Dan Ramos sought Stoneawll Democrats’ endorsement during his campaign for chairman of the Bexar County Democratic Party in 2010. But now he thinks Stonewall is “the equivalent of the fuckin’ Nazi Party.” (QSanAntonio)
It isn’t overly surprising to hear that a county party chairperson in Texas called gays “termites” and likened the Stonewall Democrats to Nazis. But it is a little surprising that it came from a county chairperson in the Democratic Party. Dan Ramos, the embattled chairman of the Bexar County Democratic Party, made the statements Friday in an interview with the San Antonio Current:
While the LGBT community has long found support within the national Democratic Party in its search for equal rights for gay, lesbian, and transgendered individuals, Ramos called the gay-rights movement a “very sinister movement” that is out of touch with San Antonio’s values.
In an interview with the Current today, Ramos blamed homosexuals in the party for both undermining his authority and for the poor election results in Bexar County in 2010. “They are all connected to the gay Democratic Party, the so-called Stonewall Democrats. Just like termites they managed to get some of their people in key positions,” he said.
The party faithful has been largely divided over Ramos since he was elected to office in May, 2010, but his chief detractors are all homosexuals, Ramos said.
Ramos said he opposes homosexuality on religious grounds and doesn’t believe gay-friendly Democrats like Stonewall reflect the values of Bexar County voters. “I liken them to the Tea Party — the Tea Party and the fucking Nazi Party — because they’re 90 percent white, blue-eyed, and Anglo, and I don’t give a fuck who knows that. Just like the blacks … they’re American, but you can’t get your way just because you’re black.”
The LGBT news website QSanAntonio reports that Eduardo Juarez, co-chair of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio, issued a statement today to the group’s Board of Directors in response to Ramos’ remarks.
“Mr. Ramos’ alleged comments blaming and condemning LGBT Democrats are so plainly ludicrous and divisive, they do not even merit a response,” Juarez said. “We Democrats are too busy right now working on real and important tasks at hand, including the task of uniting our party.”
QSanAntonio also reports that Ramos’ statements are especially surprising given that he sought the Stonewall Democrats’ endorsement in January 2010 when he ran for the position (photo above).
The Bexar County Democratic Party has been rocked by scandal in recent years, with its former treasurer awaiting trial on charges that he embezzled $200,000. The party was unable to fund a campaign in 2010, and Ramos reportedly has been a divisive figure ever since he took over as chair. State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, has filed legislation that would allow state parties in Texas to remove county chairs for “incompetency or official misconduct.” The bill reportedly is aimed at getting rid of Ramos.
UPDATE: Boyd Richie, chair of the Texas Democraticy Party, issued the following statement calling for Ramos’ resignation late Saturday.
“From virtually the first day he took office, Dan Ramos has kept the Bexar County Democratic Party in a constant state of turmoil. He has consistently refused to follow the Bexar County Democratic Party Rules and the Texas Democratic Party Rules, failed to call or attend meetings required by the local Rules, failed to recognize properly established local committees and officers, refused to elect Precinct Chairs in the manner required by the Rules and the Texas Election Code, and failed to assist Democratic candidates seeking office.
“I will not dignify Mr. Ramos’ most recent outburst by restating it, but I will make it clear that the bigoted attitudes he expressed are totally contrary to the Beliefs and Declarations of the Texas Democratic Party. I am shocked and outraged that an individual who claims to be an officer of the Democratic Party would hold such positions and I’m appalled that he would make such absurd statements.
“For many months, Democratic Party officials and activists have petitioned the State Party to intercede in the Bexar County situation. Until recently I resisted those requests because I believed that the best remedy would be one crafted and agreed to by Democrats inside Bexar County. Just yesterday I sent a letter to Mr. Ramos and other concerned individuals inviting them to a sit-down to discuss the problem. I no longer believe that such a meeting would be useful or have any purpose. What is necessary is for Dan Ramos to immediately resign and allow the Bexar County Democratic Party to move forward with new, more unifying leadership.”
Also, Daniel Graney, president of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus, sent over an open letter to Ramos that we’ve posted after the jump.
March 12, 2011
Honorable Dan Ramos
Chairman
Bexar County Democratic Party
159 Shoreview Pl
San Antonio, TX 78242
Dear Chairman Ramos:
As President of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus, I am writing this open letter in response to remarks you made that were posted on the blog of the San Antonio Current this past Friday, March 11. Since I also happen to live in Bexar County and am an elected Democratic Precinct Chair, I am personally motivated to respond.
I was appalled and saddened by your remarks in which you compare LGBT Democrats and Stonewall Democrats, in particular, to “termites” and the “Nazi Party”. You also falsely assume that the Stonewall Democrats is made up of almost exclusively Anglo members (“Nazis” in your words). If you would have bothered to learn more about our organization, you would have learned that Latinos occupy leadership positions in six of our biggest chapters in the state ( Dallas , Denton County , Houston , Rio Grande Valley , San Antonio and Tarrant County ).
Additionally, you attacked the African-American Community by implying that our African American brothers and sisters assume privileged status just because they are “black.” Our history has shown that minorities of every color have fought hard to achieve equality in this society through protests, court battles and executive orders. To diminish that struggle by using a bad metaphor is disgusting.
These hateful remarks, laced with profanity, are unbecoming the honorable office to which you were elected.
As County Chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party, you are responsible for adhering to the 2010 Texas Democratic Party Platform, which includes “We believe in and support the repeal of discriminatory laws and policies against members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.”
Members of Stonewall Democrats across Texas strongly condemn the hateful language you used towards LGBT, African-American and Anglo Texans in the interview with the San Antonio Current. Our members, who come from every race and ethnicity believe in tolerance, acceptance and civility in our quest for equality in this nation. Your words do not reflect the true soul of the Texas Democratic Party and your words grossly misrepresent the mission and purpose of the Stonewall Democrats. You have embarrassed our elected officials, Democrats across Texas and, most acutely, the Bexar County Democratic Party.
I call on you to apologize for the offensive remarks you have made. If you cannot find it in your heart to apologize, then I ask you to do the honorable thing and step down as County Chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party.
Respectfully yours,
Daniel C. Graney
President
Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus
Bexar County Democratic Party Precinct Chair for Precinct 3122
DanGraney@texasstonewalldemocrats.org
www.texasstonewalldemocrats.org
Stonewall Democrats of Dallas condemns Dan Ramos and his hate language towards LGBT, Black and Anglo Texans in the interview with the San Antonio Current. Our members, who come from every ethnicity, race, faith, sexual orientation, & gender identity believe in acceptance & civility in our quest for equality in Texas & our nation.
Dan Ramos is seeking to divide communities. Stonewall Democrats of Dallas has worked hard to build bridges among people with progressive goals. His bashing was laced with attacks on every community. – Dan Ramos falsely attacked the anglo community by assuming Stonewall Democrats is made up of white members (Nazis in his words). Obviously, Dan Ramos did not bother to educate himself more about our organization or he would have learned that Latinos oversee four of our biggest chapters in the state (Dallas, Denton, Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio). – Dan Ramos attacked the black community by implying that our African American brothers and sisters assume privileged status just because they are “black.” Our history has shown that minorities of every color have fought hard to achieve equality through protests, court battles and executive orders. To denigrate that struggle is thoroughly disgusting. – Dan Ramos likened LGBT people to termites. As a county party chair, he is responsible for adhering to the 2010 Texas Democratic Party Platform, which includes “We believe in and support – repeal of discriminatory laws and policies against members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.”
Dan Ramos we consider you a failure. He has embarrassed our elected offiicials, Democrats across Texas and most importantly the Bexar County Democratic Party. You failed to deliver results in 2010 and now you have undermined what little political influence you think you had.
Stonewall Democrats of Dallas would like to thank Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie for calling for the immediate resignation of Dan Ramos.
Thank you,
Omar Narvaez
President
Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
This is what happen when you have leadership with their toes dipped deeply`in two causes.
Give the SOB a teabag and show him the gate.
As a proud board member of the National Stonewall Democrats Mr. Ramos’ comments have served to remind me once again that we can never rest on our mission to achieve full legal equality, and as importantly, respect and diginity. Mr Ramos, whether you realize it or not, it is well within the American tradition to advocate for civil equality. My suggestion to you is that you embrace this American tradition as it is a much better fit for humanity. History has proven this to be true time and time again.
always the xtians
what a complete lowlife racist loser Ramos is.
San Antonio should be ashamed of itself for electing this scumbag.
How did Democrats manage to elect such an unintelligent, uneducated, unattractive person?
We have so many intelligent, educated, attractive Dems — even in Red State Texas.
Perhaps this is what we get when we don’t turn “our people” out to vote?
Fuckin religinazi asshat.
Go sell tacos on the streetcorner for Jeebus.
Wow, what a nutter o_0 I’m not an American (I’m an Aussie), but I’ve always loved the way freedom of speech is so relentlessly defended over there. We NEED for bigots like this guy to be allowed to speak their minds. Here, we don’t have that. We have a thing called “hate speech” and it’s a career-ender. We call racists, homophobes, sexists and others “Un-Australian” and we shut them up, so all that bad energy gets pushed underground, where it festers and gets worse. The nut jobs aren’t given leeway to speak their (warped) minds, which is a problem, because before we know it…well, Google Malcolm Turnbull or Mark Latham and you’ll see what I mean. Better yet…watch this, lol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lpGP50CSBw
It’s horrifying that this guy is in government at any level, but at least we know what he is, so we can get rid of him!
I am 1\2 black and 1/2 mexican and i really thank mr ramos for saying what he said. it illustrates a point that i had made to my hispanic ex-wife years ago. We both live here in SA, but i as mentioned, i’m bi-racial and oiur perspectives on how blacks are looked at here were totally different. when i met her, she and her family thought the same way as mr ramos. they thought that blacks just “get everything” and of course hispanics were “better” than blacks. I had told her that SA is kind of a bubble for hispanics and does not reflect even how they are treated up state where i’m from. she thought this until she saw the struggles and prejudice that i had to deal with from employers, store security following me all over different stores even though i had just walked in the door. Police stopping me sometimes just to find out where i was coming from or to make sure that i had insurance or “just doing an id check”. even other hispanics looking at us when we went out. just staring at us! once at a grocery store we were checking out and we kissed. the clerk for some reason assumed that my wife, who i had just kissed was w/the hispanic looking guy behind her, and started to ring up some our groceries with his!! we knew this because she said it. i had told her before that up state, hispanics and treated the same as blacks. she didnt believe me until there was a news report that the austin police just beat the crap out of a hispanic guy for no real reason!! just like he was a black man!! i have seen prejudice from whites, HISPANICS and even blacks and i can tell you that mr ramos is perpetuating the problems. Just so he knows in SA, MOST of those who want something for nothing are HISPANIC,as they are the ones who are predominately on welfare, housing, WIC, etc. Blacks make up a very small percentage of SA residents. Funny, the only people that have NEVER made me feel unwelcomed are ASIANS, MUSLIMS and GAYS!! Yes, he needs to RESIGN!!!!!!
I think he’s been a scammer from the word go!!! I’m aware of his wrongful doings and he does have a tendency to justify others other than himself.
To the County of Bexter Democratic Party,
Your organization should be executing the rules of your Constitution or Bylaws to remove this man from his position immediately.
You have an obligation as elected officials to follow the laws you created and voted for as Democrats within your county and state. Do your job and do not allow this man to damage your party. How can you expect to build your party with this man not being removed from office.
I am a Municipal Chair and County Vice Chair in New Jersey, please don’t hurt the Democratic Party with your inaction.
By Texas law, he can only be removed from office for supporting a Republican candidate. He cannot even be removed for committing a felony. An attempt to change that law is what set him off in the first place.
Perhaps the bigoted Señor Ramos needs to return to his south of the border roots. In my
Mind His own bigoted remarks make him available to similar remarks.
Bitter, party of 1 now being served!
He is a closet republican!