Earl Butz, the one-time Secretary of Agriculture, died recently at the age of 98. Timothy Noah recalls the one thing he was noted for: Having to resign after he was quoted telling a couple of racist jokes.
I don't think telling a couple of racist jokes means you're a racist but Mr. Butz's other, non-joking statements and actions sure made him look like one, and his response when his jokes elicited outrage sure made him look foolish. At the time of the brief controversy, I was contributing to an underground-style newspaper and I wrote a piece that said, in effect, "I don't think he should have had to resign over the jokes. I think he should have had to resign because people that foolish should not be in public office." Looking back, I still feel the same way.