Mayor Hits Rough Patch Over Watermelon Pic
The mayor of Los Alamitos is coming under fire for an e-mail he sent out that depicts the White House lawn planted with watermelons, under the title "No Easter egg hunt this year."
Local businesswoman and city volunteer Keyanus Price, who is black, said Tuesday she received the e-mail from Mayor Dean Grose's personal account on Sunday and wants a public apology.
"I have had plenty of my share of chicken and watermelon and all those kinds of jokes," Price told The Associated Press. "I honestly don't even understand where he was coming from, sending this to me. As a black person receiving something like this from the city-freakin'-mayor - come on."
The Orange County Register first reported the e-mail on its Web site Tuesday night.
Grose confirmed to the AP that he sent the e-mail to Price and said he didn't mean to offend her. He said he was unaware of the racial stereotype that black people like watermelons.
He said he and Price are friends and serve together on a community youth board.
"Bottom line is, we laugh at things and I didn't see this in the same light that she did," Grose told the AP. "I'm sorry. It wasn't sent to offend her personally - or anyone - from the standpoint of the African-American race."
Grose, who became mayor in December, said he sent an apology e-mail to Price and her boss and also left her a voicemail apology.
Regardless, Price said it will be difficult for the two to work together.
"Now I am like - wow, is this really how he feels?" Price said.
Los Alamitos is a 2?-square-mile Orange County city of around 12,000 people. The mayor is elected by fellow members of the five-seat City Council.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Local businesswoman and city volunteer Keyanus Price, who is black, said Tuesday she received the e-mail from Mayor Dean Grose's personal account on Sunday and wants a public apology.
"I have had plenty of my share of chicken and watermelon and all those kinds of jokes," Price told The Associated Press. "I honestly don't even understand where he was coming from, sending this to me. As a black person receiving something like this from the city-freakin'-mayor - come on."
The Orange County Register first reported the e-mail on its Web site Tuesday night.
Grose confirmed to the AP that he sent the e-mail to Price and said he didn't mean to offend her. He said he was unaware of the racial stereotype that black people like watermelons.
He said he and Price are friends and serve together on a community youth board.
"Bottom line is, we laugh at things and I didn't see this in the same light that she did," Grose told the AP. "I'm sorry. It wasn't sent to offend her personally - or anyone - from the standpoint of the African-American race."
Grose, who became mayor in December, said he sent an apology e-mail to Price and her boss and also left her a voicemail apology.
Regardless, Price said it will be difficult for the two to work together.
"Now I am like - wow, is this really how he feels?" Price said.
Los Alamitos is a 2?-square-mile Orange County city of around 12,000 people. The mayor is elected by fellow members of the five-seat City Council.
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That's true, kalifani6, but there are plenty of others as well who think they're so clever when they feign innocence; many of them have posted in this thread.
I take satisfaction in the knowledge that bigotry will continue to become even more marginalized with time. The "brave" individuals who come onto this discussion forum to trumpet their bigotry wouldn't dare tell their infantile jokes in the company of anyone outside their trusted circle of like-minded bigots. Think there's nothing wrong with the hash you're slinging here? Why don't you go tell it to your boss at work? I especially encourage you to do so if your boss happens to be African American!
The ignorant think that just because blacks have crossed yet another great hurdle in this world of senseless oppression w/ the election of a black man that it somehow erases the past and nullifies our ability to hold them accountable.
Some calloused minds can't see past the "bAss-ackwardness" of their own skewered thought processes.
The Race Card no longer works
That ended when BO was elected President.
The rules have changed...
Get over it.
B
Posted by Bob896 at 6:55 AM : Feb 27, 2009
The rules have NOT changed; bigotry is always in poor taste. In fact, the mayor in question ADMITS that it was in bad taste; he also announced that he will resign at the city council meeting on Monday, March 2nd.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29423045/from/ET
A racist clown called on his stupidity. Can YOU get over it?
We need to boycott businesses that condone these forms of racism and we need to educate our nation so that we can truly be THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
[Posted by lili50441 at 4:44 AM : Feb 27, 2009 ]
watermelons on the white house lawn are funny? why is that funny? why is it watermelons? why isn't it broccoli, or potatoes, or maybe pumpkins? i'm thinking pumpkins would have been funnier ... if that's what they were actually shooting for.
Get over it PPL!!!!!!!!! im not making it racist but some ppl need a history lesson! I have blacks in my family and they laugh at everything! so whats PPLs problem!!!!!!!!!! Grow UP!
The Race Card no longer works
That ended when BO was elected President.
The rules have changed...
Get over it.
B
If he didn't know the stereotype, then I want to know exactly why he found it funny too.