Becomes new poster child for racists and the dangers of abusing workplace email
A federal judge in Montana says he was surprised to learn that a racist and misogynistic joke he e-mailed from work to friends was in turn forwarded to others and eventually to a reporter … with the judge’s name still attached.
Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull insists he is not a racist and we’ll presume that he would also deny the misogyny, but for an adult – a judge, no less — to be surprised by that turn of events in this day and age is astonishingly stupid.
You can read the “joke” on other sites, including the Great Falls (Montana) Tribune, which had no choice but to publish it because they broke the story. Let’s just say it involves the president, his mother and bestiality. If you find it funny, well, borrowing that famous line from Jeff Foxworthy, you might be a racist; if you’re tempted to pass it along using your employer’s email system, you might find yourself unemployed.
Here’s how Judge Cebull attempted to explain himself:
“It was not intended by me in any way to become public. I apologize to anybody who is offended by it, and I can obviously understand why people would be offended. … The only reason I can explain it to you is I am not a fan of our president, but this goes beyond not being a fan. I didn’t send it as racist, although that’s what it is. I sent it out because it’s anti-Obama.”
Cebull was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2001. I was no fan of Bush, and sent countless emails – some including jokes – to my friends during his presidency. But not once did I feel the need to suggest that the man’s mother might have sex with an animal.
The only thing even remotely funny in all of this is the judge feeling the need to say out loud that he didn’t intend for his email to become public.
They never do … and yet so many never learn.
