OC GOP Mayor Caught Sending Racist Email about Obama
Despite its reputation for liberal politics and embracing diversity, California is also home to bastions of ignorance and racism. Not coincidentally, these so-called “red counties” are invariably dominated by the Republican Party.
For example, during the election last year, Diane Fedele, the president of Chaffey Community Republican Women Federated in inland Riverside County, sent an email blast that contained a graphic showing “Obama Bucks,” which depicted Barack Obama’s face on a food stamps certificate, along with a bucket of fried chicken, ribs, Kool-Aid and a slice of watermelon.
Now Dean Grose, the Republican mayor of Los Alamitos in Orange County is under fire for sending an email that shows the White House lawn planted with watermelons, with the headline, “No Easter egg hunt this year”:
Local businesswoman and city volunteer Keyanus Price, who is black, said Tuesday that she received the e-mail from Mayor Dean Grose’s personal account Sunday and wants a public apology.
“I have had plenty of my share of chicken and watermelon and all those kinds of jokes,” Price said. “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.”
…Grose confirmed to the Associated Press 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 said. “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 voice-mail 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.
Both Mayor Grose and Diane Fedele claimed ignorance about food-related African-American stereotyping. While it’s true that there are very few black residents in either Riverside County (which is 6.24 percent African American) or Orange County (where less than 2 percent of residents are blacks), this prompts the question: If they weren’t amused by the racial stereotyping, what was it about these graphics that compelled them to send them to their friends and co-workers.
