Some people in power still have not learned the new millennial mantra that ESPN’s Herman Edwards has been preaching ad nauseam for the past few years regarding questionable social media posts:
“Do not press send,” he says repeatedly. And this is especially true if you don’t know what the consequences will be.
The news is filled with many influential individuals who’ve lost their jobs after imprudently posting or resending highly questionable and racist material, and it’s surprising that it continues to happen — especially to a high-ranking police officer.
However, the former assistant police chief in Estherwood, Louisiana, clearly believes that there is nothing wrong with posting things like this to his Facebook page, according to the Sacramento Bee:
Cops: “You shouldn’t fear us if you haven’t done anything wrong.”
Also cops: pic.twitter.com/3Ie84hhEcg
— Black Aziz Ansari 👏 (@Freeyourmindkid) August 1, 2017
Usually, some hollow apology is offered after the fallout commences, but Wayne Welsh doubled-down on his offensive post and refused to show contrition:
“Its [sic] not against the. Law if you share stuff on. Facebook. Its [sic]. Social media. Internet.” Many of the chief’s Facebook friends also defended him.
Welsh also accused people of using the “race card” and that the “Facebook police” were mad at him.
Once the blow-back became too intense and bled into the news, Welsh came back with an empty “apology”:
“Well, I posted something on Facebook that made a lot of people mad,” he wrote. “Well, I’m sorry for what happen [sic]. Ya [sic] have a blessed day.”
Afterward, Welsh either quit his job, or was forced to resign under the threat of termination. Police Chief Ernet Villejoin announced that Welsh would be stepping down:
Villejoin says he was forced to speak publicly as to ensure those statements don’t reflect on the Estherwood police.
“I got him out yesterday. I suspended him and I was going to take the phone away and he was not allowed to get on Facebook in the unit,” said Villejoin.
“I know Wayne didn’t do this on purpose. He didn’t do this to offend anybody. I apologize to anybody that it offended, believe me,” said Villejoin.
