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Hairfield apologizes for forwarding e-mail joke

Jennifer Frew | The News Herald

Rob Hairfield at Monday's Board of Education meeting where board members voted 4-2 to terminate Superintendent David Burleson's contract.

Burke County School Board Controversy

More articles about the Burke County School Board Controversy

By Steve Welker | The News Herald

Published: April 21, 2009

MORGANTON - Burke County school board member Rob Hairfield of Morganton on Tuesday issued a public apology for forwarding a racist joke via his personal e-mail account.
"I sincerely apologize to all individuals, especially the black community, for any unintentional offense that I may have caused them and ask for their forgiveness," Hairfield wrote. (See full statement below.)
In an interview, Hairfield also confirmed that he forwarded other jokes and photos, ones he described as political or as comments on issues such as national health care.
The News Herald received five photocopied printouts, but no actual digital versions, of e-mails sent from "rhairfield@compascable.net," Hairfield's own e-mail account. The oldest is dated Sept. 27, 2008; the most recent, Feb. 26, 2009.
The News Herald also received a two-page, laser-printed flyer, mailed April 11, headlined, "N.C. Burke County Public Schools Board Member Rob Hairfield a Racist? Is his conduct acceptable? Decide for yourself."
Hairfield's statement of apology specifically refers to that letter and the e-mail it reproduces.
The e-mail's subject (and its first line) says, "Might be a racist joke but it's still funny." Hairfield emphatically denies he wrote that; he said he simply forwarded it.
The joke concerns two boys, one African-American and one Mexican, riding on a descending airplane. It includes a racial epithet (the "N" word) and a derogatory slang word referring to Mexicans.
Hairfield believes that someone, acting anonymously, distributed the flyer including the names and contact information for the governor's office, the N.C. School Boards Association, the local and state NAACP offices, two mayors and two state legislators. It also states, "The last thing we need is one of our publically (sic) elected leaders creating racial tensions and giving our students cause to protest and teachers cause to organize a labor union!"
Hairfield responded, "This whole thing is, we're going to discredit this guy, we're going to ruin him, we're going to force him to resign because he didn't go along with what the 'inner circle' wanted to do."
"And I'm not going to resign," he added.
Hairfield's apology doesn't mention any other e-mails.
"I felt like it's best to make this as simple, open and honest as I can make it," he said. "I've made a good-faith effort (to apologize) and people are either going to accept it or reject it."
One of the e-mails, titled "New soup!" shows a mocked-up ad for "Obama condensed soup" made "with 100% liberal crap" and "commie corn." It includes a distorted photo of President Obama with grossly enlarged ears.
"That's just a cartoon," Hairfield said. "It's like anything. You just flip 'em out, you know. I mean, I'm sure that people send e-mails, jokes or things like that, all the time. It doesn't mean that this is my implied personal feelings or this is what I think."
Another e-mail shows a composited photo of Obama with a shoe-shine kit, kneeling in front of Sarah Palin.
Hairfield said he recalled the e-mail, but not whether he forwarded it.
"I can't remember everything I've ever forwarded to anybody," he said.
An e-mail captioned "I'm confused," asks, "How can 2 million blacks get into Washington, D.C., in sub-zero temps in 1 day when 200,000 couldn't get out of New Orleans at 85 degrees with four days notice?"
"I remember that one, too, yes, talking about the difference between Katrina in New Orleans and ... referring to the inauguration," Hairfield said. "Again, it's a joke. I'm not going to sit here and deny I forwarded jokes."
Hairfield emphasized, "I don't have anything against Obama. I don't have anything against black people."
Since the mailed flyer appeared, Hairfield said he has had no other calls from friends or associates about its contents.

To the people of Burke County...
Editor's note: Rob Hairfield of Morganton, who is a member of the Burke County Board of Education, on Tuesday issued the following prepared statement:

Early this month I received a phone call from a friend saying they had gotten a letter in the mail dated April 11, 2009, that said Rob Hairfield, board member of the Burke County Board of Education, sent an e-mail that contained racial slurs.
I didn't recall sending any e-mail of that type. However, when a copy of the e-mail, dated Feb. 24, 2009, was shown by my friend to me, it was evident that I had forwarded something that was inappropriate, but it was totally unintentional. I receive many e-mail jokes and, like many others, I forwarded it after just scanning it by hitting "forward" and it was sent out.
I did not write the joke, nor did I write the caption in the subject box.
I have lived here in Burke County for over 56 years and have had good relationships with those with special needs and various ethnic groups and never have I had an accusation of this type in my entire life. Over the years I have developed a good relationship with the black community and several members of their leadership and have admired, respected and participated in their activities such as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dinner that I attended in 2007 and 2009.
Another example is when I helped a lady in the black community whose son had dropped out of school due to a personal problem. I helped him through that situation, and then introduced him to the Western Piedmont Community College Continuing Education program so he could continue to work on his high school diploma.
I sincerely apologize to all individuals, especially the black community, for any unintentional offense that I may have caused them and ask for their forgiveness.

Rob Hairfield