This year has been characterized by escalating racial tensions from the Black Lives Matter Movement to Trump's election. The one positive thing that can be taken away from this is that no one can argue that we are in a "post-racial discrimination" era. Racist is real and the following incidents prove it. The hashtag "another unemployed racist' turned up on the internet to celebrate the small victories against racial biases and prejudices.
1. Michigan firefighter fired for calling black woman "ni**er," saying go "back to the field"
A man from Michigan decided a facebook post was the proper place for hate speech when he saw a black woman post in support of Colin Kaepernick's protests. Belding Fire Chief Greg Moore commented that Hudson's racist comments revealed potentially risky behavior when in the line of duty. The Belding Fire Department promptly fired him for his actions.
2. Teacher fired after making racially charged comments at students
One student's recording of a racially charged classroom incident led to a teacher losing her job, which can be seen using the following link. A Baltimore school teacher was terminated after trying to "reign in" her eighth grade science class by screaming that they were "punk a** ni**ers going to get shot". This is unacceptable behavior anywhere because the deaths of many innocent black youths has been a focus of the year, but this is even more unacceptable in a middle school environment. Students should be nourished so that they make reach their full potential, not labelled as a statistic before they even start high school.
3. Victoria’s Secret employee fired after telling all black women to leave the store
A woman in Alabama was fired from the lingerie store, which she managed after catching a black woman shoplifting and then demanding that all other black women leave the store as well. Although the shoplifter was not affiliated with the other black women in the store they were still asked to leave without being given a reason or being accused of shoplifting. One of the customers asked to leave exposed the incident with a facebook live video, which can be seen in its full length using the link above.
4. Mayor and Director of government funded nonprofit organization resign after racists comments about First Lady Michelle Obama
Pamela Taylor, director of a nonprofit that uses government funds to assist the elderly and low income communities of West Virginia resigned after calling First Lady Michelle Obama "a Ape in heels". It seems that then Mayor Beverly Whaling of the small town of Clay saw no problem with the racist content or poor grammar of this post as she commented, "Just made my day Pam". The two women resigned soon after.
5. University of Colorado’s School of Medicine to cut ties with faculty member Dr. Michelle Herren after racist facebook comment during which she claimed not to be racist
“We are beginning the process to terminate Dr. Herren’s faculty appointment,” Mark Couch, spokesman for the school, said. “She has expressed values that are at odds with ours and she has compromised her ability to meet the teaching and patient care mission of the School of Medicine.” Despite the First Lady's degrees from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, this Colorado woman still deems her as uneducated. If that isn't prejudice, what is?
6. A Tenn. jail official called the KKK ‘more American’ than Obama. Now he’s out of a job.
David Barber, deputy director of the Shelby County Corrections Center in Memphis for the past 17 years, resigned amid a growing controversy over some of his facebook posts. In one post about the Obama family claiming they had been discriminated against because they’re black. According to the newspaper, Barber commented, “Arrest convict hang and confiscate all assets.” The post that garnered the most attention called the KKK more American than "the illegal president'. Barber was pushed to resign by those realizing his racism and insensitivity had no place in the court system.
The lesson to be learned from these incidents is that although Trump was elected to be president, do not become emboldened with your racism. It is never okay to be discriminatory or prejudice. Such a mistake will be noticed and it might cost you your job. If nothing else, these cases prove that someone, most likely facebook, is keeping track of your actions.
