Ohio cop ‘shocked’ over criticism
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ‚Äö√Ñ√Æ A police officer who resigned last month amid an uproar over homemade Web videos disparaging blacks, Jews and other minorities said she’s shocked that some labeled her a racist…. “I’ve never been a racist, it’s not in my heart,” Susan Purtee told Columbus television station WBNS. In videos posted on YouTube.com, Purtee and her sister refer to blacks, Jews, Cubans and illegal immigrants as “filthy” and accuse Jews of abusing their positions within the media and entertainment industries…. In the television interview, Purtee said she stood by her remarks, though maybe she could have softened them…. “You try to do something you think is good for America, and you try to warn people that you’re taken advantage of by the media, and then someone turns around and they go to the lowest level and try to say you’re a racist,” Purtee said. “It was a shock, it never entered our minds.”
Jeebus…you put your thoughts out there for God and everybody to peruse…and then you’re totally baffled when some folks pop a cork? Just because you happen to think Jews, Cubans, and illegal immigrants are the source of all evil doesn’t make you a racist…does it? It certainly does make you a DUMB@$$, though. Hey, I know; just because you don’t like or respect those groups, well…you’re no racist.
This is, of course, still (nominally, at least) a free country, and as I’ve said many times, free speech can be and very often is offensive speech. You might not agree with Ms. Purtee’s offensive and ludicrous opinions, but you do have to admit she has the right to air them. (And we have the right to think she’s an ignorant, knuckle-dragging DUMB@$$.)
There’s one slight problem here, though. As a police officer, she’s sworn to protect and serve ALL Americans, not just the ones she respects and doesn’t loathe. When a police officer begins airing some very unsavory points of view, even as a civilian, people tend to get upset. If the public is paying your salary, it’s generally not a good idea to piss off your employers.
Rule #1 for public servants: people tend not to separate you from your job. This is particularly true for police officers. If you’re going to throw your racism out there for everyone to see, you can’t reasonably claim to be surprised when someone demands your badge. In this case, they’ve got a point. Sadly for Ms. Purtee, she’s lost her badge but she’s picked up this handy DUMB@$$ AWARD. Let’s see her pay her mortgage with that, eh??
