Plea to Vet Audra Shay Further

We received this in a comment and felt it should be shared.  Thanks to Cassie for allowing us to post this.

Members of the National Committee,

I am sorry to take your time with another email, but I feel I can add a fresh firsthand perspective to this situation and want to make sure everyone is fully informed as it is extremely important. If we do not thoroughly vet this situation it reflects very poorly upon Young Republicans (if you are not familiar with what I’m referring to, please see: http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2009/07/race_and_young_repubs.aspx). Audra Shay’s response to several media articles and blog posts which expressed concern regarding her remarks on Facebook have troubled me. Audra’s response claims that she was “responding to the first post, to continue the fight against big government spending.” This is one of the worst attempted cover ups I have ever seen. Let me tell you why:

Firstly, Eric Piker’s first post, as you can see by this screen shot http://www.arktimes.com/assets/documents/audrashayfacebook.jpg, is not about big government spending. Secondly, Audra made her comments eight minutes after Eric’s racist comment, saying, “You tell em Eric! lol”. Also if Audra really did find these remarks to be “outright disgusting,” then why was her response to immediately de-friend those who made statements against Eric’s blatant racism? I was blocked for stating that Eric’s racist comment was “NOT OKAY. And it is not funny.” Please take a moment look at the entire screenshot linked above, and ask yourself: which comment would lead you to de-friend someone, mine, or Eric’s?

If you look at the screenshot posted on HipHopRepublican.com, http://hiphoprepublican.com/wp-content/uploads/audrashayfacebook-21.jpg, you will see that more than twelve hours later, long after she removed me as a friend, Eric Piker was STILL posting racists remarks saying “…if your ass is black don’t let the sun set on it in a southern town…” Even that comment didn’t cause Audra to remove Eric Piker as a friend. It seems it was only after the media started calling the next day that she knew she HAD to remove him.

I also want to address one other very serious accusation in Audra’s statement. She told the media that this was a “desperate” attempt by her opponent and painted herself as a victim. I can set the record straight firsthand, and this is why I felt the responsibility to email you. What happened did not come from Rachel Hoff or anyone on her ticket. The comments came from me and other offended people who were Audra’s Facebook friends. No one told me to comment, nor did anyone force Audra to make her comments. I saw something that was morally wrong, and as a conservative I took it upon myself as an individual to stand up, and I do not regret it at all. I was attacked for wanting better for Young Republicans – in my lifetime of work for the Republican Party I have never been accused of being a “RINO”, until now, by Audra’s supporters.

I continue to hold that stating “You go get ‘em” and “LOL” to racist remarks are not acceptable for YRs. Her continued inappropriate responses to the situation and utter lack of an apology are quite disconcerting. I do not want to see infighting as we are all on the same team ultimately, but this is unacceptable especially from any of our elected officers. Even despite the red flags of spin pointed out above, and giving Audra the benefit of the doubt regarding racism, at the very best this was extremely poorly handled by turning it into a political attack on people completely uninvolved and by showing allegiance to those making racist statements while choosing to squarely turn her back on those speaking against racism.

All in all, this is a plea to my fellow National Committee Members to look at how this was handled and decide in your own heart and mind if this was appropriate, and if this is how we want to be represented to our country.

Thanks for your time,

Cassie Wallender
National Committeewoman
Washington Young Republican Federation

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