Mayor Sent Email With White House Watermelons

Black recipient 'horrified' by joke
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 25, 2009 7:10 PM CST
Mayor Sent Email With White House Watermelons
A joke with racial overtones has a California mayor in trouble.   (Shutter Stock)

The white mayor of Los Alamitos, Calif., thought it would be funny to send an email to a black constituent that contained a photo of the White House with a watermelon patch in front. Now, of course, Dean Grose is deeply apologetic for his "poor judgment" and says he meant no offense, the Orange County Register reports.

"I was horrified when I read that email," said Keyanus Price, a community volunteer. "How can this person send an email out like this and think it is OK?" She said Grose's initial response—he essentially told her it was no big deal and made another joke—angered her even more. The City Council is examining the email exchange. (More California stories.)

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