Post Mocks Jamaican Honor For Rangel

The Post reports that Rep. Charles Rangel "was inducted last week into the Order of Jamaica, the Caribbean commonwealth's highest distinction and the equivalent of knighthood," and then mocks, "The Gallant Knight of 125th Street -- who also holds distinguished titles such as Duke of Tax Dodge, Lord of Largesse and Sultan of Sweetheart Deals -- will join a list of other Order of Jamaica" like "Fidel Castro and murderous Zimbabwe strongman Robert Mugabe." Plus, there's this amazing photoillustration of Rangel with dreadlocks, a scepter and crown!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 1, 2009 1:35 PM

Comments [rss]

ddhboy

So I take it that if you have dreadlocks then you are supposed to be some sort of fool? Nice.

longacre

Isn't it illegal for American officials to accept titles of nobility?

Jen Chung

Not sure; I just know that Americans who are knighted by Queen Elizabeth (like Ronald Reagan was in 1989) can't use "sir" before their names since they aren't British citizens.

JacqueMehoff

wanna bet most post readers can't find Zimbabwe on a map?

Goldthimble

Hey Wang Chung;

Get a grip. Rangel is a Jamaican tax cheat.

thelexiphane

I thought Rangel was an accused U.S. tax cheat for not declaring rental income from a vacation property. And that property was in the Dominican Republic.

Rangel was actually honored by the Jamaicans for speaking out against the U.S. in support of Jean-Bertrand Aristide after his fall in Haiti. Aristide was alternately evacuated at his own request under U.S. protection as rebels approached Haiti's capital; or kidnapped by the U.S. and sent to Africa as part of a U.S./France/Canada-sponsored coup d'etat. Rangel took the latter view.

"If you're elected as president of a country, don't depend on the US to respect the rule of law," Rangel has said.