Dear Editor,
Calling the First Lady of the USA an ‘ape in heels’ has gone round the world. I’d never heard of Clay County over here in England but I have an idea of it now.
These comments degrade America. I hope that the decent thing will be done to clear your county’s name.
Yours sincerely,
Aidan Turner-Bishop
Lancashire
England
Dear Editor,
After Donald Trump’s election it’s now okay for people to say whatever they want. Pamela Ramsey Taylor is a racist and the Mayor of Clay thought her comment about Michelle Obama was okay. It is not okay to treat or say that about anyone, let alone the First Lady of the US.
Cara Cross
Tacoma, WA
Dear Editor,
Good morning! Just wanted to send well wishes your way, and wishing the Clay City Council a most productive meeting tonight. It will be good for them to have a discussion about the inappropriate comments of Clay’s mayor. You guys are on the Bing search engine now, so this might bring lots of eyes to your town from all over the place. Just hoping conversations will be framed and presented to help younger generations understand why the comments were unkind and inappropriate — the greater disservice will be to allow them to think that leaders they should be able to look up to are correct in speaking in this manner of others. Best wishes and looking forward to reading the results of the meeting.
Thanks!
Mary Beth Brown
Seattle, WA
Dear Editor,
My local paper, the Salt Lake Tribune, carried the article about the outrageous, bigoted comment made about First Lady Michelle Obama by your Clay County Development Director Pamela Ramsey Taylor, whose sentiments were endorsed by your Mayor Beverly Whaling.
While I am relieved Mayor Whaling and Ms. Taylor are no longer in office, I fervently hope and pray that their racist views are not those of your County. That there are still individuals in our great nation who would even think, let alone post, such a horrific term to describe an African American citizen is simply appalling and reprehensible – especially one who has served our country so unselfishly and with great dignity for the past eight years.
The entire nation in general and Clay County in particular should join in condemning this despicable slur.
Gay Schmid
Salt Lake City, Utah
Dear Editor,
I rarely take pen in hand to respond to things but I was shocked and saddened by the comments of both Ms. Whaling and Taylor and felt a need to do so. First, I am not a Democrat but I am an American and even though I live in Michigan I was embarrassed for Clay…for West Virginia and for America that two people in public office who make such comments. Reading in Today’s WSJ I note that both have stated that they are not RACISTS and their comments were blown out of proportion when in fact they are RACISTS and their comments were taken exactly how they meant them…they are only sorry because they got called on it.
I was delighted to read that Ms. Taylor was removed from office and Ms. Whaling has resigned so I wanted to congratulate the people of Clay for not putting up with these RACIST comments from their government officials. As an American I say……..Thank you.
Craig Platt
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Dear Editor,
If your newspaper is as racist as your mayor, Beverly Whaling, and your county official, Pamela Taylor, this letter will not see the light of day. I am from Dayton, Ohio, and I hope these two are not examples of your county!
I am a Caucasian lady from Dayton, Ohio.
I saw the very offensive post on Facebook about our beautiful First Lady, Michelle Obama, that was shared by your county official, Pamela Taylor and commented on by your mayor, Beverly Whaling. As most hidden racists, I know they would have preferred to have remained hidden. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. I think that it is important that their friends and neighbors know who they are dealing with. Along with the anger I feel, I’m also very sad for them and the example they are setting for their children, if they have children.
There’s a song from “South Pacific” that says, “You have to be taught before it’s too late, before you are six, or seven or eight, to hate all the people your relatives hate, you have to be carefully taught.”
What happened to decency, and love and acceptance? And, class! I really feel sorry for you!
Peggy Kniesly
Dayton, Ohio
