Leisa and Mary Garris, two sisters, were waiting for AAA when Susan Westwood, now dubbed “South Park Susan,” harassed them in a racist stupor. The sisters allege that Westwood harassed them verbally and used offensive language.
Eventually, the women started filming her. The video went viral, perhaps because of an especially disgusting statement from Westwood, where she says, “What are we gonna talk about tonight? Being hot, being beautiful, being white?"
Westwood told the women she makes $125,000 a year. (Spectrum Cable, her former employer, has fired Westwood since the video has gone viral.)
Westwood accused the sisters of selling drugs. She asked if they were visiting a “baby daddy.”
She ranted that the women did not “belong” there. (Leisa lives in the apartment complex).
In the video, Westwood can be heard asking if she needs to bring out her concealed weapon.
Westwood faced charges for assaulting and threatening the two women. Police also issued a misdemeanor warrant for her misuse of 911, as she falsely claimed people near her home were trying to break into nearby houses.
“There are folks that are trying to break in. They’re trying to get in the apartments,” Westwood told the dispatcher. “They are actually people that I’ve never seen here before — but they are African American.”
“There is no car broken down,” Westwood continued to the dispatcher. “Nobody breaks their car down in the best part of society . . . unless they’re looking for money... I don’t mean to be mean and rude and awful, but we need to get them out of here.”
Police were not able to find her initially, but she has since turned herself in at the Sunset Beach Police Department. Shortly thereafter, she was brought to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Department, where she was served with four criminal summons and the misdemeanor warrant.
Westwood has since been released on a $500 bond, and is due in court on December 19, according to court records.
Leisa called 911 during and after the incident. In some calls to the dispatcher, Westwood’s voice comes through as she screams in the background of the call. “The lady keeps coming out here and harassing me still,” Leisa said in the call. “I don’t know what to do still. The lady was pushing me in my face.”
While it’s a relief to see white racists finally face some backlash for their abhorrent behavior, whether it’s social media shaming or, like in Westwood’s case, losing their jobs, the fact that racism runs as strong today as it ever did is a shame on the whole country.
Get out the vote: Download the VoteWithMe app to see which friends live in swing districts and need your reminder to vote.
Not sure where to vote? Find your polling place on Vote.org.
