I ain't talking Texas Hold 'Em.
During the meeting, Dallas Attorney Jeffery Scott Turner repeatedly referred to County Commissioner John Wiley Price as "Chief Mullah" - pronouncing the word as "moolah." Price thought the remarks were racist:
Price, the only African American on the commissioner’s court, said he was offended because the term “mullah” is close to “moolah” or “moolie” -- a slur that has its roots in a slang that was used against Italian immigrants and was later used by the same to defame or discredit African Americans.
I first caught this story on the Mark Davis Show on radio station WBAP. Davis pointed out that "moolie" is a slang term that scarcely anybody outside of the Bronx has ever heard. The Urban Dictionary verifies that moolie is Italian immigrant derogatory slang for blacks.
How in the heck does a Southerner like Price know about a Yankee Italian immigrant slang term? Does he have a doctorate in racial epithets or something?
But Turner's pronunciation of the word is clearly "moolah" and not "moolie." The Urban Dictionary documents no racial connotation for the word moolah.
Let's see Price spin a racial epithet out of "Wileytollah."
Turner wasn't the only object of Price's indignation (link via the Spat):
Six citizens addressed the court. All of them talked about the recent controversial departure of county Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet. Sherbet, who was the Elections Administrator for 24 years, said he felt Price and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins forced him out.
After the meeting was adjourned, Price lashed out at all six:
As Price stood to leave, he looked at Turner and the five other citizens who addressed the court. Price said to them, “All of you are white. Go to hell!”
Price repeated “go to hell” three more times. An unknown member of the audience said, “You should be ashamed!”
“I’m not ashamed!” Price answered. “I’m not ashamed! Go to hell!”
Labels: Politics