From a Playboy interview in 1971:
"With a lot of blacks, there’s quite a bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully so. But we can’t all of a sudden get down on our knees and turn everything over to the leadership of the blacks. I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people."
So, he believes black people can be equal with whites one they're "educated" enough to be responsible. At best, that's patronizing and condescending, but it's clearly displaying prejudicial attitudes from my reading.
From the same interview:
"I don’t feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from [Native Americans], if that’s what you’re asking. Our so-called stealing of this country from them was just a matter of survival. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves."
How dare those people try to keep their land. How selfish. Uh, me? Me and my ancestors didn't invade and conquer, we, uh...we *needed* the land. Yeah. Yeah, that's the ticket...
Again: 1971. It's not like he said this stuff in the '40s. We're post Civil Rights movement by this point in time; this dude had ample opportunity to know better.
I don't say Wayne was nothing by a villain, and he was born in an earlier era, so I understand why he might have some goofy, f---ed-up views on this kind of thing, but come on, that's racist.
reply
share
MovieChatUser497 (18943)
3 years ago
Eh yeah that’s pretty bad, but John Wayne isn’t being honored for his support of racism so I don’t see the big deal, he was being honored for his iconic acting career. If the airport named it the John Wayne Airport because of his views on race then that would be a cause of concern. The truth is if you look hard enough you can find dirt on most historical figures heck our founding fathers were slave holders but we don’t honor them for holding slaves we honor them for what they did for the United States. Just like how some members of BLM may have sincere concerns however misguided they may be and I’m sure you wouldn’t define them by the ones who want to “shoot the white folk”, so don’t have a double standard and don’t be a hypocrite
reply
share
Ace_Spade (9367)
3 years ago
And I wasn't commenting on whether or not he should have an airport or a statue or a museum or a library or anything else.
I was answering the question of what he said that was so racist, and that was pretty racist.
You can find dirt on anybody. The questions are: how much dirt? and, was it era-appropriate dirt? The Founding Fathers were far-distant past. Their idiocy with slavery should not be forgotten or overlooked, but it's very different because they were farther back and they did a bit more for America than make cowboy movies. Wayne supported white supremacy and justified the Native American genocide because his ancestors really "needed" the land in the '70s. Totally different contexts, totally different resumes.
BLM suck, too, but that wasn't what I was speaking to here.
My answer? Give Jimmy Stewart an airport. That stone cold rock-n-roller walked away from a lucrative film career to enlist. That's something The Duke never seemed to find the time to do. Stewart was the better actor, too.
reply
share
MovieChatUser497 (18943)
3 years ago
Ok and I agreed those were racist statements, I still wouldn’t rename the airport because the reasons they named the airport the John Wayne airport had nothing to do with whatever racist thoughts he may have had. The founding fathers should be honored for what they did for the country not for holding slaves. I have no problem with giving Jimmy Stewart an airport either, he was in Vertigo one of my very favorite films and he was a great actor, heck I’d even say he was a better actor than Wayne. How much dirt you ask? That’s all subjective.
Edit: I’m glad you agree about BLM.
reply
share