He knew his past and his nickname "Coonman"....

Gov. Fairfax - Virginia's 2nd Black Governor

Enough Said....

long ago. My goodness. Let's stop crucifying people for things from decades and decades ago. He has led a good honorable life of service. We ALL make mistakes. EVERYONE. They should not define us forever.

This is SEVERE HATRED

asking for a friend.

You are playing into the hands of those who have a political or monetary reason to get him out of office.

I want the life stories of everyone calling for him to resign. Open your past so we can see if you have anything to hide or found out with opposition research.

Sensibilities in 1984, esp. in Virginia, were not 2019 sensibilities. You didn't KNOW this was offensive and hateful back then, I'm sorry but you just didn't. I'd guess this was a stupid joke, probably it was his GF or wife he did it with, for the purpose of the juxtaposition.

I am not willing proscribe some evil motive to this stupidity without corroborating evidence. And no, a nickname of 'Coonman' in a yearbook doesn't rise to that level.

For all you know, someone ELSE chose that nickname, and it was given to him ... because he WAS ALWAYS DEFENDING BLACKS ... to his racist mates.

Anybody ever think of that?

My high school friends and I refused to don the traditional blackface for a yearly school event seven years before this guys episode. That blackface tradition died that year...1977.

Governor needs to resign.

On top of the past racism, this terrible judgment calls into question his fitness for the office.

He can not remain in a position of power with that kind of hatred in his past. We need to show the world. If you have a racist past.... there is no place for you in our democratic party.

People can overcome a racist past. But an important part of that is to own up to it. He has not done that. Had he addressed this earlier, talked about his past and how he changed, he could be a great example. But he just now appears to be another guy trying to benefit from the ultimate white privilege - he can screw up all he wants and then expects to just move past it with no consequences. "WHOOPS, My bad! Anyway, what was I saying?"

He can stone for this past mistake as a private citizen. He does not have the right to hang onto an elected position despite it.

If you are so qualified you along with the rest of VA voters have that right. If not, I think you are interfering with democracy which is what Republicans have been doing.

A lot of this is going to change because younger people who will soon start running for office have a well-documented past and almost everyone will have "a past"

You're more forgiving than I am. Also, what has he done to help the black community in all these years?

In decades. I might be surprised to learn what I did in a photo. I'm not excusing him, only questioning the idea he had some malice of forethought. Whether he stays or goes should be up to Virginians, particularly POC.

It says to me that his severe racist behavior was easy for him to forget.

A competent campaign team WILL check your yearbooks, to get ahead of possible oppo attacks.