Atwater, CA Councilman goes on racist anti-Obama tangent

[RandySF]

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/167/story/955392.html

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article uses language that is offensive but necessary to show a pattern of conduct by an Atwater city councilman.

ATWATER -- In the past several months Atwater City Councilman Gary Frago has sent at least a half-dozen e-mails to city staff and other prominent community members containing racist jokes aimed at President Barack Obama, his wife and black people in general.
In all, the Sun-Star obtained seven e-mails that Frago sent from October 2008 to February 2009 from an anonymous source.

Some compared Obama to O.J. Simpson while others suggested that "nigger rigs" should now be called "presidential solutions."

Perhaps the most overboard e-mail was sent on Jan. 15. It read: "Breaking News Playboy just offered Sarah Palin $1 million to pose nude in the January issue. Michelle Obama got the same offer from National Geographic."

Frago admitted sending the e-mails, but showed no regret. "If they're from me, then I sent them," he said. "I have no disrespect for the president or anybody, they weren't meant in any bad way or harm."

[Mrs. Overall]

1. Absolutely shocking.

And this man is still has a job?

[tblue37]

2. What's really sad is that he STILL doesn't understand why what he did is

wrong:

"I don't see where there's a story, I'm not the only one that does it," Fargo said in his defense, after the Merced Sun Star published the offensive emails. "I didn't originate them, they came to me and I just passed them on."

[Mrs. Overall]

4. Talk about passing the buck.

Perhaps when this gets national attention (as it seems to be getting) he will be out.

[clixtox]

3. The councilman is decidedly insensitive and the timing of these revelations...

is interesting. A few days ago the same reporter wrote a story about this councilman, Gary Frago, excoriating CAL FIRE, a contractor that has taken over the operations of the local fire department.

Frago has a background as a firefighter so I imagine some of the recipients of these tasteless "jokes" might have been angry enough to embarrass their former colleague.

This contract with the State of California was implemented about 9 months ago.

Frago was outvoted in August when the decision was made by the Atwater City Council in a 3 to 2 vote. In November a new councilman was elected, the son of the other councilman who was also the other vote in August against transferring Atwater's emergency services responsibilities to the state. Frago was re-elected in November to a second term.

Small town politics and small minds makes for interesting news occasionally.

[RandySF]

5. No matter how small-time

We need to keep shining the light on these people.

[deek]

6. Check out the comments section

Amazing. People are rationalizing this type of behavior.

There is another section on the newspaper website under "Blogs" called "Sunspot".

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/forums/?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3a5bd5e150-292e-4c98-9f38-d1d86dde8afbForum%3afb94b623-eb46-4fe3-aac5-8b311b786c80Discussion%3a4715037a-f38e-4b4f-b2c7-3e9e651b3174

It's like we've never progressed as human beings.

:scared: