Today’s tale of people who don’t really get how the internet works comes to us from Audra Shay, vice chairman of the Young Republicans.

Shay, 38, (which doesn’t seem that young, amirite?) is slowly coming under fire for what was seemingly a lighthearted, giggly reaction supporting racist comments made on her Facebook page by an illiterate Facebook friend. I wonder what her Indian buddy Bobby Jindal thinks of that?

In the discussion of a status update wherein Shay referred to how “WalMart just signed a death warrant in (her) eyes” as they’re “endorsing Obama’s healthcare plan,” the comments start out predictably. Here, I’ll paraphrase: OMG socialism communism everybody panic, yall!- but it doesn’t take too long for the discussion to descend into outright ignorance. With Shay’s approval.

Shay’s friend Eric S Pike (or Piker) pipes in with these two well-reasoned bon mots. I shall leave the spelling, grammatical and ideological errors intact:

“It’s the government making us commies… can’t even smoke in my damn car… whats next they going to issue toilet paper once a month… tell us how to wipe our asses…”

“Obama Bin Lauden is the new terrorist… Muslim is on there side… need to take this country back from all of these mad coons… and illegals.”

Shay responds:

“You tell em Eric! lol.”

According to The Daily Beast, Shay is backpedalling fast now, claiming that she was only responding to comment one- despite the fact that eight minutes elapsed between her pal Eric’s two insights. And indeed, other Young Republicans immediately responded expressing their outrage at the idiocy ignorance existing in their party today.

Cassie Wallender, a national committeewoman from the Washington Young Republican Federation, then wrote: “Someone please help a naïve Seattle girl out, is Eric’s comment a racist slur?” She answered her own question one minute later: “Okay, why is this okay? I just looked it up. ‘It comes from a term baracoons (a cage) where they used to place Africans who were waiting to be sent to America to be slaves.’ THIS IS NOT OKAY AND IT’S NOT FUNNY.” This was followed soon after by the chairman of the D.C. Young Republicans, Sean L. Conner, who wrote “I’m really saddened that you would support this type of racial language…wow! Thanks Cassie for standing up…”

Naturally, some called for de-friending went down next. Oh wait- she de-friended the critics of the comment. Way to not be racist, Audra. And, if her description of events is not a big fat lie, then why would she defriend the people who gently pointed out calling black people “coons” was “not okay” and not the dude who started the whole thing? Because, homeboy had to be around to wrap it all up with incoherent, vague and violent threats against any and all black people in possession of asses at sundown in the South.

“I agree with dale… this is still America… freedom of speech and thought is still allowed… for now any ways… and the last time i checked I was a good ole southern boy… and if yur ass is black don’t let the sun set on it in a southern town…”

Shay eventually issued a half-assed apology that was more a whiny rant about internet bullying she believes is directed at her. Shay states:

“It is a disgrace that these types of political attacks are taking place and once again, it proves that my opponents will stoop to the lowest levels to steal this election from the jaws of victory.”

Well, Audra, maybe not everything’s about you, honey. Could it be some of your fellow party members are horrified that friends of yours still hold and voice such ugly thoughts in this day and age? Let us not forget, this isn’t the first embarrassing nudge-nudge, wink-wink racist scandal to emerge in recent months via the GOP. Or the second, for that matter.

The Young Republicans are slated to convene this weekend at a conference in Indianapolis. It will be interesting to see how this influences Audra Shay’s chances to become the new vice chair of the group. Overall, it seems that Republicans in general need to decide if they’re going to keep condoning this type of commentary on the down low- remember, in the “Historical Keepsake Photo” debacle, Sherri Goforth didn’t apologize for sending that racist e-mail– just for sending it to “the wrong list.”

[Source: The Daily Beast via Gawker]