Wolfeboro, NH police commissioner calls Obama the N-word, refuses to apologize

[Statistikhengst]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/201...ssioner-racist-remark.html?smid=tw-share&_r=2

A police commissioner in a predominantly white New Hampshire town says he won't apologize for calling President Barack Obama the N-word, and he sat with his arms crossed while angry residents at a meeting called for his resignation on Thursday.

Wolfeboro Police Commissioner Robert Copeland, who's 82 and white, has acknowledged in an email to his fellow police commissioners he used the racial slur in describing Obama.

Town resident Jane O'Toole, who moved to Wolfeboro four months ago, said she overheard Copeland say the slur at a restaurant in March and wrote to the town manager about it. Copeland, in an email to her, acknowledged using the slur in referring to the president and said he will not apologize.

"I believe I did use the 'N' word in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse," Copeland said in the email to his fellow police commissioners, part of which he forwarded to O'Toole. "For this, I do not apologize — he meets and exceeds my criteria for such."

Photo source

Residents of Wolfeboro, N.H., urge police official to quit for calling Obama the N-word | masslive.com

About 20 black people live in Wolfeboro, a town of 6,300 residents in the scenic Lakes Region, in the central part of New Hampshire, a state that's 94 percent white and 1 percent black. None of the town police department's 12 full-time officers is black or a member of another minority.

Carroll County Deputy Sheriff Paul Bois, who's black, is one of two officers the town employs part time during the summer to deal with tourists. When asked to comment outside the meeting, he said, "I'd love to, but I can't."

Town Manager David Owen said Thursday that while he finds Copeland's comment "reprehensible," he and the board of selectmen have no authority to remove an elected official. He said he expected a large number of residents would call for Copeland's resignation at the police commission meeting, and they did.

More than 100 people packed into the meeting room at the Wolfeboro Public Library, where librarian Joyce Davis said she can't remember an issue in 40 years that has sparked so much emotion and outcry. Many of the people wore on their shirts handmade stickers saying, "Resign," directed at Copeland.

"Comments like these, especially coming from a public official, are not only inexcusable but also terribly, unfortunately, reflects poorly on our town," said O'Toole, who was met with resounding applause.

Commissioner Ron Goodgame, in response to a challenge from O'Toole about whether he and Commission Chairman Joseph Balboni Jr. endorse Copeland's comments, said, "It's neither my view or Commissioner Balboni's view that the remarks are condoned."

Wolfeboro police commissioner under scrutiny for racist comments about Obama | Concord Monitor


There is more:


Video: Police Commissioner Who Called Obama the N-Word Snaps at ?Skunk? Reporter as Angry Residents Demand His Resignation | Video | TheBlaze.com


Resident Jane O’Toole says she overheard him use the slur in a restaurant in March and wrote to town officials to complain. Copeland wrote back and sent her part of his previous email, saying he believed he used the N-word “in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse” and Obama “meets and exceeds” his criteria for such.

“The letter really took the wind out of my sails, really,” O’Toole told WMUR-TV.

The three-member police commission held a meeting Thursday where about 100 residents jammed the room and called for Copeland’s resignation. The commissioner sat silent with his arms crossed during the meeting, in which there was no resolution.

Police commissioner hurls 'N-word' at Obama - Tea Party

“It’s not like I was eavesdropping. Mr. Copeland was being very loud,” O’Toole said.

Copeland was silent during Thursday night’s meeting. He was asked to resign and said nothing. He did say plenty in a letter to O’Toole after she wrote to his bosses about his racial slurs.

“The letter really took the wind out of my sails, really,” O’Toole said.

“I believe I did use the ‘N’ word in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse (sic),” Copeland said in the email. “For this, I do not apologize — he meets and exceeds my criteria for such.”

Because they didn’t get an answer inside, a mob of people demanded answers after the meeting was over.

Whitney White and several others confronted Copeland as he went to his car.

“I admitted what I did. I made no bone about it,” Copeland said to White.

He did not want News 9 recording the conversation in the parking lot.

“If you want to talk further when this nosy individual leaves,” Copeland said to White referring to News 9′s Nick Spinetto.

“I’m not a nosy individual, I’m a reporter doing my job,” Spinetto said to Copeland.

“I know what you are. You’re a skunk. Goodbye,” Copeland said to Spinetto.

There was no resolution Thursday evening.

Instead, the police commission plans on meeting to discuss what action they should take but they would not tell the audience where that meeting will be held or when.

Copeland is one of three members of the police commission, which hires, fires and disciplines officers and sets their salaries. He ran unopposed for re-election and secured another three-year term on March 11.

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Wolfeboro is a small town within Carroll County in New Hampshire.

Wolfeboro, New Hampshire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I know the town as I used to go fishing on Lake Winnepesauke in New Hampshire many summers when I was a kid. Despite what this asshole made Wolfeboro temporarily look like, it is a really, really nice place, full of nice people, the hotels and motels are affordable and the fishing on the lake, esp. if you like Salmon, is outstanding. I can recommend the town itself as a vacation spot.

Caroll county's recent electoral history:

1988 - Bush 41 +42.68% !! (Bush 41 carried the state)

1992 - Bush 41 +6.71% (Clinton carried the state)

1996 - Dole +1.38% (Clinton carried the state)

2000 - Bush 43 +11.50% (Bush carried the state)

2004 - Bush 43, +4.59% (Kerry carried the state)

2008 - Obama +6.31% (Obama carried the state)

2012 - Romney +0.80% (Obama carried the state)


So, the county itself is a very Republican leaning county.

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My take: the dude is a racist asshole. But he shouldn't be forced to resign. Let him speak his mind and then the voters will throw him out on his ass next election and they will likely make his life rough the next three years, if he doesn't willingly step down.

There is indeed such a thing as too much political correctness, but there is also a thing known as rampant racism and assholianism. And he, Copeland, definitely fits the bill.

There is also a thing known as respect for the office of the President of the USA - and other high elected officials. And assholes like Copeland who say this stuff are numbing us to the effects of vile racism.

Now, I don't know the political inclinations of this guy, and I don't care. As far as I know, he could be a Democrat, but I doubt it. But if he is from the Right, then it is just another nail in the GOP's race relations coffin.

Now, Righties can defend this stuff of his, I don't care. If they want yet another drubbing in 2016, go right ahead. But you cannot expect to even begin to attract a segment of the voters when people from your side are constantly pummeling them with racial attacks. Or do Righties think that Black folks don't read newspapers, watch the news and also participate on the internet? The same goes for Latino folks, Asian folks, American-Indian folks, etc...


So, should this 82 year old coot resign?


(Followup articles sure to come)

 

[S.J.]

Got something against the 1st Amendment?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Only when someone with whom I disagree uses it.

4. I don't know, I'm just a dumb liberal, don't ask me trick questions.

 

[Statistikhengst]

Got something against the 1st Amendment?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Only when someone with whom I disagree uses it.

4. I don't know, I'm just a dumb liberal, don't ask me trick questions.

So, am I to take it that this is your way of trying to show intelligence?

Ok...

Did you even read the OP? Do you think it is right to call the President a "N*****"?
Do you think the dude should resign?

 

[Grandma]

This isn't Mayberry, RFD, and he's not Sheriff Andy Taylor.

The old geezer should have been retired a decade ago. The "N" incident would not have happened, and a community would have been spared the national embarrassment of having a cop that's older than most nursing home patients.

 

[Statistikhengst]

This isn't Mayberry, RFD, and he's not Sheriff Andy Taylor.

The old geezer should have been retired a decade ago. The "N" incident would not have happened, and a community would have been spared the national embarrassment of having a cop that's older than most nursing home patients.

True. But they elected him, they have to live with it, probably until the next election. Unless of course he voluntarily resigns.

 

[gallantwarrior]

Meh.
Man's entitled to his opinion.

 

[S.J.]

Got something against the 1st Amendment?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Only when someone with whom I disagree uses it.

4. I don't know, I'm just a dumb liberal, don't ask me trick questions.

So, am I to take it that this is your way of trying to show intelligence?

Ok...

Did you even read the OP? Do you think it is right to call the President a "N*****"?
Do you think the dude should resign?

What part of this do you not understand, shit stirrer?

 

[Statistikhengst]

Got something against the 1st Amendment?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Only when someone with whom I disagree uses it.

4. I don't know, I'm just a dumb liberal, don't ask me trick questions.

So, am I to take it that this is your way of trying to show intelligence?

Ok...

Did you even read the OP? Do you think it is right to call the President a "N*****"?
Do you think the dude should resign?

What part of this do you not understand, shit stirrer?

I understand it completely. Do you see me trying to forbid you from saying anything?

Nope.

I am more than willing to let you make a total fool out of yourself. Go right ahead.

Now, to the content of the OP:

Do you think it is right to call the President a "N*****"?
Do you think the dude should resign?

 

[Statistikhengst]

Meh.
Man's entitled to his opinion.

I agree, to a certain extent. And when the voters throw his ass out, it's his problem.

 

[S.J.]

So, am I to take it that this is your way of trying to show intelligence?

Ok...

Did you even read the OP? Do you think it is right to call the President a "N*****"?
Do you think the dude should resign?

What part of this do you not understand, shit stirrer?

I understand it completely. Do you see me trying to forbid you from saying anything?

Nope.

I am more than willing to let you make a total fool out of yourself. Go right ahead.

Now, to the content of the OP:

Do you think it is right to call the President a "N*****"?
Do you think the dude should resign?

It doesn't matter what's "right". The 1st Amendment says he CAN. Doesn't that piss you off, Adolph?

 

[JWBooth]

A few bits of interest to note -
He is an elected official of that little berg, a rather insignificant fellow all the way 'round.
He is the commissioner, not an actual leo.
As for being forced to resign, isnt that for the people of that community to decide, not a bunch of outside busybodies?
All in all, much ado about next to nothing.

 

[Statistikhengst]

What part of this do you not understand, shit stirrer?

I understand it completely. Do you see me trying to forbid you from saying anything?

Nope.

I am more than willing to let you make a total fool out of yourself. Go right ahead.

Now, to the content of the OP:

Do you think it is right to call the President a "N*****"?
Do you think the dude should resign?

It doesn't matter what's "right". The 1st Amendment says he CAN. Doesn't that piss you off, Adolph?

Not at all. Having a hard time concentrating, what?

In fact, I voted that he should not be forced to resign.

But I did point out his racism.

 

[rightwinger]

Got something against the 1st Amendment?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Only when someone with whom I disagree uses it.

4. I don't know, I'm just a dumb liberal, don't ask me trick questions.

The first amendment says Copeland can say any objectionable thing he wants and the government can't arrest him (Congress shall make no law....)

It doesn't say there are no consequences for what you say

 

[jillian]

Got something against the 1st Amendment?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Only when someone with whom I disagree uses it.

4. I don't know, I'm just a dumb liberal, don't ask me trick questions.

the first amendment doesn't mean there are no repercussions to being a racist moron.

you're welcome.

 

[jillian]

Got something against the 1st Amendment?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Only when someone with whom I disagree uses it.

4. I don't know, I'm just a dumb liberal, don't ask me trick questions.

The first amendment says Copeland can say any objectionable thing he wants and the government can't arrest him (Congress shall make no law....)

It doesn't say there are no consequences for what you say

he wouldn't understand the constitution if it bit him.

 

[Statistikhengst]

Part of my point is that so many people have been saying this of the president over the last 6 years, in one way or another, that I think many are getting numb to how really gross and disgusting it is.

 

[freedombecki]

Uh, oh. Chew toy thread.

 

[Statistikhengst]

Uh, oh. Chew toy thread.

But only for dogs!!!

 

[LockeJaw]

Lol @ "predominately white NH town"... Thanks for the info, Captain Obvious. When was there ever a predominately non white NH town?

 

[PredFan]

We have become such crybabies in this country. There are assholes and idiots everywhere and in every occupation, it happens, grow up people.