Texas Cops Send Racist E-Mails about Obama

[Blue_Roses]

How can a cop still be a "good" cop if he is a racist:shrug: Good grief...we still have so far to go:cry:


__________________________________________________


Grand Prairie Cops Accused of Sending Racist E-Mails


By Kristi Nelson
NBCDFW.com
updated 3 minutes ago


Grand Prairie police are investigating allegations that some officers used city equipment to send offensive e-mails about President Barack Obama.

A local civil rights group said the e-mails, which allegedly were exchanged among officers in the traffic division, are offensive and racist. The Grand Prairie NAACP said the e-mails contained racial slurs.

"It's the 'n-word,' said Preston Dixon, a member of the Grand Prairie NAACP. "And they called our president's plane a word that is just unacceptable and it said that black people -- using the 'n-word' -- will not hold a job over four years, anyway, so it doesn't matter what the president is right now, give him four years and that 'n- word' won't be there. And so that is just sad in times like these."

-snip-

Detective John Brimmer, a department spokesman, said another police officer reported the e-mails.

"Keep in mind we're a very large organization, and this just involves a very small handful of officers who actually are good officers, but just made a bad judgment call -- made a serious mistake -- that will certainly be dealt with in the appropriate manner by this police department," he said.

more...






http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32067505

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. "handful of officers who actually are good officers" How can u be a 'good' officer 2 black citizens

when you use the 'n' word on company time/equipment?

[heliarc]

5. word... nt

[sui generis]

7. not to defend cops since I despise authority in all forms, BUT

this was a few bad apples.

There are some asshole DU'ers too (like myself) but that doesn't make everyone on DU an asshole.

[Flaneur]

2. What? Racist cops in Texas? Color me shocked.

And before all you Texans jump down my throat, let me just say I lived there for 13 years. Hook 'em!

[Blue_Roses]

3. no argument there...

I live here

[depakid]

9. Really

Tulia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulia,_Texas

and Tehana:

http://candidblogger.blogspot.com/2009/03/blacks-pulled-over-and-robbed-by-texas.html

aren't exactly isolated incidents.

[heliarc]

11. Took me 1 hour driving through texas ....

to get pulled over for going 71 mph in a 70mph speed zone because I am hispanic and I was driving a uHaul... They searched my truck and I'm certain the potato-shaped copper thought he was going to bust me big as a Coyote, but all he found were my belongings from 4 years of college on the east coast. The only time I've ever felt even remotely as many racist overtones to a conversation with a police officer was in Boston... Watch your speed there compadre. ... Yeah... fuck you copper... fuck you.

[WolverineDG]

35. Yes, because racism only exists in Texas

wasn't Texas where those African American kids were told to leave the swimming pool because their presence changed the "complexion" of the club?

oh, wait...that took place in a blue state......


dg

[heliarc]

4. Excuse me...

But how can someone be a good officer of the law when they prove to be so bigoted?... How is justice served when officers of the law will assume things about people on the basis of their race? These cops should have to turn in their badges. What a disgrace to their chickenshit outfit.

[sui generis]

6. yep them Texans are just backwards hayseeds and white supremist

rednecks. Even the black ones. :think:

Wait, we're talking about Grand Prairie? They're mostly Vietnamese. Rednecks. :p

[rvablue]

8. I'm so sick of public officials calling it a "bad judgement call" or a "serious mistake"

when they forward such flagrantly bigoted and racist emails. Are the cops illiterate? Were they not able to intellectually comprehend the social, historical and bigoted meaning of the N-word?

They have revealed themselves as being unqualified and ineligible to be a "peace officer" in a community in which racial and ethnic minorities live, visit or do business.

They should be fired. Immediately.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Surly not in Texas!

[sui generis]

12. children, grow the fuck up.

This is so adolescent: you are sitting here generalizing about all cops in Texas based on some stereotype you have either about Texans or cops, for the crime of a few dunces generalizing about black people.

You have a stereotype, something readily fills it and then you assume it proves the "rule". Shameful.

[Blue_Roses]

15. racism is everywhere

that we know. No one is denying that. What is despicable, is that a cop "who made a bad judgement call" by CALLING our President a n*gger, is still considered by their standards as still being a good cop. It's a oxymoronic statement.

[sui generis]

16. Well, my 105 year old neighbor

who approves of gay marriage, gives to charity, passes out candy at halloween to ALL the kids, told me conspiratorially that the reason her 23 year old cocker spaniel died was because the neeeegras pizened it.

She's a good woman. We're surrounded by liberals and progressives in our lives who reinforce our idea of community and group and participation. I wouldn't kick a republican out of the emergency room, or fail to help anyone, including someone from Westboro Babtist, if they needed human help in a dire situation, and yet I call them things that are far far far worse than the n word, and right here on DU.

I don't like that an officer of the law has to feel included in their "group" with stupid banter like that, but the reasons for racism are complex. These guys hold jobs that they're not willing to lose, they're expensive to train, and they damn well are a captive audience and an opportunity for the police department, if the situation is handled correctly.

[Blue_Roses]

20. oh, bullshit...

you're comparing a 105 year-old (who by the way, lived all their life in this mentality), the idiots from Westboro church, a republican in an emergency room, to a civil servant who takes an oath, to SERVE AND PROTECT, as a comparison -no, EXCUSE-for this shit.

There is no comparison. The judgement in how to professionally execute the job description--TO SERVE AND PROTECT--is called into to question. Granny or papa at 105 are irrelevant, although still racist.

...and this ain't just about good ol' Texas...

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Blue_Roses]

36. First of all,

to question,

"what the fuck do I know about law enforcement and 'managing people'" (nice choice of words), is not only extremely arrogant, but presumptuous since you don't know anything about me.

Secondly,
"racism is learned" and no one is disputing that. If that had been your argument to begin with then this conversation would be going in a different direction.

Third,
"don't reward it when you have a chance to change it," :wtf: How are we rewarding it?

"All the lip pursing face pulling and heavy sighing in the world isn't going to disapprove these people into being less racist. You have to address it head on. What's happened is there are now a couple of racist officers who will be HAVE to deal the reasons they are racist, in a very public way" Then they can "learn" how to not be racist in another profession that doesn't violate the trust of the public they serve.

Lastly,
"That might actually make them better officers, or the process might also lead them to decide on their own they want to continue to be racist. Give them a chance to atone." While one would hope this would be the case, it's highly unlikely. Like you said, it's learned and it takes more than just a class during black history month to understand racism.

One last thing,
"God we're a judgmental bunch of asses here" Years of "judgmental" republican bullshit tends to make one pissed off.

[sui generis]

38. I am arrogant but see nothing wrong with that.

How do you manage people?

Do you fire veterans, remove their pensions and benefits (also from their families, children and spouses) because they used a word you don't approve of?

Nice.

If you were my manager I'd fire you for poor judgement, while I kept those cops were in sensitivity training.

[Blue_Roses]

41. a "word" that is highly derogatory

and questions the mentality of how they view their job. We're talking about a job that affects the trust of others.

I wouldn't work for an arrogant idiot like you to begin with.

[sui generis]

43. well you wouldn't be working long

if you fired someone and took away their pension and retirement because of the n word.

:shrug:

Where is your compassion and common sense? Also, I'm arrogant, not an idiot. Sorry it upsets you.

[Blue_Roses]

53. you really don't get it...

this is so much more than just sending a few emails with the n-word...

[sui generis]

58. and you get it more because?????

I do get "it". I manage a company with over 400 employees - I know that firing is not your first option.

Prove that something worse than name-calling happened first. You're the one that doesn't get it.

Oh and you're also all about punishing the sons of the sinner? You're okay with taking away retirement, qualifying every thing those officers did, even the good, as out the window?

You really don't get it. They need to be investigated. If there is evidence that their personal bias extended to the execution of their duties, then take action. If not, then deal with the issue, undertake some kind of remedial action, whatever.

Cops already don't make a lot of money. If it turns out it was just bluster, are you morally okay with firing someone with years of service (for cause, they lose benefits and retirement)? I'm sorry, I'm not like you in that case. People are fuckups. A few people are decent.

At any rate the fallout is that they're likely busted to desk jobs anyway, if not asked to consider early voluntary retirement. Everyone's happy, so why are we arguing? You're not going to change my mind. The difference is I don't think you're a bad person just because we disagree.

[Blue_Roses]

66. it's not my job to prove anything

and I'm sure not trying to change your mind, nor will you change mine. With that said, we agree to disagree. I'm done

[varelse]

77. what the hell?

where I come from, a manager who failed to fire an employee for such an offense would face not only unemployment but a lengthy and costly harassment lawsuit.

[Name removed]

82. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

17. Some of us have spent a great deal of time ---

in many areas of Texas. I base my sterotype of many Texans being bigots by the many bigoted Texans I have met. :shrug: Words like "faggot" and "beaner" and "nigger" crept into my nephews' vocbabulary after several years of living there. Even my sister -- who grew up in San Francisco in the 70s and lived a compeletly multi-cultural life here -- started to espouse racist views after 15 years in Texas.

Are all Texans bigots? Hell no. Does it surprise me to read stories about overt bigtry of some Texans? Hell no. :shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

22. What's "beaner"? Someone from Boston?

[Forkboy]

28. I'm a baked beaner.

[sui generis]

37. I'm a beaner-by-proxy.

I once slept with someone from Boston.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

44. "Beaner" is a derogatory term --

for a Mexican. If a crime happens in Texas, it is most likely a "beaners" (or so I have been told by the Texas bigots I have encountered).

[BlooInBloo]

46. Ooooh. Huh. The terms we think up for people. Fascinating.

[sui generis]

47. it's also used by George Lopez on national television

so?

and yes, of course

[superduperfarleft]

51. Yes, yes, and black people call each other "nigga" all the time.

Totally the same thing. :eyes:

[sui generis]

54. d'oh.

we're talking about the use of the word "beaner".

Would we be having this conversation if those officers had been talking about "queers"?

Probably not. I guess the n word is worse than the q word. I'm daring to take a longer and more humane view here at some risk - not because I condone using racial or cultural epithets.

But at the end of the day, whatever makes you feel superior is what you should do to masturbate your ego. What goes on behind closed minds is none of my business.

[superduperfarleft]

56. GLBT people are regularly mistreated by the police as well.

No sure what you're point is, because I'd prefer bigots didn't work as cops at all. Unfortunately, there seems to be a real draw to the profession among bigots and authoritarian assholes. Sorry you think it's "feeling superior" to not want to prostrate myself at The Altar of The Cop every time one of these threads comes up.

[sui generis]

59. nice

I like your phrase. As a GLBT though I'm more likely to prostate a cop. :P

We don't materially disagree - I'm just saying it's a word and we're the ones feeding it more power than it needs.

[superduperfarleft]

63. It's a word that indicates an attitude

that should not be tolerated in a position of such authority and responsibility.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

85. No, you're thinking of that hack Carlos Mencia.

Who George Lopez hates, by the way.

[TahitiNut]

30. Let's think about this for a minute.

I doubt any reasonable DUer would deny that racism is widespread ... and that no state has a monopoly. I also doubt that any reasonable DUer would claim the racist attitudes of a few cops 'proves' that all cops (or all within some geographic area) are the same.

But let's think about this a bit more, shall we?

Why is it that THESE cops, in THEIR police force, in THEIR locale, believed that they could express such racist attitudes MORE FREELY than cops in other areas??? Clearly, the more openly such bigots express such bigotry would seem to indocate, to a reasonable person, that it's THEIR perception that such attitudes are more 'acceptable' -- at least more than most of us might think in our own regions.

So, it's not so much the racist attitudes themselves I find as disturbing as the implication that these particular cops regarded it as, at a minimum, acceptable ... and, worse, something to be proud of. Obviously, such individuals believe there is SOME audience to whom their racist perspectives are thought to be worthy of 'respect.'

I find THAT disturbing. I don't know of any place in my OWN current experience that folks would have some basis for believing that they'd get an 'attaboy' from enough knuckle-draggers to offset the shit that would com down on them. It seems pretty clear these good ol' boys regard their 'community' as far more accepting of such attitudes than I see mine.

[sui generis]

48. finally some valuable nuance

yes. And that is true. But there are also black officers who work for the Grand Prairie police department . . . .

[TahitiNut]

73. It wouldn't be the first time that blacks have worked in a hostile work environment.

For my money, the fact that these police officers seem to feel far more free to express such views than I'd like to believe is "normal" ... or might be the case in my own local police department is a matter for concern.

I've worked in a lot of places around the U.S. in my life, and I've been in working environments where the "normal" was far more bigoted and misogynist than anything I'd encountered. It's really remarkable how some pockets that are maybe slightly more insular and isolated from the "norm" can careen off into these extremes.

There's some real validity to the notion that smaller, more rural communities in some parts of the country are backwaters of bigotry and ignorance. People tend to self-select over time ... and vote with their feet. The impact, over time, is to "distill" (like booze or petrol) the culture and create a far greater concentration of reactionary and repressed attitudes. I've spent enough time in states like Texas, Florida, Alabama, California, Washington, New York, and Michigan to have seen examples of this. Texas has more than its share, for some reason. I'm sure spending on education has a lot to do with it.

[defendandprotect]

13. They should all be fired --

We really underestimate the right wing, I think, in their viciousness --

As far as I can see we've had racist policing all over the US -- on purpose.

[sui generis]

34. no you have habitual good ol' boys

that's different. So say somebody works for 18 years with the police department. They risk their life for anyone, do thankless work, actually do good more often than not, and after 18 years some idiot posts stupid shit on a web site and you take away their retirement?

Really? I absolutely think they should be clocked for the impropriety, and forced to do some kind of meaningful restitution, but just fire them? You're also punishing their kids, their families, who may not be anything like them.

Over a word.

It's you that give the word power, not some dumb cop.

[superduperfarleft]

42. Of course the word has power, but what's scary about this is that so do these cops.

This wasn't Ed the Auto Shop Mechanic telling an off-color joke, this was a grown man in a profession that holds every single one our lives in their hands and, fairly or not, has a very bad reputation in regards to their treatment of people of color.

I could care less if my auto mechanic is a bigot. The guy that has a gun and the power to put me in jail for the rest of my life is a different matter, especially if I'm a young black male being pulled over by him. You're being incredibly obtuse by not seeing that.

[sui generis]

45. I'm not being obtuse

I'm being practical.

Neither of us knows whether these cops act out on our stereotypes.

The real issue is that any place either of them have ever testified is now of questionable credibility. Look at their records now and be willing to come to a fair conclusion instead of speculation. Everybody they've ever arrested has an ethnic designation on their driver's license. If there are suspect numbers, I'll agree with you. If it's pretty homogeneous then . . . well, unfortunately people also talk about queers and chinks and wops and kikes and micks all that other crap, and it's every bit as ugly in NYC as it is in Texas.

[superduperfarleft]

49. I really don't care if it is in Texas or not. That wasn't my point.

I live in a blue state now, but I'd say the people around me are as racist if not more so than the Southern red state I just moved from, so this isn't about stereotyping a geographic region (although I admit to having some pretty negative attitudes towards Texas).

My point was your downplaying the seriousness of a cop displaying bigoted attitudes, and whether or not that fact alone can determine whether or not he's qualified to be a cop, or at least an "effective" cop. If you don't think that matters, then yes, you are being obtuse.

edit: and if he's stupid enough to send an email full of n-words, he's too stupid to wield a deadly weapon.

[sui generis]

you named the problem.

is firing the best solution or the only one you can think of? No I'm not being obtuse.

[superduperfarleft]

52. He should absolutely be fired.

Cops like that are the reason why I, and many others, don't like cops. Instead of whining about all those poor cops and how everyone's so mean to them, maybe if cops started publicly cleaning house people would trust them a bit more.

Another edit: and the fact that he WON'T be fired is just one more reason why people don't like cops.

[sui generis]

60. now you fucked up the problem

we shouldn't fire cops because we don't like them.

Does anyone replying on this thread have any experience managing real people in the real world? I'm not talking about your WOW campaigns.

[superduperfarleft]

61. Gee, I was an assistant manager at a bookstore.

Isn't that totally the same thing as a commanding officer in a local police force?

[sui generis]

67. well in a bookstore

you would have spent, say zero dollars training your employee to alphabetize books or whatever you guys do. He probably worked part time, no benefits and was under the age of 25.

I'm willing to bet that if you had an old fogey who worked there for 19 years, accumulated a pension, carried of his duties as expected and then one day you heard him use the N word, you would fire that person, kill their pension, remove any other retirement benefit, etc?

You can't have it both ways. If you were a real manager you have to manage performances as often as you manage people. Yes, there's something rotten in denmark, but you also have to act on the facts.

We SUSPECT that because they use the N word they've exhibited bias (and they probably did, not denying that). But to fire them you have to prove it and be willing to NOT fire them if you can't.

It's that simple. All the hurt feelings and sturm and drang are out of place - if you are going to lead on a life changing decision, do it from a base of certainty, or expect that someday the same thing could happen to you - some conservative will see that you called Bush an idiot and fire you, expecting that you mistreat republicans.

And yes, in the end, it is the same thing.

[superduperfarleft]

69. For the love of god, no it is not.

An old man or a teenager can tell all the racist jokes they want on their off time if all they do is shelve books and clean toilets all day, and they can't possibly hurt anyone on the job by being racist fucks when they're not working.

A cop whose job it is to go into communities and lock people up/beat their ass/whatever it is cops do CAN MOST DEFINITELY cause harm by exhibiting racist attitudes. Cops can ruin lives, beat people, kill people, etc. and usually face zero consequences. Do you really think it is acceptable to put the power to ruin lives in the hands of a bigot?

He can go be a racist auto mechanic for all I care, but he should not have the power to assault, kill, or otherwise ruin the lives of people in the community when he clearly shows such an antisocial attitude towards people of other races.

[sui generis]

71. nobody is putting any good on balance

you're small minded as the thing you decry.

Stop speculating and start proving. If you're not willing to do ANYTHING but speculate, then you shouldn't have a hand in the decision.

(ggaaaaaaah! and so here I find myself defending racists. How did that happen, he asked himself.)

[varelse]

78. I do

and where I work, this would be grounds for instant termination of employment - particularly if the offending party were in a position of authority.

[sui generis]

83. again. in most cases

if you are fired for cause you lose your retirement and benefits.

So to weigh everything against the use of a word and find that word weightier than any good a police officer may have done is immature and irresponsible.

I'm not moving from that position, not one molecule. I'm not defending their use of that language or their attitude. I'm just saying there are other things you can do besides fire them.

Why are we such dipshits on this topic today? I thought we were more grown up.

[varelse]

86. Again, where I come from

the use of such terms is grounds for immediate dismissal. It's also grounds for a very costly harassment lawsuit. We wouldn't have the option to keep that person employed - one warning might be all they got, but judging from what I've read of the OP, in our case, employment would be terminated.

[defendandprotect]

57. It's a little late in the day for racism like this -- when do they learn?

Again -- I'm sure racism has been a topic they've heard about --

and I think it's dangerous to keep anyone like this around in policing.

Obviously, it's not only WORDS . . . this effects their behavior, their work.

[sui generis]

62. fine, and yes possibly

but investigate it. Make the connection. No doubt they will be investigated now, but take action based on facts, not speculation.

Solomon gonna cut this baby in half after all.

[superduperfarleft]

64. Investigate it, suspend him with pay for a week,

throw him right back on the street with the warning that the n*****s get mad when you call them that. I've seen this show before, thanks.

[sui generis]

68. where, on CBS?

that's NOT the way things work in the real world. Also, in case anyone was too caught up in their fucking judgmental drama to notice, these guys have coworkers who are not caucasian. Grand Prairie is every bit as multi-ethnic as Dallas.

I guess in the movie you saw all the poe-lice wore pointy white hats and had a we don't hire non-whites policy inscribed in stone on the courthouse building.

really glad I missed that movie, I prefer reality.

[superduperfarleft]

70. Right, reality.

The reality where cops do all kinds of disgusting shit and their buddies cover it up for them. That NEVER happens. :sarcasm:

[sui generis]

72. oh I get it.

you see the cup as totally full.

Of racists. Nothing else to see, move along. If you disagree with me I'll pull out a smiley and smack your ass with it. :eyes:.

[superduperfarleft]

74. Reality disagrees with you.

Do you deny that cops regularly cover up the bad behavior of their co-workers?

[sui generis]

81. outside investigation

do you deny. what kind of high school sophistry is that?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

76. I have an idea.

Let them keep their jobs but require them to disclose, every time they testify in front of any judge or jury, that they think it's OK to refer to black people as niggers.

Let's have FULL disclosure if you want to put bigots in positions of power.

[defendandprotect]

75. Investigate what?

The facts are you have people with complete racist attitudes and you expect

them to do honest policing?

No --

[sui generis]

80. ???

outside investigations?

You are exactly the kind of assholes that burned witches at the stake. I can't believe you people think of yourselves as progressive.

I reject you.

[defendandprotect]

84. Am I wrong . . . did they not trace the e-mails to these officers?

Have they denied it?

Certainly have investigations -- I thought there was one!

However, let me point also to the aggressiveness of your reply --

Looks like you're here more for abusive retort than the issues.

Again-- if the officers did this, they should be dismissed.

I'm sure they've already had training in appropriate behavior.

If they're displaying sexist, racist, homophobic behavior -- which

most of our police departments do display -- they should find other work.

[snake in the grass]

14. It's Texas.

Nothing surprises me from the Lone Star state.

[sui generis]

18. it shouldn't, it's full of all kinds of people

the cities are dark blue on the map and the rural areas are pink to dark red.

So - are you talking about rural texans or city slickers like myself?

What state are you from? I'm sure I find some slack jawed loose nostril comparison to make about the hicks in your state.

[Blue_Roses]

23. you live in Dallas...

the metroplex is red. Blood red.

[tammywammy]

24. Dallas & Dallas County are blue n/t

[Blue_Roses]

26. true

but I'm talking about the metroplex as a whole. DFW.

[FloriTexan]

33. Dallas, Austin and Houston....

all blue. Like Tammywammy said.

[snake in the grass]

79. I'm from Florida.

You wouldn't have to look hard to find some hominids there. As a matter of fact, we don't even have city slickers, so, in theory, Texas is probably better. To be honest, though, I wouldn't want to live in either one. That's why I moved to L.A.

[Liberal In Texas]

27. Yeah, nothing like this could happen in say, Cambridge, Mass.

Oh, wait a minute...

[WolverineDG]

32. Or California

oops.

dg

[tammywammy]

39. shush you

:hi:

[damntexdem]

19. Just a few bad apples using Apples?

Being non-PC on their PCs?

Or is it poor leadership and a blind eye to departmental racism? I suspect the latter.

[BlooInBloo]

21. Color me surprised.

Not.

[Life Long Dem]

29. One thing is certain.

After all is said and done, more is said than done.

[AspenRose]

31. Traffic Division?

Are these the same officers pulling over people for DWB?

Hmmm

[Dora]

40. YOU CAN'T BE A RACIST AND BE A GOOD POLICEMAN. nt

[Engineer4Obama]

50. Its happening all over the place

At my work place the men's bathroom was closed for a day shortly after the election but I didn't realize it and slipped past the people trying to keep people out of the place. I found that someone had scrawled an extremely racist joke about an Obama Christmas ornament that invoked images of lynchings. This is in the middle of Blue Blue Baltimore.

[burning rain]

55. Shiver me timbers.

Just a few bad apples and really, those apples aren't even bad. "Mistake," my sweet ass. Those officers showed their values and their mindset and are clearly racists.

[seabeyond]

65. YEA... to the cop that turned them in. it is one thing for people to do this

a WHOLE other thing for people to keep mouth shut about. good for the one that said.... NO