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236 Comments
- Insightful, on 02/25/2009, -11/+112"I in no way was representing the City of Los Alamitos, or my role as a council member in sending this out and it went via my private business email."
Uh, I see. It is OK to make racist jokes on private business e-mail. Is this what you teach your children, Mr. Mayor? - wakethefockup, on 02/25/2009, -24/+93"He said he was unaware of the racial stereotype that black people like watermelons."
Oh, ok, so what exactly did you mean by it?
EVERY DAY, another racist republican slur, "jokes", that don't mean what they mean to mean, ummmm.... this crap has got to stop. These people need to start being punished via federal anti-hate laws. - barackoblogger, on 02/26/2009, -15/+80surprise surprise, another Republican racist
- bmaggiemay, on 02/25/2009, -15/+63Let's call Mayor Dean Grose what he is....a bigot!! If they people of Los Alamitos don't recall this guy what does it say about them.
- MoDiggity455, on 02/27/2009, -15/+61Republicans...step away from the computer
- FlaG8r, on 02/26/2009, -7/+44I'd like to hear his explanation of what it could possibly mean if it wasn't a racial slur. I'm sure it would be hilarious.
- AKAChip, on 02/26/2009, -7/+41Dean Grose is a big fat lying racist. What would be the point of sending out the email declaring no Easter Egg Hunt this year if the image of watermelons all over the lawn was not meant to be a vile and despicable attack of the Obama's and every African American. It is widely known the racist connection between African Americans and watermelon and fried chicken and , oh yeah- the monkey- chimp as seen in the New York Post of late. Anyone with half a brain can see this bigot for what he is and it's time people stand up and denounce him and his ilk. Enough already!!!
- SpectralSounds, on 02/26/2009, -3/+34Racism sucks, but we don't need any laws against free speech. This idiot sent out an email that was in very poor taste. But, if you think he should be convicted of a crime for it, then you are the kind of person that makes me very sad.
- franklymister, on 02/26/2009, -0/+30Offensive, yes.
"Should be stopped?" By whom? Free speech means the freedom to be offended, even insulted and outraged.
You now have the freedom to stand up to the moron who sent this, by giving him a bit of your own free speech. Hopefully the citizens of that town will give him a bit of theirs as well, when he gets voted out of office. - franklymister, on 02/26/2009, -2/+26Actually, I'd say this is very different. I could see how the NY Post cartoonist might have honestly not thought about how people would interpret his cartoon about the chimp.
This one has absolutely no other meaning than "black folks like watermelons, we gots us a nigra in the White House, hur hur" - TheMachine1, on 02/26/2009, -3/+24That racist guy's logic is bad a watermellon patch would be perfect for hiding Easter eggs.
- Verchiel77, on 02/26/2009, -5/+26Good thing the mayor's only a racist in private. I'm sure those leanings don't show up *anywhere* else... /s
- bikes2work, on 02/26/2009, -2/+22looks photoshopped
- franklymister, on 02/26/2009, -2/+22It just sounds like everyone is offended and outraged. That's their free speech.
No one should suggest that the law get involved, that would violate free speech. But "free speech" doesn't mean you can say anything you like without repercussions from other people, it's just the government that can't get involved. - noisician, on 02/26/2009, -0/+15spouting racism is hardly the type of "dissent" that makes for healthy debate and democracy.
that said, we definitely don't need to trot out talk of anti-hate laws. - Alli3388, on 02/26/2009, -2/+17WTF did he think was funny about it, then, if he didn't get the watermelon/black people reference?? That doesn't make any sense. Though neither does sending that to a black woman, so I don't know wtf is going on. Could he just be the biggest idiot in the world and just thought there was something funny about watermelons growing at the White House??? Like the way a 3 year old might??? Is it possible??? If not, I just don't understand why he would have sent this to the woman, so.... hmmm???
- sunflowerchick, on 02/26/2009, -10/+24I'm so tired of seeing racists thing like this recently-it needs to be brought in to the mainstream. Possibly even some thoughts on it from Obama.
- pintomp3, on 02/26/2009, -3/+17He has every right to make racist jokes, regardless of email address. And if people don't like it they have every right to not vote for him. When you are in public office, your private life can become a factor for voters. It's not always right, but public office will always hinge on public perception. Why else would cheating on your wife kill your political career?
- Bunyflufy, on 02/26/2009, -17/+30This is the same ass the NY ost's racist cartoon. Our Nation really has not come far at all, very sad.
- BlueAyez, on 02/26/2009, -6/+18Away from the computer hell -- step away from politics.
- speedk0re, on 02/26/2009, -2/+14Los Alamitos is next to where I live (Long Beach CA)
This is not exactly the smartest thing to do when you're mayor of the next town over from the LBC - Insightful, on 02/26/2009, -4/+16"How many potentially incriminating emails have you sent, assuming they'd be kept private?"
Uh, zero. That's right. I have not send one incriminating e-mail in my life. And even if I did, I know e-mail is not secure and privacy does not even apply. How about you?
In any case, I think most people's reaction here is that he has a right to say what he wants just as we have a right to say he is an idiot and deserved whatever outcome he gets.
Stop your persecution complex. - illb, on 02/26/2009, -13/+24Being an American doesn't give you the right to not have your feelings hurt. Sometimes things are in poor taste, but that doesn't mean people should be fired or that they are bigots or racists. The first amendment give us all the freedom of speech, not just people who have complaints about their feelings being hurt. The true sadness is that we can't have an open and honest dialog about race, sex, money, or war without the self righteousness of one side or the other getting in the way. It's pathetic.
For the record, I don't find this picture funny. It's hack piece that doesn't deserve this attention. Neither did the Post cartoon. How many times was Bush compared to a monkey? A lot. And he sucked too.
Grow Up America. - sigmaman2, on 02/26/2009, -0/+11No, dissent is not racism.
But then again, crass stereotypes are not dissent either. - jbella, on 02/26/2009, -0/+10To say that he had no idea that watermelons had anything to do with black people is ridiculous. if he was unaware, why did he forward the email? It doesn't make any sense if you are unaware of the stereotype that black people are fond of watermelons.
- Teh1337Pirate, on 02/26/2009, -2/+12common sense fail
- KSUdesigner, on 02/26/2009, -0/+10Actually it's not one or the other, it's both. It is a racial stereotype.
- Bologner, on 02/26/2009, -10/+20Racism sucks, but once people can't start saying what they want to in this country, then we have a problem. For some reason, you guys think it's a problem when the Republicans shout down voices of descent, but when you do the same, it's perfectly okay.
(coming from a socially liberal) - Decimit, on 02/26/2009, -0/+10He has the right to say anything he wants, thats what freedom of speech means, but him claiming that he was unaware of the racial stereotype portrayed in his email was both cowardly and insulting. He chose to convey an idea, but then he wasn't even man enough to stand behind it when called out. Maybe he meant it, maybe he didn't, but choosing to hide behind the facade of ignorance is like spiting in the face of the first amendment.
He has the right to say anything he wants, be it verbally or by email from his personal or business email account. He also has the right to be judged by it. If people have a problem with it, they should make it public and ridicule him for it. They are using the same freedom of speech he exercised. - TrevorBelmont, on 02/26/2009, -1/+11***** that noise.
He's the mayor. He's an elected official. If he's going around cracking racist jokes then that's actionable information to his constituents. You seem to have confused "freedom of speech" with "being able to go around saying whatever the ***** you want all the time without consequence". Should he be allowed to say that stuff? Absolutely! Should we be able to call him out as a racist, verbally kick him in the nuts and vote him out of office? You betcha!
There's no moral battle here in shielding this guy from the consequences of this dumb, bigoted gag. He's got a right to run his mouth, they've got a right to flip out and run him outta town. - inigomntoya, on 02/26/2009, -3/+13Not only that. It wasn't funny. Everyone knows Obama is from Hawaii. It should have been a pineapple plantation.
- oldhick, on 02/26/2009, -5/+15That was stupid. People are just stupid. How do you get elected mayor and do something like that?
- Manther, on 02/26/2009, -0/+9Or Spam, Hawaiians love that stuff.
- zirconx, on 02/26/2009, -4/+13I've never understood the thing with watermelons. I always enjoyed watermelon as a kid and didn't know it was only for black people until I grew up.
- egocogito, on 02/26/2009, -0/+9You are an idiot. How could you possibly construe calling out racism for what it is as suppression of the freedom of speech? None of this is about claiming that the cartoonist does not have the right to say whatever he wants, it is about objecting to what he is saying.
- KSUdesigner, on 02/26/2009, -2/+10There was no uproar over it then because Bush was called these names due to the fact that he was a complete idiot. There is uproar over this now because Obama is being made fun of for the color of his skin. One is racism, the other is not. Honestly both cases are pretty despicable, but we have a very ugly past with racial differences in this country and nobody wants to be reminded of it every ten minutes.
- drlha, on 02/26/2009, -3/+11Agreed. The use of a chimp was a poor choice, but people used chimps to depict Bush all the time.
Watermelons however: I can't think of an alternative non-racist way of interpreting this? - pilot3033, on 02/26/2009, -2/+10Not to mention, you could argue that the chimp image was meant to also parody the recent story of the lady who had to shoot her pet chimp for going on the attack.
Still in poor taste though - Memitim, on 02/26/2009, -0/+7If someone were looking to arrest him then I'd be on his side as well. But nobody is infringing on his freedom of speech, just pointing him out to be a dick. Just because you whispered the racist joke to your buddy behind the cube wall doesn't mean that HR isn't going to throw you out when it turns out that someone happened to hear it while walking by and went to complain.
It's freedom of speech, not freedom from consequences. - pintomp3, on 02/26/2009, -0/+7Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from criticism.
- TrevorBelmont, on 02/26/2009, -0/+7The watermelon joke has long been part of a culture of ethnic mockery. Not cool for elected officials, in my opinion.
- egocogito, on 02/26/2009, -2/+9You are an idiot. Just because someone has the right to spew racism does not oblige myself or anyone else to support what they are saying.
- mister23, on 02/26/2009, -0/+7but aren't racial stereotypes racist by definition?
- inactive, on 02/26/2009, -2/+9"He said he was unaware of the racial stereotype that black people like watermelons"
LOL. THAT'S WHAT YOU CAME UP WITH?
Tell me, mayor, then just what the ***** did the picture mean?
Christ, how do tards like this get elected? - blakbot, on 02/26/2009, -7/+13Ig-nent MoFo......when does the stupidity end? these fools continue to insist on dragging 20th century bigotry and racism into the 21st century. Let it go. Now.
- inactive, on 02/26/2009, -19/+25When it's private it comes with context. Context of an inside joke, or of a joke you know isn't true. Bury me, but it makes sense. If he would have wanted it to be public, he would have made it public. How many potentially incriminating emails have you sent, assuming they'd be kept private?
Lastly, I'll endlessly defend this demonstration of free speech for that aspect alone. - bowens44, on 02/26/2009, -2/+8another con jumps in to defend racism , big surprise...........
I hate to break it to you bubba but free speech doesn't mean speech without cost. If you say something stupid be prepared to pay the price......
Thank the gods that America has made you and those like you completely irrelevant.. - gimpbully, on 02/26/2009, -0/+6he is free to be hateful, but he is also free to have his ass handed to him in an election. People being outraged at abuses of free speech is perfectly legit, especially when coming from the mouth of citizens outraged at their elected officials.
- trammell, on 02/26/2009, -0/+6This is a great idea! I would love to see the White House lawn turned into a sustainable garden — one that can be used to feed the First Family and their visitors.
- inactive, on 02/26/2009, -0/+6This is total BS! you know those watermelons would never grow that big by easter, especially in DC.
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