John Wayne’s son, Ethan Wayne, has come out in defence of his father as Democrats in Orange County, California, moved to have his name and likeness removed from the county’s airport for his alleged support of white supremacy.
Wayne’s controversial views, stemming from a 1971 Playboy interview in which he called for the disenfranchisement of black people while he also uttered homophobic slurs, has put him under the crosshairs of Orange County Democrats who voted for the resolution to change the name of the airport to just the Orange County Airport.
It is now up to the Orange County Board of Supervisors to make the final decision on whether this happens or nor.
“While some outside Orange County may not know of John Wayne’s beliefs in white supremacy, many Orange County residents have been calling for his removal for years,” county party chairwoman Ada Briceño said in a statement.
“We’re seeing renewed calls for this right now, and it’s time for change.”
In the Playboy interview, Wayne is quoted saying, “I believe 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 also said he felt no remorse for the subjugation of Native Americans.
Wayne’s son Ethan however, came out in his defence saying that his father had been misrepresented by the publication.
“The truth is, as we have seen in papers from his archives, he did not support ‘white supremacy’ in any way and believed that responsible people should gain power without the use of violence.
“Those who knew him, knew he judged everyone as an individual and believed everyone deserved an equal opportunity,” Ethan added.
“He called out bigotry when he saw it. He hired and worked with people of all races, creeds, and sexual orientations. John Wayne stood for the very best for all of us — a society that doesn’t discriminate against anyone seeking the American dream.”
Ethan also claimed that Wayne would be on the right side of history if he was alive today amidst the upheaval that followed the death of George Floyd.
“One thing we know – if John Wayne were here today, he would be in the forefront demanding fairness and justice for all people,” Ethan said.
“He would have pulled those officers off of George Floyd, because that was the right thing to do. He would stand for everyone’s right to protest and work toward change.” Daily Mast