Tennessee “EX” ecutive, Walt Baker, who compared Michelle Obama to a chimpanzee in a “personal” e-mail has received his just desserts; he’s been fired from his post as CEO of the Hospitality Association.
Before the boom was lowered, Baker made a feeble attempt at an explanation and an even weaker attempt at an apology, which didn’t include one to the first lady. His statement read: “It was done in the spirit of having some fun with some close friends. I apologize to anyone who is offended by this action and the people of Tennessee, and to anybody that has either seen or been affected by this e-mail,” he added.
“The attitudes expressed in the e-mail are both appalling and unacceptable,” the head of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau (NCVB) told the Tennesseean, and the mayor called the message “extremely offensive.”
The e-mail, which invoked Tarzan’s sidekick Cheeta, initially cost Baker’s marketing firm a lucrative deal with the NCVB; now it’s his job.
Can’t people take a joke anymore? No, Mr. Baker.
The idea of a post racial america has been quite the seesaw of late. For every racist jab thrown, there seems to be a counter punch such as, in this situation, someone within the jokester’s circle of “close friends” choosing to rat him out and not tolerate behavior of this type. Hope amid hopelessness seems an accurate assessment. –gerald radford
