Democrats in Orange County, California, have restarted efforts to remove actor John Wayne’s name from the local airport.
Citing Wayne’s controversial comments about race relations in America, the officials passed an emergency resolution last week condemning his “racist and bigoted statements” made during an interview with Playboy Magazine in 1971.
“There have been past efforts to get this done and now we’re putting our name and our backing into this to make sure there is a name change,” said Ada Briceno, chairwoman of the local Democratic Party.
In the 1971 interview, Wayne told a reporter he believes in white supremacy “until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility.”
“I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people,” he said.
On slavery, Wayne, a longtime Orange County resident, said, “I don’t feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves.”
The resolution asked the county board to change the name of the airport back to its original name, Orange County Airport.
