(Potentially relevant link)

The Beaufort County board. Whee!

The county commissioner, Hood Richardson is known for his infantile behavior, but from time to time he stops with the tantrums long enough to make a few racist remarks.

Recently, the DSS has wanted to add more employees, and Richardson commented, 'One manager is worth 10 000 coolies out there with wicker baskets'.

Apparently, this didn't raise moral among the 'coolies' at DSS. So nine days later, at the May 26 meeting, he had some more to say:

First of all, no one should believe everything they see printed in the newspaper in the context that it's put in. Spin, spin, spin. Secondly, I made those comments as part of a discussion where Social Services was asking for more and more employees to some into the agency at the bottom of the ladder. I was just trying to point out that they should combine some of these low-wage jobs and request more skilled employees.
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It's management skills that get the work done. Thus, my comment, and I'll repeat it: One intellect, one good manager, is worth 10 000 coolies. And that's not a disparaging statement. In no way is that a disparaging statement.

I've also heard that last year Richardson made an issue of one of his opponents in the election being married to a Muslim, but I have no quotes of that.

Of course, he's hardly alone. Last year, Chairman Tetterton referred to the two black commissioners as the minority boys, and commissioner Cochran commented 'Wouldn't it be easy to be black?' when one of the 'minority boys' missed a meeting.

I love Eastern North Carolina.