California councilman's emails had racist, assassination jokes

[babylonsister]

Obama assassination, killing of Latinos in latest batch of Atwater councilman's e-mailed 'jokes'
By JONAH OWEN LAMB
[e-mail]


ATWATER -- Violent and racist e-mail jokes alluding to the assassination of President Barack Obama, the killing of Latinos and violence against black people were forwarded by Atwater City Councilman Gary Frago during the last six months, according to more than 200 new e-mails obtained by the Sun-Star from the city of Atwater.

The councilman, who forwarded the newly obtained e-mails to city staff and a county supervisor, among others, has been under public pressure to resign since it was learned in July that he had sent other racist e-mails in late 2008 and early 2009.

One of the most troubling of the new Frago e-mails, forwarded in January, joked that Nokia had designed a new cell phone for "nervous white people" who want to make calls in a series of cities known for their large black populations, such as Oakland and New Orleans. The phone was a gun.

Merced County Supervisor Mike Nelson and Atwater's Assistant City Manager Stan Feathers both received this e-mail. Neither recalled the e-mail, they said.

Another e-mail forwarded by Frago on Dec. 9, 2008, was in the form of a fictitious letter sent by Sen. John McCain to John Hinckley Jr., a man obsessed with actress Jodie Foster, who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981. The letter said that Hinckley would be released soon and he should know that Obama was sleeping with Foster now.

Atwater City Manager Greg Wellman was the e-mail's only recipient. He said he doesn't recall receiving the e-mail.

A third e-mail joked about killing illegal immigrants and Obama delegates. The joke is about a man applying for a position with a police department. As a test, the chief tells the applicant: "Take this gun with 13 bullets and go out and shoot six illegal immigrants, six Obama delegates and a rabbit." The man asks: "why the rabbit?"

"Fantastic attitude," says the chief. "When can you start?"

In all, the newspaper obtained more than 200 e-mails sent or forwarded by Frago from October 2008 to July this year. The city had at first refused to release the e-mails to the newspaper. It relented after lawyers from McClatchy, the Sun-Star's parent company, sent Atwater a letter asking the city to change its mind.

more...

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/167/story/998044.html

[YOY]

1. With comedy like that, who needs tragedy?

n/t

[valerief]

3. Well said.

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. omg

[tanyev]

4. Let me guess. All those local officials with the bad memories are Republicans.

Is it some sort of contagious disease they pick up at the conventions? Ironic that they are so opposed to health reform when it certainly sounds like they need some serious mental health care.

[JBoy]

5. Only a sick fuck would find those "jokes" funny enough to forward.

[BlooInBloo]

6. I assume every non-white person in the public eye has....

It's only "news" because we like to pretend that it's rare.

[redqueen]

8. True. (nt)

[Lilyeye]

7. Is this racist repuke e-mail #5421512645912151210?

[BlooInBloo]

9. Heh indeedy.

[MrScorpio]

10. This story is repeated by a different politician every other month

You can set your watch by it