The Rev. Timothy Tyler, pastor of Shorter Community AME Church, reads a letter Wednesday calling on Gov. John Hickenlooper to apologize for sexually suggestive remarks he made. (Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post)
Black leaders scolded Gov. John Hickenlooper for making sexual innuendos when he introduced his lieutenant governor and Denver's mayor, saying they could not give him a pass on such a serious issue.
Although Hickenlooper got laughs when he flubbed his introductions of Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia and Mayor Michael Hancock, two black leaders said at a news conference at the Capitol on Wednesday that it was no laughing matter.
"Those of us who believe in decency and respect are not amused," said the Rev. Timothy Tyler, pastor of Shorter Community AME Church in Denver.
"Everything in my personal and professional life would be in vain if I sat silently while our elected officials of color in this great state are turned into
sexual objects right before my very eyes."At a Colorado Business Committee for the Arts luncheon Tuesday, Hickenlooper reminded the 630 guests that the mayor's wife, Mary Louise Lee, is an award-winning vocalist.
"We read about how President Obama sings to Michelle in the shower," Hickenlooper began. "So, you can just imagine what the mayor gives his wife in the shower. Uh, I mean what SHE gives him in the shower. ..."
The crowd laughed, and the Hickenlooper blooper, coming just a week after he called Garcia a "sex star," lit up social media.
"Fun new auction item: a saucy intro from Hick!" one Republican posted on Twitter.
But Brother Jeff Fard, executive director of Brother Jeff's Cultural Center, said the remark played into a long history about sexualizing blacks. Both the mayor and his wife are black.
Fard and Tyler stressed that Hickenlooper is not racist, but they believed something needed to be said.
"We thought it was important to come forward today because we feared that if no one came and said anything about these comments that it would just pass on by and the governor would get a pass," Tyler said. "And we just cannot let that happen."
Tyler delivered a letter to the governor's office, asking for a public apology and inviting Hickenlooper to his church. The governor was out of state Wednesday.
"We appreciate the concerns voiced by the pastors," Hickenlooper spokesman Eric Brown said. "Of course, the governor didn't intend anything bad toward Mayor Hancock or Mary Louise. He simply put his foot in his mouth."
Hancock's spokeswoman, Amber Miller, said the governor had apologized and that the mayor and his wife "completely understand Gov. Hickenlooper's comments were an honest mistake."
A week ago, when introducing Garcia to a group of 40 elementary-school students during a Literacy Week event, the governor referred to his colleague as "that rising sex star."
After some awkward laughter, Hickenlooper corrected himself: "Symbol. I mean, symbol ? not star."
Hickenlooper frequently refers to Garcia as a "rock star," so that kind of slip-up might have been understandable. But he had joked moments earlier that Garcia was a "sex symbol," an unusual moniker at an event with young students.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or lbartels@denverpost.com
whitney houston passed away cnn heartbreak hotel don cornelius whitney houston i will always love you breaking news whitney houston carmen
No comments:
Post a Comment