HA! HA! HA!

[TripleDigitRide]

Is it wrong for me to laugh out loud at the fact this moron got himself in trouble?

For of those who don't know, Walt Baker, the CEO of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, has been doing everything in his power to ensure we are never allowed to carry our guns in restaurants that serve alcohol.

Racist e-mail lands local businessman in hot water - WKRN, Nashville, Tennessee News, Weather, and Sports |

Racist e-mail lands local businessman in hot water

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - After accusations of racism and calls for him to step down, a prominent local businessman says he's sorry for forwarding a controversial email.

Walt Baker, the CEO of the Tennessee Hospitality Association, is at the center of controversy after forwarding an e-mail that compared First Lady Michelle Obama to a chimpanzee.

Metro Councilman Walter Hunt said he started to get phone calls about the e-mail on Friday.

"I don't know what he was thinking," Hunt told News 2, "and the people who got [the e-mail] said I don't think it's funny."

"It was demeaning, insulting, racist -- not only to her, but to every citizen in the city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee," said Hunt.

Walt Baker initially brushed off the e-mail controversy, telling the Nashville Scene on Friday it was in good fun, but on Saturday he apologized.

"It was wrong, my initial reaction to the story was wrong," Baker told News 2. "It was stupid and I am alone the responsible party in this."

"I regret my actions and I'm going to regret my actions probably forever," he added.

Baker forwarded the e-mail to several public figures in Nashville, including Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau president Butch Spyridon.

In a statement to News 2, Spyridon said:

"Nashville's hospitality industry has worked tirelessly to create a welcoming environment for our visitors and this behavior discredits the work done by so many. After serious consideration, the [Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau] has made the decision to terminate its contract with Mr. Baker's marketing agency, Mercatus Communications.

Baker tells News 2 that the board of the Tennessee Hospitality Association will meet Monday afternoon to discuss his future as CEO of the group, which lobbies in Nashville and Washington, D.C. on behalf of the state's hospitality industry.

Metro Councilman Walter Hunt says the damage to Tennessee's reputation has already been done, and believes that Baker should step down as CEO.

This isn't the first time Tennesseans and forwarded emails have gotten them in hot water.

Tennessee legislative staffers had to undergo diversity training after Sherri Goforth, administrative assistant to state senator Diane Black (R-Gallatin), made national headlines in June of 2009 for forwarding a picture showing all of the United States presidents.

In the space that would hold President Barack Obama's picture, there were two cartoon white eyes on a black background.

[enfield]

Yeah, it's wrong.

The Left is using race to silence any criticism of the government, and also any others who step out of line. I don't know what Baker did to upset them, but Senator Byrd wouldn't have been criticized for the same act.

Being called a racist is becoming a badge of honor to those who oppose the Left.

Just my humble opinion and not that of TGO.

Edited March 8, 2010 by enfield

[Il Duce]

im not racist but i dont agree with this

"It was demeaning, insulting, racist -- not only to her, but to every citizen in the city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee," said Hunt.

it means absolutely nothing to me.

[Guest Caveman]

Not at all, that is hilarious. What a retard. I want to see the email

[nightrunner]

I want to see the pic. LOL

[Almond27]

Sounds like he used poor judgement. If your a CEO of a company/organization you shouldn't be sending out controversial email's never know what might happen.

[brooksjr]

I want to see the pic. LOL

They showed them on the news last night.

Please delete if these aren't appropriate

Edited March 7, 2010 by brooksjr

[Worriedman]

Tennessee Hospitality Association

Isn't that Randy Rayburn and Adam Dread's group?

[craglawnmanor]

Yep, Baker's a moron.

But we already knew that. This controversy just sped up the general populations' realization of that fact.

[Guest Caveman]

They showed them on the news last night.

Please delete if these aren't appropriate

That's hilarious!

[Il Duce]

wtf is wrong with that? theres one floating around of GWB as well. you dont see white people throwing a tantrum over it

[Guest bkelm18]

While I do consider the photo to be tasteless, I don't see it as racist.

[USMCJG]

If anyone should be insulted, it's the chimp.

[Guest pjblurton]

If anyone should be insulted, it's the chimp.

+1

[Bigiron]

+1

[Guest m&pc9]

+3

[Mike.357]

she looks like Cheetah, he looks like Curious George.

What's the problem?

[Guest cjr]

I don't see anything racist about the pic.Offensive to her I'm sure,freekin hilarious to me.I can't believe how much they look alike,if the chimp had a tan they could pass as twins!!

[DaveTN]

I think it’s funny.

It was a bad choice on his part. But I have to believe that someone was already looking for a reason to get rid of him. But hey… if you can play the race card no one can question your motives without being called out as a racist themselves.

[Smith]

I definitely see where in a PC climate such as ours that this is not going to go over well, even if people don't understand why. Like it's been said, GW had a lot of the sam eones done of him and nobody thought to much of it. Like Rhambo has said, there's nothing like a good "crisis" to exploit.

[Yikes!]

OMG! I never realized that this was a racist slam too!

Google Image Result for http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/l/7/bush_chimp.jpg

[Steelharp]

Baker... lol... I hope they hand him his a$$ and throw it in the street... he deserves it...

[Loon160T]

He got canned.

Hospitality Assoc. fires CEO Walt Baker (WKRN)

TN Hospitality Association fires CEO Walt Baker for sending chimp e-mail (Tennessean)