By not stepping down (especially when he has nobody on the state or national stage defending him), it looks like Northam is also set on destroying whatever good he has done and may do in the future.
He has to go.
I used to live in Virginia, and was deeply investeded in state politics. I know he has been a good man, and a good public servant.
And I don’t hold it against him that he did something [now regarded as] deeply offensive many, many years ago, when he was a typically callow young guy. But I very much do fault him for not having brought this out when he first got into politics, apologizing for his youthful stupidity, and promising to dedicate his political career to proving he cared about the dignity and equality of ALL Virginians.
He must go now, for the sake of Virginia and the nation.
And other politicians should look deeply into their own pasts. Reasonable people blame no one for stupid, ignorant, arrogant, reckless actions they might have taken when they were young and foolish – provided they demonstrate that they’ve learned better, wised up with maturity, and regret those past actions, and vow to demonstrate true remorse and undertake efforts to undo past harms.
Interesting that his home church is predominantly black. Since Sunday morning is usually known as the most segregated time in america, how long has he been a member? Almost seems like it could have been a political move it it occured when he started in politics.
You have to go farther back than the 80’s for blackface and Klan costumes not to be regarded as offensive. And since when is a mid-20’s medical student considered a “typically callow young guy?” That’s for teenagers and high school kids.