Let me just start by saying that I’m not including a link to the offensive image I’m about to discuss. If you want to see it, you’ll find it easily somewhere online. I just don’t want it on my blog.
That said, it’s hardly shocking that another political figure has used email in a way that’s embarrassing, offensive, and possibly career-ending.
Sherri Goforth, executive assistant to Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Diane Black, used her state email address, and state computer, while on the state’s payroll, to send an email containing an image (that was supposed to be funny, apparently,) to other Republican staffers. The target was President Obama, and of course his skin color was the ‘punchline.’
When she was given the opportunity to apologize or say something, ANYTHING to make amends, the best she could do was say that she accidentally logged into the wrong email address and sent the email to the wrong list of recipients.
So this is technically an email fail. But it’s also just sad and stupid. And it’s actually starting to trouble me that there are so many people, in general, and in politics specifically, who can’t seem to grasp the concept of email — how to send it (which list you’re sending to shouldn’t be hard to figure out, nor should what email address is “appropriate” for sending racist crap), what happens to your messages once you send (as in — if it’s inflammatory, offensive, or in any other way of interest to anyone, assume it’ll be forwarded!), how inappropriate it is to use government time (and IPs) to offend your constituents via email.
I mean really folks. It’s just not funny anymore.
