Thursday, July 30, 2009

Racism Ended with Obama Presidency? Officer's comment about Gates Proves Otherwise.

This is one of the most amazing denials of racism I'v seen in years. Officer Justine Barrett emailed the most incredible message. CNN:

"A Boston police officer who sent a mass e-mail referring to Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. as a "banana-eating jungle monkey" has apologized, saying he's not a racist. Officer Justin Barrett told a Boston television station on Wednesday night that he was sorry for the e-mail.

"I regret that I used such words," Barrett told CNN affiliate WCVB-TV. "I have so many friends of every type of culture and race you can name. I am not a racist." Barrett was placed on administrative leave

Barrett's lawyer Peter Marano didn't win over to many sympathizers when he tried to defend the comment: "He didn't call him a "jungle monkey" to malign him racially..."

Oh boy..


I don't believe Officer Barrett should lose his job, but get the neccessary help in sensitivity training. Sometimes I think blow-ups like this are major learning moments for individuals like this officer. I hope I don't have to change my mind once he appears on Larry King tonight.

Update August 6th: I take it back, he should be fired.

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