Barry West, a Coffee County (TN) commissioner posted this picture (not of him - he is below) and
caption on his Facebook page (since removed):
From the Daily Mail article:
He took the picture down shortly after posting it, and the local NBC affiliate reports that he put up a cryptic status minutes later: 'Isn't a shame
how some think all apples in a barrel are bad if they find one? Oh by the way, this is not me in this picture!'
The photo has Islamic advocacy groups outraged, particularly because there has been a string of anti-Muslim incidents in Tennessee in recent years.
Mosques have been vandalized four times, prompting a justice department investigation.
Though local groups are calling for an apology from Mr West- which he has denied- it also seems that there will be no formal rebuke from the Coffee County Mayor.
Channel 4 spoke with Mayor David Pennington who said that while he was aware of the photo, he is not in a position to take action.
'My answer to that is you know what a commissioner does in his off time, as long as its not in a full commission meeting, I have no control over what a commissioner does,' he said.
I can imagine what the caption would have been 50 years ago. Take a guess.
Moron.
'I’m prejudiced against anyone who’s trying to tear down this country, Muslims, Mexicans, anybody." - Barry West
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