When racism is allowed in the hearing room, Idaho loses more than decorum | Opinion
On Feb. 24, the Idaho House Business Committee allowed a man in brownface, wearing a costume and pretending not to speak English, to testify on an E-Verify bill. The individual, David Pettinger, approached the podium in brownface makeup, a wig, sunglasses, and stereotypical attire, speaking in a fake Spanish accent while claiming not to understand English.
The committee paused briefly but ultimately allowed him to continue, prompting immediate condemnation from civil rights groups.
Allowing this performance to proceed did more than show poor judgment, it signaled that overt racism is acceptable in Idaho’s legislative process. As reported by multiple outlets, Pettinger’s appearance was not spontaneous; he is known for racist and antisemitic demonstrations across the state.
Imagine, for a moment, someone walking into a committee hearing dressed in a Ku Klux Klan outfit. Would lawmakers allow that person to testify? Would they laugh? Would they treat it as harmless political theater? The answer is obvious.
Yet when the target is Hispanic and immigrant communities, the standards suddenly shift. This incident does not stand alone. It reflects a climate shaped by rhetoric from political leaders who claim that “we’re losing our culture” or that immigrants are “damaging our way of life.”
When elected officials frame demographic change as a threat, they create an environment where agitators like Pettinger feel emboldened to turn legislative hearings into stages for humiliation.
The message behind this rhetoric is old, and it is always the same: they’re taking what’s yours.
It was used against Irish immigrants in the 1800s, against Italians and Catholics in the early 20th century, against Chinese laborers during the Exclusion era, and now against Hispanics.
Fearmongering about “ethnic purity” has never been about protecting culture; it has always been about preserving power.
Allowing racist mockery in a public hearing does not just harm those targeted. It degrades the institution itself. It tells Idahoans that the dignity of some communities is optional, that the rules of respect apply only to certain groups, and that the state’s legislative process can be weaponized for bullying.
But Idaho is better than this. Our state has long been shaped by immigrants, by their labor, their families, their cultures and their contributions. Idaho’s values have always included hard work, fairness and respect for neighbors, no matter where they come from.
When a legislative committee allows racist theatrics to stand unchallenged, it burns bridges that Idaho has spent generations building. It sends a message to Hispanic and immigrant families that they are not welcome in the very institutions that govern their lives.
The NAACP condemns this behavior unequivocally. Racism has no place in our hearing rooms, our public discourse, or our state. Idaho’s leaders must decide whether they will continue to tolerate harassment disguised as testimony, or whether they will uphold the values that truly define this state.
The choice is theirs. The consequences belong to all of us.
Jeanetta Williams is president of the NAACP Tri-State Conference of Idaho, Nevada and Utah and former member of the NAACP National Board of Directors.
This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 4:00 AM.