Bradley Marshell, DNC CFO, Should Be Terminated for His Religious Bigotry

[David__77]

I understand that the head of the DNC has resigned. This does not eliminate the personal responsibility of DNC CFO Bradley Marshall in expressing his religious bigotry against Bernie Sanders in an email to DNC colleagues.

Marshall said:

It might may no difference, but for KY and WVA can we get someone to ask his belief. Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist.

See: https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7643

I think it would be appropriate for the DNC to immediately terminate him from his position.

Marshall's "apology" is completely insufficient: "I deeply regret that my insensitive, emotional emails would cause embarrassment to the DNC, the Chairwoman, and all of the staffers who worked hard to make the primary a fair and open process. The comments expressed do not reflect my beliefs nor do they reflect the beliefs of the DNC and its employees. I apologize to those I offended."

He doesn't even bother to express regret for sending the email. Rather he expresses regret that his colleagues are embarrassed. The DNC CEO was apparently not embarrassed when she replied to his religiously bigoted email with a simple reply: "Amen."

[floriduck]

1. Has he even apologized to Sanders for implying Bernie might be an atheist?

[David__77]

3. Not that I'm aware of. He gave what I consider a non-apology.

He said: "I deeply regret that my insensitive, emotional emails would cause embarrassment to the DNC, the Chairwoman, and all of the staffers who worked hard to make the primary a fair and open process. The comments expressed do not reflect my beliefs nor do they reflect the beliefs of the DNC and its employees. I apologize to those I offended."

https://www.facebook.com/bradley.marshall.904/posts/10210076366333644

That strikes me as bullshit. He regrets that some people were embarrassed - he did not express regret for sending the email itself.

[merrily]

14. Posting on his facebook page is not apologizing to Sanders.

Besides, if you seek to cost someone a shot and the Presidency, what good is an apology at this point, anyway? Especially when you make it only after your mess hits the fan and you are worried about losing your job. This loser deserves no respect.

[David__77]

19. This is a good article on the non-apology apology.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-apology_apology

[emulatorloo]

6. Link

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/top-dnc-staffer-apologizes-for-email-on-sanders-religion-226072

[merrily]

16. Please see Reply 14.

[emulatorloo]

2. He apologized.

[David__77]

5. His "apology" is bullshit in my opinion.

He said: "I deeply regret that my insensitive, emotional emails would cause embarrassment to the DNC, the Chairwoman, and all of the staffers who worked hard to make the primary a fair and open process. The comments expressed do not reflect my beliefs nor do they reflect the beliefs of the DNC and its employees. I apologize to those I offended."

He didn't even bother to express regret for sending the email. He expressed regret that some people are now embarrassed.

And regardless, I think that he send such a bigoted email in the first place should disqualify him from his position. Of course, the DNC can make its choice on that.

[emulatorloo]

7. Ok n/t

[floriduck]

10. I think their inaction speaks volumes.

[floriduck]

8. Agreed. An apology by definition, not to the subject he slandered.

[emulatorloo]

11. Ok

[DonViejo]

9. You better tell Bernie...

Sanders: ‘I am not an atheist’
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/289002-sanders-i-am-not-an-atheist

Bernie Sanders Says He's Not an Atheist, Believes in God in His Own Way
http://www.christianpost.com/news/bernie-sanders-atheist-believes-god-156166/

[emulatorloo]

13. That was my mistake and I immediately corrected it

By deleting it.

I am an atheist so perhaps I was projecting. Bernie primary supporter.

Would appreciate you if you tone down your attack on me, because I learned almost immediately I was wrong/incorrect and took it down as soon as I could.

Take care and have a good evening.

[merrily]

18. To his facebook friends?

[Bluenorthwest]

12. Absolutely, and without question.

His words are chilling and unacceptable. As a person Brad's Southern Baptist 'peeps' would also despise I find it just frightening.

[David__77]

15. The email strikes me as totally sleazy.

Exactly what I think it terrible in the political backrooms.

[Shandris]

17. Of all the things to be angry about, this is the one I get the least.

He wants to know if Bernie is an atheist because, well, atheists poll low. But what exactly is the problem with that? We want to know if someone is a {insert group here} rather often.

Is there something about being Jewish (the race) that precludes one from being asked if one practices the racial religion? Or is it some dog whistle I'm missing (as I've literally never known a Jew to my knowledge)?

[David__77]

21. I think...

He wanted someone to publicly ask Sanders about his religious belief because doing so might be politically damaging to Sanders among some religious groups.

[Shandris]

23. Well yeah, because atheists poll low. ...right?

Or do you think him saying he was a Jew would have made more people vote against him? The way I read it, the DNC guy (and bear in mind, at this point I would be happiest seeing the entire party apparatus dismantled, so I'm not defending them per se) thought he might get his Southern Baptists - Christians who support Zionism - to not vote Bernie if he wasn't Jewish. You know, like a 'Support the Jews' thing that most Christians have.

Ah well. Nothing major, just something I noticed that struck me as odd. Maybe I'm just misreading it, too (or, more specifically, imprinting my own interpretations on the phrases and not necessarily someone else's).

[merrily]

25. It's very simple: Marshall wanted to do his best to help cost Sanders the nomination and thought

he (Marshall) might be able to use Sanders' religion (or possible lack thereof) to do that.

[Bluenorthwest]

22. He's saying he wants to bait his bigoted 'peeps' with a bit of information that excites

their biases. This should disgust everyone.

[Shandris]

24. So you think Southern Baptists are ANTI Jews? That'd be somewhat surprising to me...

...but I wasn't ever a baptist. I've always thought they were Zionist-supporters like most of the other Pentecostal variants.

Hrm. If that's indeed what he was doing, then yeah, that'd be disgusting.

[merrily]

27. No. Obviously, Brad Marshall is the one who thought that.

Whether Marshall was correct or not is irrelevant. What is relevant is that someone whose job requires him to be neutral was trying to sabotage Bernie and, on top of that, wanted to play to religious bigotry to do that.

[merrily]

31. Shouldn't it, though? And, yet....

Months ago, on Sunday talk shows, this very issue was being raised. I posted an essay about it, albeit not at DU. Meanwhile, right here on DU, I was responding to posts claiming Sanders could not win because he was an atheist or, "at best" a pantheist.



And you and I both witnessed anti-Semitic posts about Sanders here.

So, either Marshall led the way and the unprincipled were happy to follow, or it was endemic, or both.

[Duckhunter935]

26. Yes he should

[giftedgirl77]

28. Because we don't concern ourselves with ppls religious affiliation

when they are running for president? I guess in the same eay Bernie refused to turn in tax returns, he should be exempt from those questions too. In many locations being an atheist is a lot worse than being Jewish.

[merrily]

35. WOW. No. Because we should not try to use a person's religion to keep him from public office.

It in the Constitution, both in the First Amendment and where it says there shall be no religious test for the Presidency. I bet it's also in the Democratic platform.

And, btw, unless it's some dangerous cult, ala Jonestown, or one that believes in Establishment, we should not concern ourselves at all with a candidate's religion. Unless there's a good reason it's our business, it's not our business.

[giftedgirl77]

36. Lol, you're right we shouldn't but many ppl in this country still

put a lot of value in that.

That's where my statement came from, so why don't you see if you bottle up some of that unprovoked rage & save it for your next big lecture?

[merrily]

37. Putting value on it and using it against someone are not the same thing. But you knew that, right?

It seems weird that you think in terms of rage when someone speaks of the Constitution, the Democratic platform and makes no personal reference to you. Since you went right at me personally, your post seems to me to be a lot more emotional than mine to you.

Oh, well. Takes all kinds to make a world, I guess.

[giftedgirl77]

42. I said in this country being an atheist would be judged even

more hostile than being Jewish. So it's a valid question & one you can guarantee the RNC & rethugs would pounce on. You don't have to like it but it's life in this country & screaming at someone that is simply pointing out facts seems a bit over dramatic.

[DemocraticWing]

29. He insulted the people of Kentucky and West Virginia too.

Marshall needs to apologize and resign effective immediately.

[treestar]

39. He's talking about the voters there

Why do they have to feel insulted that a majority of them or a large segment may be Southern Baptists?

[DemocraticWing]

45. I am a Kentucky Democrat, we are not backwards hicks.

This kind of nonsense from Democrats makes me puke. Not only are you pandering to the lowest common denominator, you have no damn clue who we are and what we're like here.

[TexasBushwhacker]

30. Ah yes, the faux apology

"The comments expressed do not reflect my beliefs"

Really? Whose beliefs do they reflect. Your Aunt Edna's?

" nor do they reflect the beliefs of the DNC and its employees."

Yeah, I bet everyone there was jumping all over your ass.

"I apologize to those I offended."

In other words, Brad thinks plenty of Democrats were fine with what he said, but there are some folks who take offense at the silliest things so I'll throw you a bone.

[David__77]

34. Aunt Edna - funny!

I agree 100%.

[SFnomad]

32. Right now, the way some Sanders supporters are acting at the convention, I really couldn't care less

what any Sanders support thinks needs to be done. Clinton has negotiated with them in good faith, Sanders has gotten way more than he has deserved and some of his supporters are still acting like spoiled children.

[David__77]

33. I understand.

Thanks for your reply.

[treestar]

38. How is that bigotry?

He is talking about Southern Baptists and their potential bigotry.

[TexasBushwhacker]

40. And pandering to that bigotry n/t

[David__77]

41. Here's how.

It expressed the intention to create adverse public opinion against Sanders on the basis of Sanders' perceived religion, in my opinion. I understand that others may have different understandings.

[treestar]

43. Not enough context to figure that is his intent

[David__77]

44. I understand your conclusion.

I have a different one.