N.Y. Rep. Apologizes Over Use of N-Word

(CBS)  This story is from reporter Magee Hickey of CBS Station WCBS-TV in New York.

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New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) is apologizing for repeating a racial slur, when she quoted another person during an interview. Now it's lots of mea culpas as the Senate hopeful plays damage control.

Maloney made the potentially damaging gaffe in an interview in City Hall News, a political website, and the timing couldn't be worse. Just a week before the Upper East Side Democrat is expected to launch a primary challenge to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand next fall, Maloney is now apologizing to the public.

Maloney was criticizing Gillibrand while repeating a conversation she'd had with someone who was upset by the new senator's stance on English-only education, a big issue in the Hispanic community.

Maloney said on the website:

"I got a call from someone from Puerto Rico, said (Gillibrand) went to Puerto Rico and came out for English-only (education). And he said, 'It was like saying the n-word to a Puerto Rican,'" she said, using the full racial slur.

The Reverand Al Sharpton, who is supporting Gillibrand, immediately called Maloney's use of the n-word "alarming."

"No public official, even in quoting someone else, should loosely use such an offensive term and should certainly challenge someone using the term to him or her," Sharpton said in a statement.

The 9-term congresswoman apologized Monday for using the word she finds "disgusting."

"I apologize for having repeated a word I find disgusting," Maloney said in a statement. "It's no excuse but I was so caught up in relaying the story exactly as it was told to me that, in doing so, I repeated a word that should never be repeated."

Local Video from CBS 2 HD in New York

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[saturn05]

This is getting ridiculous. Since when can't we use the "N" word when quoting someone whom used it. Why is it okay for blacks to throw around the word and white people shouldn't be offended by it. Black rappers use the "N" word all of the time. They call women "B******" and get away with so much racial hatred that it isn't funny. Maybe she shouldn't have said it. But the meaning is clear and this article just proves it. A white person can't say "N" but black people can. Going one step further, Black people can have Black History month, but can you imagine a White history month. I could go on, but I know I would be called a racist, which I am not. I just don't like double-standards. You can't make racism go away with reverse-racism.

[thusspokezara]

Is she one of those blue dog Democrats we have been hearing about? I tell you Obama needs to force her to resign. He should tell her. Hey you are not welcome in my Party.

[coronalu]

Oh, and so many people are trying to justify an excuse for the Rep's use of this word, they are saying why is it that blacks can use this word but if a white woman uses it, that's a no-no, well, just because other people do the wrong thing does not justify me when I do the same thing. My actions should never be determined by the actions of others and for anyone to excuse the wrongful actions of one person based on the actions of others, you're wrong, period. It's wrong, whether I say it or whether a million blacks say it or a million whites say it, it's wrong, period.

[barbaram99]

Here we go again. I hate the term whitey..I was called that and I am legally blind. I told the man my name is not whitey. It true the black folks use that word. They should not. It sounds awful. Yet they do. The lady was only saying what she heaerd told to her. It happen to have a word that is not supposed to be said, I don't like it when women use the b word and the awful f word. The n word as bad is it is the black people use it for themselves and really they lower themselves when they do. If they don't want people to use certain words that are rude, etc that only one group can use than don't say it at all for anyone. Those of us that are Irish blood as well as American were called the white n word. That hurt. Or n lover for doing what is right. People use words to hurt and sep others. The people who wear glasses are called a word that is rude and hateful. We can't say what we please. People are taught to say this or that in the home. We can't bar them. I am white and really it is meaningless to me as a blind person. All people see is skin colour. So what. I am 54. Next.

[coronalu]

This does not have to do with blacks or hispanics or any race, this has to do with what is in a person, what comes out of your mouth is what is in your heart and it does not make any difference if she was repeating what someone else had said, she could have simply said that the other person said something ugly in their conversation. Would you encourage your child to repeat the things that they hear? Of course not, would YOU repeat these ugly and hurtful words at ANY time, in front or not in front of your children? of course not, there really is not place for these hurtful and ugly words at anytime and from anyone. Again, what comes out of one's mouth, is what is in one's heart.

[chaseangus]

Chuck her out. Be done with it. If she doesn't have enough sense to not use that word, I don't want her using her pea brain on legislative issues. The woman's got no common sense. She should have the good grace to suck it up and drop out and give up her seat in the House. Move on. Don't waste valuable news time on this kind of thing. We should simply practice a "scorched earth" policy on the use of this word. Use it and you lose any public office you hold.

[tautomer]

Honestly, who gives a hoot? There are far more important considerations in evaluating a potential Senator. Somehow we as a country have been hoodwinked into the notion that with all the problems we have, the most important are 1)whether we can terminate pregnancies 2) whether guys can marry guys and 3)whether somebody used the "N" word!

This is ludicrous. In part it is because most Americans don't truly understand the economic or policy issue on any but a superficial basis. Instead of looking at the real issues and real competency, we rely on irrelevant "litmus" tests. In so doing we give pols carte blanche on the real issues.

[nbdix]

I was under the impression that Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, used the N-word and should not have...in her position. Why is it that most of the comments on this blog are about Blacks (using the word)...(and getting very racial)lets stay on subject...please.

And if you did no like that blacks use the word...next time you hear a black person using it...telling them how you feel...and let it flow from there.

ps...us the same tone you have used on this blog...when doing so...Good luck!

[lottielu1962]

Our politically correct society is ridiculous. If black people can use the "n" word whenever they want to, then why should a white woman be strung up because she repeated what someone else said and forgot to politicize it first? We are such a judgmental society - so quick to point fingers. The media runs this country and sometimes it seems like they deliberately stoke the fire when it comes to race. If the media hadn't run the story, it would have been no harm, no foul. But the media must report on every little thing people do, every little slip-up. Apparently no one is exempt from it. Look what they did to Michael Jackson? The media was all sympathy until after the funeral. Then the gloves came off. We can't even respect the dead. Gotta have that story, regardless of who gets hurt. No privacy anymore - everyone has a right to know. It is very sad.

[Joe_NY_15]

DEMOCRAT - USING THE N-WORD