Ohio Mayor Refers To African-American Fire Chief As “King Kong”

[CatWoman]

what the hell is up with Ohio???

From a Toledo Blade editorial:

"Some things you just don’t say. And anyone who has been around as long as Mayor Carty Finkbeiner ought to know better than to call an African-American “King Kong.” It’s hard to believe, but that’s how the mayor referred to Toledo Fire Chief Michael Bell at a staff meeting last week.

Not surprisingly, Mayor Finkbeiner denies that he intended to offend anyone, and on that point, he’s probably sincere. Who among us hasn’t spoken before thinking and instantly wished we could have the comment back?

But the mayor has been a public servant for decades, including two previous terms as mayor, and he has enjoyed substantial support in the black community along the way.

How could he not know how deeply insulting it always is to blacks to hear themselves referred to, even via a fictional character, as an ape? The mayor’s office says the reference was to the fire chief’s physical strength. So why not a less troublesome comparison, to say, Samson, or Hercules? Or better yet, just talk about the chief’s strength in the abstract. No need to give it a name.

Why the mayor would use such a reference to compliment Chief Bell is incomprehensible. Even as a bad joke, it doesn’t work."


http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060531/OPINION02/60531030