Teh One Who Knocks
07-20-2015, 11:46 AM
By Kathryn Schroeder - Opposing Views
http://i.imgur.com/G70mb5d.jpg
Mayor Patrick Rushing of Airway Heights, Washington, has been asked to resign by city council for allegedly making racists comments about President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on Facebook.
The Facebook post that landed Rushing in hot water with the city council reads: “Gorilla face Michelle, can't disagree with that. The woman is not attractive except to monkey man Barack. Check out them ears. LOL."
While the city council has asked Rushing to resign, he has refused to step down, reports KXLY.
According to Airway Heights Police Chief and acting City Manager Lee Bennett, the council has three options given the situation.
“The first would be to do nothing, which is unacceptable,” Bennett said.
The second option is to ask him to resign, which they already have and Rushing has refused their request.
The third option is to write a resolution “denouncing what was said, saying that Airway Heights city council does not subscribe to this type of behavior, has more ethics and morals than that, and then to impose sanctions,” Bennett said.
Rushing says he is not a racist.
“I made a mistake. I owned up to my mistake,” Rushing told the Spokesman-Review. “If I do resign that’s admitting I’m a racist and I’m not.
“My entire life, race has never been an issue."
Bennett said Rushing claims the comments were merely “banter between him and some friends.”
Inlander uncovered previous posts made by Rushing on Facebook that are questionable as to whether they are racist, or merely “unbecoming of the Mayor’s Office.”
http://i.imgur.com/ZzrDQab.png
“When a figurehead makes comments such as these that sets us back and it's hard to come back from,” Bennett said.
The Airway Heights city attorney is currently in the process of drafting the resolution Bennett referred to that will include sanctions on Rushing— that of which are unknown.
http://i.imgur.com/G70mb5d.jpg
Mayor Patrick Rushing of Airway Heights, Washington, has been asked to resign by city council for allegedly making racists comments about President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on Facebook.
The Facebook post that landed Rushing in hot water with the city council reads: “Gorilla face Michelle, can't disagree with that. The woman is not attractive except to monkey man Barack. Check out them ears. LOL."
While the city council has asked Rushing to resign, he has refused to step down, reports KXLY.
According to Airway Heights Police Chief and acting City Manager Lee Bennett, the council has three options given the situation.
“The first would be to do nothing, which is unacceptable,” Bennett said.
The second option is to ask him to resign, which they already have and Rushing has refused their request.
The third option is to write a resolution “denouncing what was said, saying that Airway Heights city council does not subscribe to this type of behavior, has more ethics and morals than that, and then to impose sanctions,” Bennett said.
Rushing says he is not a racist.
“I made a mistake. I owned up to my mistake,” Rushing told the Spokesman-Review. “If I do resign that’s admitting I’m a racist and I’m not.
“My entire life, race has never been an issue."
Bennett said Rushing claims the comments were merely “banter between him and some friends.”
Inlander uncovered previous posts made by Rushing on Facebook that are questionable as to whether they are racist, or merely “unbecoming of the Mayor’s Office.”
http://i.imgur.com/ZzrDQab.png
“When a figurehead makes comments such as these that sets us back and it's hard to come back from,” Bennett said.
The Airway Heights city attorney is currently in the process of drafting the resolution Bennett referred to that will include sanctions on Rushing— that of which are unknown.