Colorado State Rep Richard Holtorf referred to a colleague as “Buckwheat,” leading to a heated exchange and brief recess of the House. Democrats were enraged and said the term “Buckwheat” is a racist term when it has been used many times, even in movies:

The movie ‘The Hunt for Red October’ famously used the term:
“Hey, I think someone just shot a torpedo at us!”
“No shit, Buckwheat, now get the hell out of here!”
That exchange was between 2 white US Navy men.

Buckwheat was a nickname for one of the black Little Rascals gang and was famously parodied by Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live. Is this a racist term?

In the video below, Colorado State Rep. Holtorf said this to a WHITE colleague:

“I’m getting there. Don’t worry, Buckwheat. I’m getting there. That’s an endearing term, by the way.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuytivHgo90

After the incident, local news reported the Republican lawmaker apologized after he was “reprimanded” for calling a white colleague “Buckwheat” during a debate on legislation:

What do you think about the incident? Should the lawmaker have apologized?

The Little Rascals