Pin the Tail

Health Ins. VP sends Obama Hate-mail on Company Account

Read the story on blogger Hart Williams’ blog: His Vorpal Sword. Warning: there are disturbing and hideous images.

Williams details the story of a pathetic Hylant Insurance Vice President who sent racist emails from his company email address. This story has local connections to Bloomington– the company just got recognized at a Chamber of Commerce annual meeting.

This story was detailed in the Herald-Times by reporter Mike Leonard. exec%e2%80%99s-e-mail-on-obama-termed-%e2%80%98very-disturbing%e2%80%99-heraldtimesonlinecom.pdf

On Friday, as a concerned citizen, Mr. Fluck Mill personally contacted City Council President Andy Ruff to ask if the city might take a position about Hylant…Mr. Fluck Mill also talked with other folks with City of Bloomington. Today the news reports that the City of Bloomington will cut ties with Hylant for 2010. Kudos to the city leaders. Thank you for not tolerating racism and for not being soft. Thank you, City of Bloomington, for making a definitive statement.

We should expect the same from County Gov leaders in the event that Hylant is a middleman for any insurance arrangements. I hope County Gov will similarly cut ties.

Having just participated in a vibrant weekend of activities with the IU Asian Cultural Center, IU Asian Alumni Association, and the First IU-Purdue Asian-American Studies Graduate Studies Conference, I am troubled that while we make strides towards striving towards a zenith for diversity awareness on campus…here, in the community, there are still plenty of insidiously corrosive incidents of foul racism. And how ironic that workplace racism makes news while the beautiful Lotus Festival took place.

And how disappointing it is that racism in a workplace is brushed off with a tepid response: Christy Gillenwater, executive director of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, said it was unfortunate that a questionable e-mail was circulated at the same time the Hylant Group won its Business of the Year award and said she saw no connection between the two. “We were not privy to that information and that would seem to be a private matter,” she said. “The award went to the company and it’s a well-regarded company. We’re thrilled to have them recognized as our Large Business of the Year.”

It is sadly illuminating to read that paragraph from the H-T coverage. I’ve read it over and over and it troubles me.

Depreciating the impact of racism and racist images as a “private matter” strikes me as a superficial response revealing either a lack of care– or a passive endorsement of the material—should we be surprised that the Chamber has not seized a “teachable moment” to take a leadership position towards being a part of eradicating ignorance about racism? I don’t know the answer. What do you think?