Racist Officer upset at being called Racist

[Crossroads Inc.]

I another long list of Racist being called out for their behavior...

WOLFEBORO, N.H. (AP) — A police commissioner in a predominantly white New Hampshire town says he won't apologize for calling President Barack Obama the N-word, and he sat with his arms crossed while angry residents at a meeting called for his resignation on Thursday.

Wolfeboro Police Commissioner Robert Copeland, who's 82 and white, has acknowledged in an email to his fellow police commissioners he used the racial slur in describing Obama.

Town resident Jane O'Toole, who moved to Wolfeboro four months ago, said she overheard Copeland say the slur at a restaurant in March and wrote to the town manager about it. Copeland, in an email to her, acknowledged using the slur in referring to the president and said he will not apologize.

"I believe I did use the 'N' word in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse," Copeland said in the email to his fellow police commissioners, part of which he forwarded to O'Toole. "For this, I do not apologize — he meets and exceeds my criteria for such."

Copeland, who has declined to be interviewed, is one of three members of the police commission, which hires, fires and disciplines officers and sets their salaries. He ran unopposed for re-election and secured another three-year term on March 11.

About 20 black people live in Wolfeboro, a town of 6,300 residents in the scenic Lakes Region, in the central part of New Hampshire, a state that's 94 percent white and 1 percent black. None of the town police department's 12 full-time officers is black or a member of another minority.

Carroll County Deputy Sheriff Paul Bois, who's black, is one of two officers the town employs part time during the summer to deal with tourists. When asked to comment outside the meeting, he said, "I'd love to, but I can't."

Town Manager David Owen said Thursday that while he finds Copeland's comment "reprehensible," he and the board of selectmen have no authority to remove an elected official. He said he expected a large number of residents would call for Copeland's resignation at the police commission meeting, and they did.

More than 100 people packed into the meeting room at the Wolfeboro Public Library, where librarian Joyce Davis said she can't remember an issue in 40 years that has sparked so much emotion and outcry. Many of the people wore on their shirts handmade stickers saying, "Resign," directed at Copeland.

"Comments like these, especially coming from a public official, are not only inexcusable but also terribly, unfortunately, reflects poorly on our town," said O'Toole, who was met with resounding applause.

Commissioner Ron Goodgame, in response to a challenge from O'Toole about whether he and Commission Chairman Joseph Balboni Jr. endorse Copeland's comments, said, "It's neither my view or Commissioner Balboni's view that the remarks are condoned."


Town resident Jane O'Toole who says she heard a police commissioner in her town, Robert Copeland, ca …

Balboni told the Concord Monitor he didn't plan to ask Copeland to resign. He said after the meeting the three commissioners would meet privately soon to "solve the matter" before making an announcement.

Nearly two dozen speakers at Thursday's meeting called on Copeland to quit, and two spoke in his defense. Resident Frank Bader mocked those who took offense at Copeland's comments in a state that prizes freedom.

"All this man did was express his displeasure with the man who's in office," Bader said.

After Balboni closed the meeting's public comment session, many people in the audience descended on Copeland, who remained seated at the commissioners' table and staunchly refused to engage them.

"I want to think about what's going on and decide," he said.

[Raw Shark]

Carroll County Deputy Sheriff Paul Bois, who's black, is one of two officers the town employs part time during the summer to deal with tourists. When asked to comment outside the meeting, he said, "I'd love to, but I can't."

I'd like to go on the record here that this is officially the first time I have ever wanted to high-five a cop.

[Scrib]

The worse thing that can be associated with Chris Rock is this black person/n-word divide.

[Raw Shark]

On the other hand, the best thing that can be associated with Chris Rock is, "If you don't like fried chicken, there is something wrong with you."

[Purple]

The worse thing that can be associated with Chris Rock is this black person/n-word divide.

Could you explain this a bit for those of us not familiar with american culture?

[Mr. Coffee]

Here ya go.

[Purple]

So basically it has, or at least is striving to mutate from a generic slur against all black people into a generic slur against a subset of black people that are considered inferior to the others? Or roughly the black equivalent of the term "white trash"? Is that it?

[Broomstick]

"White trash" doesn't have the legacy of slavery, brutality, and treating human beings like cattle, but as far as labeling people who seemed hell-bent on adhering to the absolute worst sorts of stereotypes, yes, there is some equivalence between the two terms.

[Mr. Coffee]

So basically it has, or at least is striving to mutate from a generic slur against all black people into a generic slur against a subset of black people that are considered inferior to the others? Or roughly the black equivalent of the term "white trash"? Is that it?

Pretty much, but with all the baggage associated that Broomy mentioned.

[Scrib]

So basically it has, or at least is striving to mutate from a generic slur against all black people into a generic slur against a subset of black people that are considered inferior to the others? Or roughly the black equivalent of the term "white trash"? Is that it?

"Striving to mutate' implies some sort of movement or conscious choice to move things forward towards a particular end.

As far as I can tell no one in the mainstream is even entertaining that shit. It probably doesn't help when racists think that the best example of this particularly horrible black person is the President of the United States but hey, any excuse to use the term.

[Purple]

"Striving to mutate' implies some sort of movement or conscious choice to move things forward towards a particular end.

I meant striving more not nesecerily in the form of a conscious movement as much as a detectable social trend.

As far as I can tell no one in the mainstream is even entertaining that shit. It probably doesn't help when racists think that the best example of this particularly horrible black person is the President of the United States but hey, any excuse to use the term.

Well to be fair, the most powerful man on the planet is likely to have quite a few people who hate him.

[Scrib]

"Striving to mutate' implies some sort of movement or conscious choice to move things forward towards a particular end.

I meant striving more not nesecerily in the form of a conscious movement as much as a detectable social trend.

Detectable social trend in some places? Maybe. Detectable social trend in any "mainstream" outlet? Nope.

As far as I can tell no one in the mainstream is even entertaining that shit. It probably doesn't help when racists think that the best example of this particularly horrible black person is the President of the United States but hey, any excuse to use the term.

Well to be fair, the most powerful man on the planet is likely to have quite a few people who hate him.

There's hating Obama and there's using a derogatory term stuffed with baggage to describe him. Even people who feel that the word can be repurposed to mean people who match a certain stereotype have to walk away from those who would use it to mean an incredibly successful man like Obama. You can hate him, you can feel that he's hurting the country, but if you want to redefine the word then Obama doesn't fit,especially when you try to imagine other presidents getting the same treatment for similar actions.

The only way you can mean him is if you mean uppity negroes in general or you simply want to use a term that you feel is degrading to a black person.. Which is makes it quite clear that the term is not at all divorced from its past.

[Channel72]

I don't get the sense that this Chris Rock routine has in any way really affected the impact of the N-word among the general public. Most white racists don't really distinguish between "educated, successful black people" and "poor black people on welfare who commit crimes". Or if they do, they'd probably argue that black people are inferior by nature, and thus more likely to fall into the second category by their very nature.

Of course, most people who have these sort of views are poor white people on welfare... so, whatever.

[Mr. Coffee]

I don't get the sense that this Chris Rock routine has in any way really affected the impact of the N-word among the general public. Most white racists don't really distinguish between "educated, successful black people" and "poor black people on welfare who commit crimes". Or if they do, they'd probably argue that black people are inferior by nature, and thus more likely to fall into the second category by their very nature.

So what you're saying is that a COMEDIAN failed to bring about large-scale social change through a single stand-up gig? Wow, with insight like that a Nobel Prize is in your future. Provided they make a Nobel Prize in stating the fucking obvious, of course.

[Channel72]

What the fuck are you talking about? I didn't say I blame Chris Rock for anything - I said the idea that there's some sort of "social movement" (perhaps inspired in some way by Chris Rock) to associate the N-word only with poor black people (and not successful black people) is not really true. Are you even paying attention to this thread?

[Gandalf]

For reference, he retired that joke because of the way some people received it.

This controversial routine on HBO's "Bring The Pain," made Rock a star back in 1996: "There's, like, a civil war going on with black people, and there's two sides. There's black people, and there's n------. And n------ have to go."

Why does he think it got so much attention?

"I think a lot of people were thinking in those terms and hadn't been able to say it. By the way, I've never done that joke again, ever, and I probably never will," says Rock. "'Cause some people that were racist thought they had license to say n-----. So, I'm done with that routine."

[Channel72]

Wow... that was from way back in 1996? Man I feel old.

[Enigma]

Aaaaaand he resigned.

WOLFEBORO, N.H. (AP) — A town police commissioner has resigned after he admitted using a racial slur to describe President Barack Obama, an official said Monday.

Robert Copeland, 82, resigned Sunday night from the post to which he was re-elected in March, Board of Selectmen Chair Linda Murray said, putting to rest a controversy that drew national attention and sparked impassioned debate in this resort town of 6,300 on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee.

"The town is pleased," Murray said Monday. "This gives us the opportunity to move on. We are a very accepting community that really takes care of each other."

Copeland has not returned several calls seeking comment.

At a meeting last week, Copeland defiantly sat with his arms folded as more than 100 residents pushed for his ouster and tore into his comments, saying he didn't speak the town or its people.

Copeland admitted using the slur, preceded by an obscenity, while he was at a restaurant in March. A resident, Jane O'Toole, overheard him and complained to town officials when she learned that Copeland was a police commissioner.

"I believe I did use the 'N' word in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse," Copeland wrote in the April email sent to the two other commissioners and forwarded to O'Toole. "For this, I do not apologize — he meets and exceeds my criteria for such."

That defiance did not sit well with many in the town.

"I thought it was disgusting, and the way he justified it, it was even more disgusting," said Ernie Bauer, a 64-year-old carpenter. "It was disgusting 50 years ago."

A handful of people at the meeting spoke on behalf of Copeland, saying he had a right to free speech. But the louder message came from those who wanted him out.

O'Toole said Monday that she was pleased he stepped down.

"I feel it was the right thing for him to do to stop this incredible train that had been blowing through our town," she said. "I'm thrilled. The people of Wolfeboro have stood up and said that this is not acceptable."

Mitt Romney, the former GOP presidential nominee and a former Massachusetts governor, owns a home in Wolfeboro and had called for Copeland's resignation, saying "the vile epithet used and confirmed by the commissioner has no place in our community."

About 20 black people live year-round in Wolfeboro, in the scenic Lakes Region of New Hampshire, a state that's 94 percent white and 1 percent black. None of the town police department's 12 full-time officers is black or a member of another minority.

Police Chief Stuart Chase said Copeland's slur was "not indicative of the posture of this department. We treat everyone with dignity and respect."

Town officials also said they were appalled by Copeland's comments but said they were powerless to remove an elected official.

Jamie Murray said she wasn't surprised to hear racist comments since her biracial son has also faced taunts.

"It also gave me an understanding as to why the children think it's OK," she said Monday. "When you're held in office, and you decide to become an elected official, you represent something higher than your own standards and your own things, and you need to stand up for the community in which you serve."

[Borgholio]

Well to be fair, the most powerful man on the planet is likely to have quite a few people who hate him.

True, but I don't think any US President has had to deal with anything quite like *this* before:

[Purple]

To be fair, the tern Re-Nig is hilarious.

[Rogue 9]

To be fair, the tern Re-Nig is hilarious.

No, it really, really isn't.

Edit: Incidentally, the title is inaccurate; the man was an elected commissioner, not a police officer.

[Broomstick]

To be fair, the tern Re-Nig is hilarious.

No, it's not. At least not to an American outside blatant white supremacists, the KKK, and goddamned Nazis. Sure, if you're outside the US maybe it's funny but there's been too much blood spilled here to get a chuckle out decent people.

[Purple]

To be fair, the tern Re-Nig is hilarious.

No, it's not. At least not to an American outside blatant white supremacists, the KKK, and goddamned Nazis. Sure, if you're outside the US maybe it's funny but there's been too much blood spilled here to get a chuckle out decent people.

I guess it's a cultural thing. Where I am from there really was no huge civil war over who gets to enslave black people. So all I see a bumper sticker with a message that's so stupid that it's funny. Sort of like those original movies on the SF channel. Megapiranha and the lot. But I can understand how you would see it differently due to the a fore mentioned cultural thing.