I think I must live in one of the strangest little cities in America.
An audio tape has been released to local media and the NAACP. On this tape the Mayor of Martins Ferry, OH refers to African Americans as "Spooks".
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I live in a town of roughly 7000 people in Eastern Ohio. Our city is led by Mayor Phil Wallace.
Our acting police chief, Phil Hartman, was recently suspended with pay for some alleged dirty deeds including accessing pornography using city computers. Somewhere along the line he began secretly taping meetings between himself, the city service director, and Mayor Wallace. Payback for his suspension came in the form of audio tape of an Aug. 18, 2009 meeting. Lt. Hartman sent the tape to local NAACP President Royal Mayo. The audio and local media story is found here--
(Warning--possible auto play)
http://www.boomboxradio.net/...
And more local video...
http://www.boomboxradio.net/...
Mayor Phil Wallace does not intend to resign and uses some strange justification for the use racial slurs:
Wallace went on to say that his granddaughter was murdered in 1996 by a black male and while that incident doesn't shape his opinion of all black people as a whole, it is a feeling and a memory that sticks with him.
But, he said he doesn't feel that it shapes his opinion or affects his treatment of black people.
Wallace also said that he isn't planning on resigning his position as mayor because of this incident.
http://timesleaderonline.com/...
Edited to correct local media links.