Allen’s controversial greeting sparks debate

As Virginia Senator George Allen’s biggest verbal blunder of his campaign saturates the media, the Republican hopes to put the recent monkey business behind him.
    Allen, speaking at a campaign rally in Southwest Virginia on August 11, called a campaign aide for his opponent a “macaca”—a remarkably obscure term—and welcomed the young man to America.
    The man singled out, S. R. Sidarth, is a UVA student and native Virginian.
    The all-white crowd reportedly chuckled when Allen addressed the aide, who is of Indian descent and was videotaping the event for Allen’s Democratic opponent, Jim Webb. “Let’s give a welcome to macaca here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia,” Allen said.
    Heated arguments over the Senator’s intended meaning persist.
    A new definition of the divisive term appeared in The Washington Post on August 17. A letter suggested that Allen’s mother, familiar with both the French and Arabic languages, might also be familiar with the term’s use as a racial slur.
Additional explanations of the word range from primate terms to haircut mismatches.
    The parties debating Allen’s gaffe are yet to offer their comments on Sidarth’s haircut. The UVA student’s mullet-mohawk hybrid was a popular early explanation for Allen’s misstep.
    Allen offered a public apology in an effort to shed the garb of embarrassment. However, the political insiders seem eager to wear their opinions on their sleeves. Thanks to CafePress.com, any individual can sport a novelty “Macaca” t-shirt.
    The “Macaca” product slogans range from “Macaca for Senate” to “Macaca? C’est moi,” which runs beneath a photo of the Senator. If Allen’s possible GOP candidacy in 2008 relies on the willingness of the public to forgive and forget, the flash-in-the-pan fashion of “Macaca” may pose the biggest threat.