Virginia Foxx Apologizes for a Bad Word Choice
When Politicians Speak Foolishly without Consulting Facts
During a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives on April 29, 2009, NC 5th district Congresswoman Virginia Foxx called the gay motive in the 1998 death of Matthew Shepard a “hoax.” The fact that Shepard’s mother was in the gallery only exacerbated the outrage Foxx received from angry citizens across the nation as well as from the media.
Mrs. Foxx wrote a letter of apology to Matthew Shepard’s mother and extended an invitation to meet with her. Speaking on WXII News in Winston Salem, NC several days after the event, she publicly apologized for her poor choice of words and stressed that it was time to move on.
When Politicians Speak Foolishly
During the same week, Vice President Joe Biden, speaking on NBC’s “Today Show,” gave advice on avoiding the swine flu that sent spokespersons from the CDC and other medical organizations into bursts of outrage and incredulity. “I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places right now,” the VP said, directly targeting aircraft.
Biden is well known for his gaffes but this one could have caused panic as well as hurt the airline industry already suffering from decreasing passenger travel. Everyone laughed at Sarah Palin’s ability to see Russia from Alaska but commenting on a possible pandemic bordered on utter foolishness.
Even President Obama managed to incur criticism when, commenting on his poor bowling performance, he referred off-handedly to the Special Olympics. Mr. Obama swiftly apologized, something more than previous chief executives were in the habit of doing.
Political Correctness and Sensitivity
Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks facing politicians is the ability to avoid politically incorrect, often off-the-cuff comments. At the same time, if referring to historical events, politicians, especially those running for high office, need to be true to facts. Hillary Clinton was not under sniper fire in 1996.
Virginia Foxx based her conclusions on Elizabeth Vargas ABC 20/20 report (November 26, 2004) that did not take into account the trial transcripts of Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, the two men convicted of Matthew Shepard’s murder. Nor did the Vargas story delve into witness statements or look at statements made by the defendants that clearly indicated Shepard was targeted because he was gay.
Mrs. Foxx may be guilty of using the wrong word, but the greater error lies in the factual research – or lack thereof, that contributed to what could potentially be a costly blunder. At the same time, the North Carolina 5th Congressional District is considered conservative (Mr. Obama carried the district but Mrs. Foxx handily defeated her Democratic challenger).
Congresswoman Foxx admitted that most of the negative response, including at least ten death threats, came from outside of her district. But this can be a double-edged sword. When conservatives like Mrs. Foxx run for reelection, they look for contributions from outside the district, often from deep pocket conservative groups. Conservative Senator Jesse Helms, who died in 2008, mastered this aspect of nation-wide fundraising.
Finally, there is the question of sensitivity. Have Americans become too sensitive when the humanness of their elected officials comes out? Does one “slip of the tongue” paint a politician as a racist or neo-Nazi? To what extent does a sincere apology allow any politician to “move on” and bury the remark in the dustbin of foolish rhetoric?
Political “Trash” Talk and Social Awareness
The only redeeming quality of foolish comments may be that society is reintroduced to important issues. The disparaging analogy to the Special Olympics helped Americans to rediscover a wonderful program that provides leadership and self-esteem to millions of children.
Outrage over Virginia Foxx’s comments prompted many Americans to Google Matthew Shepard, and perhaps develop a better understanding of what hate crimes are and the travails of the gay community, particularly as numerous states legalize same-sex marriages.
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx
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