GOP Councilman in Rosendale Wears Blackface for Halloween

Rosendale councilman Robert Ryan isn't a racist, he just wears racist Halloween costumes:

The use of blackface by town Councilman Robert Ryan at a private Halloween and birthday party at the American Legion Hall in Tillson has drawn sharp criticism from a town employee and the leader of a local civil rights organization.

Ryan said he intended no disrespect to black people when he dressed as rapper Flavor Flav for the Oct. 26 event.

He said the VH-1 show “The Surreal Life,” on which Flav appeared in 2004 and 2005, provided the inspiration for the costume.

“I used to watch a show all the time with Brigitte (Nielsen), the one Sylvester Stallone was married to,” Ryan said. “I enjoyed the show. I thought (Flavor Flav) was a very unique kind of a character, and then, I just read about him the other day.” Nielsen, who was on “The Surreal Life” at the same time as Flav, has been romantically involved with the rapper, whose real name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr.

And, yes, Ryan is a Republican, which is entirely un-shocking to me. The party's standard-bearer just ran one of the most racist presidential campaigns I have ever seen, so this is the par for the course. I am, however, a bit shocked to see it happen in Tillson.

And for those who say I should be ashamed about the way I talk about the GOP, take a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror. Maybe, just maybe, you guys should find some better people to represent you.