Currently, it’s impossible to browse the internet for five minutes without encountering an onslaught of utterly depressing stories. People are pushing each other down flights of stairs and brawling in diners over this election. Now, a West Virginia official has decided to get very ugly on Facebook. She may lose her job as a result.
The Washington Post reports the unfortunate behavior from two West Virginian Facebook users that ended in their profiles’ deletion. First up, Clay County Development Corp Director Pamela Ramsey Taylor celebrated Donald Trump’s victory on her profile, which is no big deal. Unfortunately, she also toasted impending first lady Melania Trump by remarking, “It will be so refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady back in the White House … I’m tired of seeing a Ape in heels.”
Seriously, #PamelaRamseyTaylor and #BeverlyWhaling, did you think that you could make these kinds of vile remarks and get away with it? pic.twitter.com/UD2EAwzNwi
— Turn Tennessee Blue #STANDWITHUKRAINE 🇺🇦 (@TurnTNBlue) November 14, 2016
The post’s rhetoric is racially charged and not even in a subtle, dog-whistle way. To make matters worse, Clay Mayor Beverly Whaling condoned the statement with a comment: “Just made my day Pam.”
As the LA Times reveals, Taylor was swiftly relieved of her duties with the Clay town council planning to discuss the matter further during a Tuesday night meeting. The paper also reveals that Taylor posted again on Facebook to claim there’s “no way” she was being racist but merely “referring to my personal opinion of the attractiveness, not the color of the skin.” Taylor also apologized for hurting anyone while asking people not to share the post.
As of Tuesday morning, an online petition has gathered the support of over 140,000 people, who are calling for both women to be terminated.
Sadly, this is only the latest instance of such behavior. In 2015, a Univision anchor was fired for remarking, “Michelle Obama looks like she’s part of the cast of Planet of the Apes.” In 2015, some Ferguson police officials likened President Obama to a monkey. And in September 2016, a Pennsylvania mayor resigned after Facebooking photos of the Obamas next to a wheelbarrow full of orangutans. Enough, already.
UPDATE – 10:30pm EST: Mayor Beverly Whaling has resigned her position, and Taylor has either resigned or been terminated. CNN reached out for comment on the matter but hasn’t received an answer.