Michelle Obama 'Ape' post puts tiny town at center of firestorm

[Tennis]

The mayor of a small West Virginia town has stepped down and the director of a non-profit has been placed on leave after outrage exploded across social media over a post-election Facebook post aimed at Michelle Obama.

“It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels,” read the post by Pamela Ramsey Taylor, director of the Clay County Development Corp., according to media reports.

The resignation of Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling, who reportedly responded “Just made my day Pam” to Taylor's Facebook post, was effective immediately, town recorder Joe Coleman told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

Taylor told WCHS-TV on Monday that she was put on leave.

The post was shared hundreds of times on social media before it was apparently deleted.

The incident placed the tiny enclave of Clay – with fewer than 500 people and named for statesman Henry Clay – at the center of a firestorm as racial tensions have flared nationwide in the week since the election. West Virginians voted overwhelmingly for Republican Donald Trump, and he won 77% of the votes in Clay County.

Whaling said her comment was not meant as racist in a written apology issued to news media outlets.

“I was referring to my day being made for change in the White House! I am truly sorry for any hard feeling this may have caused! Those who know me know that I’m not in any way racist!”

The non-profit Clay County Development Corp. offers services to seniors and low-income residents and is funded through state and federal grants and local fees. It is not affiliated with the town of Clay.

Clay’s town council planned to discuss the issue at a previously scheduled meeting Tuesday evening.

The mayor's office could not be reached for comment by USA TODAY.

Contributing: The Associated Press

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...torm/93917502/

They should both lose their jobs over this.
Zero tolerance is what is needed when it comes to such statements.

[Shibito]

Lol good you posted this, so calling Trump a orangutan is fine and dandy but this is bad. Lol

[Ryme]

When I first heard this from my friend, I honestly didn't believe it; shocking.

[derpkitteh]

well, michelle obama is an ape in heels, when she wears heels.

we're all apes in clothing. homosapiens sapiens, to be exact.

[Jotaux]

You have to be pretty stupid to post that publicly.

[Zyster]

Lol good you posted this, so calling Trump a orangutan is fine and dandy but this is bad. Lol

I think the people who did this are absolutely uncalled for. What you stated though is a common re-occurrence of hypocrisy from people on this site. More specifically the people who supported Hillary and angry she lost.

[-aiko-]

Stupid, stupid people. Did they not expect this to happen?

[Wolfheart9]

Lol good you posted this, so calling Trump a orangutan is fine and dandy but this is bad. Lol

There's still a racist undertone in calling anyone black a type of ape or money, it'd be like calling a white person a Cheese-it (orange cracker), however at the same time no, calling Trump an orangutan isn't right. It also isn't funny as it's just not clever either.

[Deleted]

How long till people here claim this is fake? The Alt-right is not at all racist in any way, yeah?

Connal, don't go to the dark side!

On-topic, surely there was some part in her brain that would ring alarm bells that it would likely be perceived really poorly?

[Zyster]

It might be different if spray-tanned old people were a race with a long history of oppression in which "orangutan" was commonly used to denigrate them.

Always a reason for you to be volatile right?

[Shadow Fox]

You have to be pretty stupid to post that publicly.

Welll.. I mean...
It is a backwoods town in West Virginia... Not really surprised someone publically make a racist remark.

[Mistame]

Those arms are pretty scary.

[Jotaux]

How long till people here claim this is fake? The Alt-right is not at all racist in any way, yeah?

I wouldn't consider it racist. I mean I thought Bush looked like an ape and Obama's ears kind of give his face a chimp like appearance. I don't really know why the same would be said of Michelle, I think she looks fantastic for a woman her age.

[Tennis]

Those arms are pretty scary.

You can say that without being racist.

[Wolfheart9]

Always a reason for you to be volatile right?

Out of curiosity how was that volatile? It's completely on point. Black people have a history in which using a type of money or ape is an insult to them, it's a step past just a standard insult.

[Mistame]

You can say that without being racist.

I know, I did. But it's still funny. /shrug

[Stormspellz]

Lol good you posted this, so calling Trump a orangutan is fine and dandy but this is bad. Lol

you know damn well there is more connotation involved to her being refereed to an ape that is far beyond a bad spray on tan and a com over.

[Jotaux]

Ok, the alt-right loves minorities, gays, and Jews... I am mistaken.

It really depends on what you call the alt-right. To be honest I don't even see anything said about the alt right in the article.

[Bathory]

Maybe one day people like her will learn just how quickly the internet works.

[Xandrigity]

you know damn well there is more connotation involved to her being refereed to an ape that is far beyond a bad spray on tan and a com over.

I dunno calling someone an ape is pretty spot on the same as a orangutan