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Thursday, July 30, 2009 | 6:49am
Boston Cop Faces Termination After Calling Skip Gates ‘A Jungle Monkey’
Mayor: “”He’s gone, g-o-n-e. I don’t care, it’s like cancer, you don’t keep those cancers around.”
Just when it seemed the overly publicized Henry Louis Gates Jr. incident was simmering we have this clown Glen Beck calling the President a racist and now an actual racist calling Gates a “Jungle Monkey?”
As a New Yorker local black folks have always told me Boston is a “racist” city. While I honestly feel much of the tension between the two cities stems from the Yankees/ Red Sox rivalry, I’ve never subscribed to such theory. However, Boston Police Officer, Justin Barrett added credence to the myth recently when fired off a racially charged e-mail about Professor Gates to colleagues at the National Guard recently.
The Boston Globe broke the story that Justin Barrett, a two year veteran on the force, was stripped of his gun and badge and faces a termination hearing in the next week after according to their source Barrett referred to the scholar as a “jungle monkey” in his email written out of frustration with the backlash from President Obama‘s criticism of the department.
“Yesterday afternoon, Commissioner (Edward) Davis was made aware that Officer Barrett was the author of correspondence which included racially charged language,” police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll told the Globe. “At that time, Commissioner Davis immediately stripped Officer Barrett of his gun and badge, and at this time we will be moving forward with the hearing process.”
Further sealing Barrett’s fate Boston’s very white mayor, Thomas M. Menino, said though he hadn’t seen the e-mail, the officer he might as well be “gone, g-o-n-e. I don’t care, it’s like cancer, you don’t keep those cancers around.”
I’m not surprised. Honestly, what surprises me the most is that someone actually snitched on Barrett. Police Officers tend to bond together even in the face of disagreement. I wouldn’t be shocked if the whistle blower had an ax to grind. None the less he was wrong. I’m sure comments like these will only be heightened after news of this disciplinary action, as if Gates had something to do with it. The difference is, Barrett was a public servant and while your First Amendment might guarantee you freedom of speech, your career suggests you use discretion.
FILED IN Editorials, News
Racism from individuals is, of course, wrong. However, racist institutions demoralize communities and cripple them, leaving them unable to deal honestly with injustice, thus perpetuating frustration in people who have had to deal with this stuff for generations. Consequently, yet another generation is caught up in the trap. We see some of the consequences accross the board: Blacks/Latinos always at the bottom of the totem pole. This has been a problem in the USA since before there was a USA… Whereas in NYC, we have neighborhoods like Bensonhurst, it seems as though this type of vile, racist enclave is reproduced over and over throughout the city of Boston. It’s all other there, in the fabric of their institutions. I’ve been to Boston twice and refuse to go back. When I was there, It was as though I could taste the nastyness of the place when I opened my mouth. I have travelled all over this country and never felt that anywhere else.
I came back from Boston a few weeks ago. Maybe I didn’t spend enough time or just was isolated to the waterfront but I didn’t get that sense. I’m not sure why that is. Great comment Emerson.
I live in Boston and there are certain “legacy” areas that are very racist but on the whole it’s ok. The diversity of college (students) forces an integrated environment in most public hangout areas but in the neighborhoods, that’s another story. My personal opinion is that Boston is no more racist then anywhere else but Boston has a history of racism and that rep doesn’t go away with stuff like this.
just another sign that the end is near!
http://www.hiphopheroin.com
Had we, as a society, a bit thicker skins, we would broadcast these lunacies far and wide, with an appropriate apology to the more sensitive among us, demonstrate a little Common Sense for our fellow man, and let the fringe element drown in the laughter and public ridicule generated by their own thinking or lack thereof. Along with the right to free speech comes the right to make a public fool of oneself; and like the naked, fools have little or no influence on society. We should “Never Underestimate the Power of Laughter.”