The social media has had success in forcing the resignation of minor government officials and minor employees for the use of racial slurs in Facebook postings. Is it not much more offensive that senior American governmental officials use racial slurs in their official capacity?
Jeffrey James Hatch, an attorney for the Veterans Administration, in official Court filings, before the Merit Systems Protection Board, (MSPB), called me a “goat herder” and a “garbage collector.” Although I am a combat veteran of the Vietnam War, what he was attempting to ridicule and demean was my senior level administrative experience working at the premier hospital in Saudi Arabia during a two decade period. “Goat herder” is an anti-Arab racial slur, just like “camel jockey.” I protested the use of this slur six times over a six month period to Judge David Brooks. He did nothing, so, unsurprisingly, Mr. Hatch again called me a “goat herder.”
I appealed the case to the full MSPB Board in Washington, DC. Ms. Susan Tsui Grundmann, Chair, fully upheld the use of racial slurs in her final decision of April 13, 2015. In part, the decision said the following:
“The appellant further argues that the administrative judge failed to respond decisively to the appellant’s complaints that the agency representative used the racial slur ‘goat herder’ and ‘garbage collector’ in reference to the appellant’s work experience.”
The decision concluded with:
“Moreover, contrary to the appellant’s additional arguments on review, we find that the ‘egregious misconduct’ of the agency’s representative does not constitute preponderant evidence that the agency violated the appellant’s statutory or regulatory veterans’ preference rights in the selection process.”…”We agree with the administrative judge’s finding that there is no dispute of material fact and that the appellant is not entitled to relief as a matter of law. We therefore deny the appellant’s petition for review.”
[Note: The #1 “dispute of material fact,” as argued in the case, is that I am NOT a “goat herder.”]
The entire decision may be read here:
MSPB Decision DE-3330-14-0364-I-1, April 13, 2015
By signing this petition, you are requesting the resignations of Jeffrey James Hatch, Judge David Brooks and Susan Tsui Grundmann, Chair, MSPB. If they do not resign, then the Honorable Jason Chaffetz, Chairman, Committee on House Oversight & Government Reform should investigate the use of racial slurs within the MSPB in official business.
ANY racial slur is offensive; in particular, though, there should be special sensitivity to the issue of American government officials using slurs that would be considered offensive in the Islamic World, including America’s own Muslim citizens. If small town mayors and teacher’s aides can be held accountable for racist slurs on Facebook, let us also hold senior administrative officials accountability when they use racial slurs in their official capacity.
