If you're relatively small hometown makes it into the news, you can be pretty confident it's not going to be anything good. Loyal to that formula, the high-income and relatively insular city of Los Alamitos has gotten its first taste of political scandal since I can remember. Mayor Dean Grose (he's the one in the center of that photo) sent a poorly photoshopped, poorly timed depiction of a watermelon patch in front of the white house with a caption he apparently thought was so funny it was worth repeating (I don't). Now he's resigning from his post. I'm sure you heard about it, if you have you might want to check out this amazing flickr photograph of the soon to be ex-mayor dressed as what looks to be a pimp during a Rotary Club fundraiser. If you haven't, check out what the Press-Telegramhas to say about it by reading on:
Mayor Dean Grose says he will resign after being criticized for sharing an e-mail picture depicting the White House lawn planted with watermelons under the title "No Easter egg hunt this year."Los Alamitos Mayor Dean Grose issued a statement Thursday saying he is sorry and will step down as mayor at the City Council meeting on March 2.
Grose came under fire for sending the picture to what he called "a small group of friends." One of the recipients, a local businesswoman and city volunteer, publicly scolded the mayor for his actions.
Grose says he accepts that the e-mail was in poor taste and has affected his ability to lead the city.
He found a smashed watermelon at his office's doorstep Thursday morning, a day after widespread published reports about his e-mailing a depiction of the White House with watermelons superimposed in the garden area.
Grose called police around 8:20 a.m. to Event Medical Services Inc. at 10765 Noel St. where officers saw "what appeared to be a watermelon" that had evidently been thrown at the area outside the door, said Los Alamitos police Capt. Bruce McAlpine.
So that's that. Word has it from the amazing, slick and informative Let's Fix Los Al that this "resignation" is only a gesture, that he'll still hold the same power and influence as before, and that Al Sharpton might be attending Monday's city council meeting. Actually, I'm not sure if Los Al as seen anything like this. Ever. Stay tuned.
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Watermelon patch at the white house?
It's funny....racist sure... but still funny.
Get past the political correctness crap all you Stalinists.
I forwarded it myself to several of my friends.
So what?
Dear Tony,
First off, how is it funny? And what environment did you grow up in that you don't see it as wrong? I am sure you are one of those that are indignant when you feel wronged but have no empathy for others.
Until you can see what others see and empathize, you will be stuck in the chain of evolution between gill flapping on a dry sandy beach and knuckle dragging.
And get out your dictionary, Stalinism is a dictator based oppressive system where opponents are purged through imprisonment or death, in this country the ex-Mayor just goes to another seat on the half circle although minus any stature he had beforehand.
Ophelia
Ophelia
Well Ophelia, it sounds like you are actually disappointed that the Mayor isn't going through imprison or death. I suspect if you had your way, the mayor should not only be fired, but perhaps should lose... what? A finger, and eye, or what?
Racism, by itself, is not as evil as you think. Thoughts are not the danger...actions are. Everybody has these prejudices. Blacks do, Latinos do, Whites do, Asians do. You do.
I empathize.... but also those who are too offended by satire, ya, even RACIST satire, are the oppressors. Those who are too offended are weak...the ability to laugh together with others and at ourselves relieves the pressure. Those who are too offended do the damage.
Hey.. when Angela Davis wanted to spout her racist speech at the University of California... I supported her opportunity. IUt was racist and offended... but I actively supported her right to do so. Would YOU support a KKK guy to spout his crap? NO.
Would I? Absolutely. Just like I supported Angela Davis.
Don't be afraid of the words...that't what this country is
about. WORDS, THOUGHTS, FREEDOM.
Actions, deeds, are something elese.
Go read the Constitution and get back to me.
It just occurred to me why YOUR email was so offensive.
Gill flapping? Knuckle dragging? Say, isn't that the exact sort of dehumanizing accusations that the Nazi's made against the mentally ill people in their country in the '30's and '40's?
That is EXACTLY the dehumanizing venom that is the MOST racist of all. You shoudl be ashamed.
When should I report to YOUR gas chambers?
Dear Tony,
I enjoy a good laugh, what I don't enjoy is laughing at someone's color, ethnicity, handicap, and so on. Am I ashamed at saying that people who laugh at racist jokes caught somewhere between the beach and the knuckle height? Nope.
I've sat through my share of "Chink" jokes. Did I laugh with them? No. Why would I? Why would I laugh at a joke that is based on a stereotype? Laughing would only embolden the joke-teller to keep repeating it.
I have no problem with the KKK speaking out on the City Hall steps, that's their right to free speech. But an elected official sending out an image of watermelons on the White House lawn is something else. Yes, he has the right to do that, but he was elected to represent a city. Does that represent Los Alamitos? Regardless that it was his personal email, it is representative of him. Last year we had a judge recused from a pornography case because he had images in bad taste on his personal server, if you are a public official there is a minimum of decorum you need to uphold.
You political correctness people spin things so out of whack. Why don't you be honest? Did you intentionally make that up about the judge...or you just didn't know the facts? I do.
That judge.. was BARRED...from a CHILD pornography case, not because he had "images in bad taste on his personal server.."
He actually had images of CHILDREN in sexual situations on BOTH his personal AND WORK computer. He was a PEDOFILE and commmitted FELONY CRIMES by having child pornography on HIS computers. Not exactly how YOU characterized the situation, is it?
Your mistake was SITTING through your share of "Chink" jokes. Don't like em, fine...why did you sit there? Why not get up and tell the teller you are offended and leave?
You SAT there? And put up with it? You FACILITATED that behavior by TOLERATING it personally.
Would you laugh if a person of Chinese extraction told a joke on himself? Is THAT okay? Is it okay to reflect on the cultural....what... shortcomings....stereotypes...whatever... if one of your own tells the joke? How is that any more okay?
I ask only because several well known latino and black comedians excoriate aspects of their own cultures publicly. Everybody laughs. But... in your world....if a white, asian, latino laughs at a black joke told by a black comedian....are they racist for laughing too? Are whites and blacks who laugh at a latino joke about his cutlure racist? How far will this go?
I take it from your statements, if the KKK wanted to speak out on the City Hall Steps, and needed a City Permit to do so....which is often the case in the real world.... you would have no problem with that. Would you SUPPORT the issuance of that permit or oppose it? That is the question. Not would you have a "problem" with it. Would you SUPPORT their right to do so?
I think not.
June 2008: The case heard by Judge Kozinski, the trial of a producer of so-called scat porn, Ira Isaacs was suspended because of the disclosure of images in bad taste (not illegal) on his private server.
That was the case I was talking about.
If you need a permit to speak on the steps of City Hall, then you need a permit regardless of what group you are.For instance I drive a car with because I have a license to do so, regardless of my race, age, and political leanings; it's the law.
Ya...having a license to drive is the law.
Check it out..DRIVING IS A PRIVILEGE AND IS NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE.
Freedom of Speech is... well for now.
You neglected to respond to my ACCUSATION that you failed as a person, but sitting through the "chink jokes" and not getting up and leaving. Why? Didn't want to offend a friend, or friend of a friend?
I somebody tells a joke I personally find offensive... okay, hasn't happened yet because I have tremendous respect for our First Amendment.... I would personally get up and leave.
You did not. You forfeit your self righteousness thereby.
G'Niight.