really liked Amardeep’s letter, and I am sending a modified version. The only change I made is to refer to Mr. Abraham as an “Indian-American”, rather than an “Indian.”

    Amardeep – Thanks for drafting an easy template for us to use! It is appreciated.

    I hope lots of people will write AND contribute. And, BTW, it is legal to contribute even if you do not live in his area. If the campaign decides they do not want our money, that is their decision.

  23. This brings an intresting question that I have always had on my mind. If I had made it here a decade ago (acctually before 9-11), would this country have been different ? Would I have been looked at differently ?

    Kal Penn for President

    The first time in my life, I wish I could do something illegal and cast a vote. Count me in.

    swear… the south … has a lot of racist people in it.. not saying the rest of amrika doesn’t.. but it is really palpable here…

    I agree to the fact that its palpable in the south, but it depends on where you go. I mean if you go to a country club, of course they are gonna look at you weird. If you go to NASA, they are gonna look at you like you were a scientist. The fact is that, if you are around educated people, you never get that feeling, heck my ex’s mom, a caucasian southerner never ever had a problem with me.

    But I hate it when they compare every brown person to a terrorist

    There is always a flipside. That is a part of life.

  24. thank you, Abhi, for the post, and Amardeep, for the drafted letter.

    I used to live in central Florida, and while I’m saddened to hear of this incident, I’m disappointed that I’m not surprised. Sadly, there are a lot more Don Sherrils in central FL than modern folks… statements like ‘we don’t want no Injuns in our gov-mint…’ find their mark with voters who have decals of Calvin pissing on a Ford logo (or something) on the backs of their super-extended cab duelly V8 trucks.

  25. “I don’t know what to rebut because I don’t understand what he was saying, and I don’t mean that facetiously, I really don’t understand him,”

    Did he actually make fun of Abraham, or is the above quote the full extent of his comments? Depending on the tone with which he said it, it’s hardly a racist point, but a legitimate shortcoming of his opponent.

    Inability to be understood because of language issues is a serious drawback; if we can deride Bush for his English problems (“subliminable”, “strategery”) etc., then to call foul now is hypocrisy.

    BTW, I am Indian and a Bush-hater. But I’ve also dinged interview candidates because their accents were too thick, and would impede communication in the workplace. Without more information about this episode, I’m going to put your reaction in the knee-jerk category.

  26. “As far as I know he could be a nice guy, but these kind of people get embedded over here…You remember 9-11.”

    You are f’ing kidding me. Thanks for the heads-up and for the draft letter template.

  27. Without more information about this episode, I’m going to put your reaction in the knee-jerk category.

    Apparently “more information” doesn’t include reading the entire post.

    “I’m usually not prejudiced, but I don’t want an Indian in my government,” Sherrill said. “As far as I know he could be a nice guy, but these kind of people get embedded over here… . You remember 9-11.”

  28. OOPS.

    Disregard the last comment. My scrolling skills need some work, on this small screen I skipped the “9-11” comment.

    Sorry.

  29. Actually, maybe I’m just a doddering old fool, but I missed the small link that says “Continue reading”, and I missed the rest of the article. I think Manish designed the site right? Can I make a UI suggestion? Some periods of ellipsis near the bottom of the text on the front page would make it more obvious that there’s more to the article. Just my $.02.

  31. yo i’m so fucking pissed about this type of shit, where is our don corleone, who do we call for justice???

    How come there is not indian mafia in this country? every immigrant group has their mafia, italian, russian, japanese(yakuza), chinese, portuguese, latin…. no desi mafias.

    i know my calling in life now…

  32. i swear… the south (sorry.. since i moved here 3 years ago from the west coast, i feel that i can make blanket statments about this area which i really find to be quite.. ehem.. stiffling).. has a lot of racist people in it.. not saying the rest of amrika doesn’t.. but it is really palpable here…

    I travel for work, quite a bit. In particular, I go to the DEEP south. Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, North Florida/panhandle, etc. I live on the west coast right now, grew up in the midwest, and have lived on the east coast, too.

    Bigots are everywhere. Those that hide under the cloak of sophistication and education are the most dangerous ones.

    The Southern Poverty Law Center has a map showing a distribution of active hate groups in the nation. The south has a higher concentration of groups per its population, look at California and other North East states.

  33. re: the south, i’ve found that the flip side to the racism is that progressive white southerners are much more honest and aware than your garden-variety coastal liberals.

    because they’ve known the stuff close up. seen it in their families, their towns.

    they know there is nowhere to hide, that you’re either part of the solution or part of the problem.

    and they appreciate at the same time that everyone is human — they aren’t going to demonise white southerners either, in the condescending way northerners do.

    i was in my mid thirties before i got to the deep south. since then i’ve spent a lot of time in alabama, mississippi, etc.

    i would strongly recommend the experience. you’ll find it part oppressive and difficult, part surprisingly refreshing and heartening, and constantly a challenge and a surprise.

    peace

  34. How come there is not indian mafia in this country?

    How about we do some money laundering, Convert Black money to white, sell some guns in our garage, may be some coke, some pot….this would be some good things we could do to start the Desi mafiaso.

    Then we bring all the profits, and try to split it equally…….then I will say I shud get more percentage of the profits, coz I am the one who brings more money…..u say we shud divide it equally…..I say no way…..then we settle it with the guns, by shooting each other…… surprisingly we live like 50 cent after getting more shots than him

    Then we go our way…..start our own desi gangs.

    This is one way we can increase the number of desi gangs.

    I wud luv to see such a day…..

    PS: Admins this is for pure fun, Plz dont take it serious

  35. i think this guy wants to win an election and used a “low blow” for better and worse; a political insult meant to score points

  38. living in the south, i’ve seen the disparity quite a bit.. it is different to say the least after growing up in southern california most of my life…

    the southern genteel hospitality is awesome, and most people are great…

    my favorite comment when i see patients (i was born and raised in the USA), (in a southern drawl….)oh doctor, you speak great english and you don’t even have an accent…

    umm.. yeah buddy, it’s because i was born in motown..dtw.. 😉

  40. AMEN Siddartha. Vermonters can learn a lot from Alabamans…

    It seems that Sherrill’s support is wavering in light of his nasty comments. Perhaps some letters to these folks could help. Try to contact Indian religious organizations in that area to find some folks directly affected by those comments.

  41. Can I make a UI suggestion? Some periods of ellipsis near the bottom of the text on the front page would make it more obvious that there’s more to the article.

    How about a bigger NEXT PAGE button? Take a look at the front page now.

  42. I think a good strategy is to email the Mayor a firm but polite letter instead. Afterall, Sherrill was asked to serve as Vice Mayor in addition to his actual position. If the Mayor feels that Sherrill is a political liability then he will cut him loose or pressure him out of the race. Here is contact info for the Mayor.

  44. yo i’m so fucking pissed about this type of shit, where is our don corleone, who do we call for justice??? How come there is not indian mafia in this country? every immigrant group has their mafia, italian, russian, japanese(yakuza), chinese, portuguese, latin…. no desi mafias. i know my calling in life now…


    if you associate organized crime with justice, you’re either ignorant or an idiot.

  45. lots of young men of color love tony montana in part because he said this;

    All I have in this world is my balls, and my word, and I don’t break ’em for no one, jou understand?”

  46. Chickpea: I’ve temporarily made the reverse move (going from TX and GA to CA), and I quite agree with you about your west coast comments. I wouldn’t necessarily say that people in the South are more racist… just less comfortable being around people whom they perceive to be “foreign” (“foreign” even if you were born and raised in the US).

  47. Desi Dada – with that strategy we might as well try and hire pharell to make our beats and have talib kweli ghostwrite for us and launch us as the desi version of Eminem. Get rich or die tryin’…hahah

    i was thinking more of a kaiser soze type deal or skulls and bones or illuminati. Powerful desi’s unite.

  48. Can Sepia Mutiny live by the policy against abuse and remove “Hello. IÂ’m an ignorant moron. I want to be your city councilman.”? It is best to keep the criticism polite.

  49. if you associate organized crime with justice, you’re either ignorant or an idiot.

    dhaavak – you are absolutely correct, the legal system was designed to serve justice. They do a great job. Do you know anyone who lives in a ghetto, bricks, projects? You think they are given justice. Ask someone? One of my friends, Tombol Malik was beaten to death by a bike lock in Chicago. google it. Maybe you heard about it, the murderer was also another kid, Muaz Haffer, who’s dad happened to be a doctor. Was justice served?

    Do your research on the history of social interaction and gangs in the U.S.

    Enjoy your 100+k job in your gated community with your fucking mercedes.

  50. cocopuffs,

    i checked out your web page and i’m feeling your selected lyrics

    illmatic is currently in my tape player