Jim Gile, Kansas County Official, Apologizes For Racist Comment

[proud2BlibKansan]

A Republican county commissioner in rural Kansas is resisting calls for his resignation after a comment he made during a public meeting last week.

Saline County Commissioner Jim Gile (R) used the term "nigger-rigging" during a commission discussion April 2 about hiring an architect to work on a county building, the Salina Journal reported on Saturday. Gile apologized for the comments, but residents called for his resignation during a commission meeting Tuesday afternoon.

The Salina Journal reported:

In a recording made by County Clerk Don Merriman of the study session, Gile, who is white, can be heard to say the county needed to hire an architect to design the improvements rather than "nigger-rigging it."

His comment brought laughter from others in the room. Salinan Ray Hruska, who attends most commission meetings and study sessions, asked Gile what he said.

"Afro-Americanized," Gile replied.

"He's like that congressman from Alaska," Commission Chairman Randy Duncan can be heard to say of Gile's comment.

more ... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/jim-gile-kansas_n_3045720.html

[TlalocW]

1. My brother-in-law said the same thing

Without thinking. After helping an elderly Black man fix his stalled car. It was a word he grew up with and didn't realize how ingrained it was in him. He was appropriately embarrassed and apologized profusely to the man who was gracious enough to let it slide. He was upset about it for days.

TlalocW

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Did he also say it meant "Afro-Americanized"?

That's what makes this especially bad.

[TlalocW]

3. No, he admitted he misspoke

And has made an effort to say jury-rigged since then.

TlalocW