EL PASO, TX—Following on the heels of an announcement that he and his wife were the descendants of slave-owners, Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke went further Monday by admitting that members of his family were responsible for the My Lai Massacre as well as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. “The issues of war crimes and worker exploitation have long been important to me, but they’ve taken on additional significance since I’ve learned about my uncle Roger O’Rourke, who served as a commander in Vietnam and gave the orders leading to the mass murder of civilians in South Vietnam, as well as my great-grandfather once removed, Eunice O’Rourke, who owned and operated the garment factory that caught fire and led to the death of 146 employees,” wrote O’Rourke in an emotional Medium post, noting that he himself had benefitted from an exploitative system of privilege built by his ancestors, including a cousin who piloted the Hindenburg and his maternal great-aunt, “Typhoid Mary” Mallon, who was the original vector for the deadly disease. “The descendants of those who survived the Donner Party, Salem Witch Trials, and the U.S.S. Indianapolis shark attack did so despite the odds being stacked against them by my family. The fact that I have been the beneficiary of this corrupt system only gives me a greater sense of urgency in working as hard as I can to level the playing field.” O’Rourke added that he had done a lot of soul-searching about his lineage after the revelation that one of his earliest ancestors had invented murder by slaying his brother, Abel.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
With summer heating up, Beto O'Rourke's campaign cools downHere are the stories our panel of top political reporters will be watching for in the week ahead, in today's 'Inside Politics' forecast.
Read more »
Beto O'Rourke says his family's ancestors owned slavesHe said the revelation created an urgency to 'change this country so that it works for those who have been locked-out of — or locked-up in — this system.'
Read more »
Beto O’Rourke says ancestor owned slavesBeto O’Rourke said Sunday that he and his wife, Amy, are descended from people who owned slaves
Read more »
Beto O'Rourke says he and his wife are descendants of slave ownersDemocratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke on Sunday said he was recently given documents showing that he and his wife, Amy, are descendants of slave owners, writing in a Medium post that the legacy of slavery 'now has a much more personal connection.'
Read more »
Beto O'Rourke says he descended from slave owners, supports reparations
Read more »
Beto O'Rourke says he descended from slave owners, supports reparations
Read more »