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1 - Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 13,427
Is This True?
Pennsylvania mayor asked to resign over racist Facebook posts
YORK, Pa. – The mayor of a tiny central Pennsylvania town is being asked to resign over racist posts on his Facebook page, including two depicting apes with captions referring to President Barack Obama and his family, and one referring to lynching.
One image on the Facebook page of West York Mayor Charles Wasko is of a wagon or wheelbarrow full of orangutans June 18, including the caption, "Aww ... moving day at the Whitehouse has finally arrived." The wheelbarrow has the slogan "Kenya or bust" on it.
Another picture of a grinning chimpanzee doesn't have a caption, but a comment posted on the mayor's page on Feb. 14 says, "Most think it is Obama's picture......sorry its Moochelles baby photo" — an apparent reference to First Lady Michelle Obama.
A Feb. 5 post, showing actor Clint Eastwood peering through a hangman's noose in what appears to be a movie still from the 1960s, has the caption, "Barry, This rope is for you. You wanna bring that empty chair over here!"
Wasko was elected mayor of the borough of roughly 4,500 residents about 100 miles west of Philadelphia in 2013. Running unopposed as a Republican, he tallied 202 votes, against 78 write-in ballots for others.
Council members on both sides of the political aisle called for Wasko to resign after the York Dispatch first reported the posts Wednesday, as did Sandra Thompson, who heads the NAACP based in nearby York, a separate city that serves as the county seat. She said the posts were "obviously ignorance and racism."
"Now that York NAACP has been made aware, we will be seeking to take action, because his obvious bias against black people has an effect on all his constituents, which he seems to forget includes black people," Thompson said.
The borough's population was roughly 86 percent white in the 2010 census and 12 percent black.
Wasko didn't respond to a Facebook message from The Associated Press and wasn't answering his home telephone Thursday. Reached by the York Daily Record on Wednesday night, Wasko dismissed the concerns as "bulls--- that's going on up at the borough office."
Wasko isn't paid as mayor and votes only to break ties on the council. But he also oversees the police department in the borough, where the acting chief, Matthew Millsaps, said he was "disturbed" by the images.
"This in no way reflects the ideology of this department," Millsaps said, noting the department has a Hispanic man and black woman among its eight officers.
Council president Shawn Mauck said he doesn't know what to say about the posts. "I kind of want to throw up," Mauck said.
Councilwoman Shelley Metzler was more blunt, saying, "I would punch him in the mouth if I could get away with it."
The council members plan to ask Wasko to resign at their next meeting on Monday.
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
- Rongone
- Sentient Being
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- From: Keeping Calm, Sailing On
- Registered: 1/31/2015
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Re: Is This True?
Yeah, it's true.
I believe Wasko is a hard core Drumpf supporter.
- tennyson
- Exchanger
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- Registered: 2/06/2015
- Posts: 6,654
Re: Is This True?
Yes, York is still part of Pennsyltucky ! 
Last edited by tennyson (9/29/2016 5:19 pm)
"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
- Conspiracy Theory
- Dark Overlord
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- Registered: 1/30/2015
- Posts: 1,396
Re: Is This True?
They have the mayor they deserve.
He didn't just become a racist jackass when the article was posted. If anyone had taken the time they could have seen for themselves.
Although, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that they have the mayor they want.
If you make yourself miserable trying to make others happy that means everyone is miserable.
-Me again
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- Tarnation
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- From: Upstream where water's clean
- Registered: 1/29/2015
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Re: Is This True?
If the County of York needed an enema it would be a tough choice of whether to place the tube in West York, North York, or York Haven.
West York has always been squirrely. A couple decades ago the newspaper had a picture of former Mayor Slenker hunched over moving his chair (with his rump firmly attached) back to the Council table from which the Council had banished him.
Then there was the feud between an elected official and the Boro PD over the unlicensed and uninspected vehicles he had parked all over the streets. Seems he was using the public streets as an extension of his car lot.
More recently there was the lesbian part-time police officer who made illegal recordings of her partner....not sure the whys and wherefores but she was appropriately terminated.
So it's just politics as usual in West York.
The freak show at the Fairgrounds is entirely in West Manchester Township.
Life is an Orthros.
- flowergirl
- Exchanger
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- Registered: 2/03/2015
- Posts: 1,840
Re: Is This True?
This is the first I've heard of this despicable behavior. Aside from the fact that this man has no business serving in any public office, if he has no say-so in the borough's affairs except to break a tie nor does he receive any compensation why does West York even have a mayor? This is another example of Pennsylvania's asinine politics. If I lived in or anywhere near West York borough I'd be embarrassed that this man represents in some way the borough.
- Tarnation
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Re: Is This True?
At least West York has contested elections. There are some Boros--Seven Valleys and Windsor come immediately to mind--where few people ever file paperwork to appear on the ballot and the elections are largely determined by write-ins.
The only qualifications for office are financial disclosure form and one more vote than one's opponent.
Life is an Orthros.
- flowergirl
- Exchanger
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Re: Is This True?
Isn't there some sort of PA or national conference or organization for mayors that this guy would or could attend? I wonder who pays for that and if he attends is he an embarrassment?
- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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Re: Is This True?
Tarnation wrote:
At least West York has contested elections. There are some Boros--Seven Valleys and Windsor come immediately to mind--where few people ever file paperwork to appear on the ballot and the elections are largely determined by write-ins.
The only qualifications for office are financial disclosure form and one more vote than one's opponent.
I'll give you credit for looking for the silver lining in this thing.
Was this man's racism widely known when he ran for office?
Last edited by Goose (9/30/2016 5:44 am)
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
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Thread Starter- Tarnation
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Re: Is This True?
Isn't there some sort of PA or national conference or organization for mayors that this guy would or could attend? I wonder who pays for that and if he attends is he an embarrassment?
There is a state association of Boroughs and Townships but it is up to each municapality to decide whether or not to join, which officials become members; and if conferences are attended, who are the representatives and who bears the cost. The entitities which participate generally budget for the conferences using tax money.
Life is an Orthros.