Alaska Racist Emails Against Obama On State Accounts Probed

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska officials are investigating racist jokes about President-elect Barack Obama that have been circulating on state government e-mail accounts.

One of the five e-mails obtained by The Associated Press asks about the outcome of the Democrat's victory after all the time and money invested and concludes: "Another black family living in government housing!"

State officials were unaware of the e-mails until asked about them by the AP.

Three of the racist messages were confirmed by the state's information technology division after an electronic search of the government's e-mail system, Administration Commissioner Annette Kreitzer said Wednesday.

"It's embarrassing to the state," she said.

Kreitzer said she alerted the office of Gov. Sarah Palin _ the failed Republican vice presidential candidate _ about the e-mails.

Bill McAllister, Palin's spokesman, said in an e-mail that the matter concerned individual actions taken by a handful of state employees among thousands.

"My understanding is that the Department of Administration is following up on this with the individuals who took action to forward the offensive e-mails," he said. "This is, of course, a confidential personnel and disciplinary matter that has nothing to do with the governor's office."

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The Rev. Alonzo Patterson, state chairman of the Alaska Black Leadership Conference, encouraged Palin to address the e-mails.

"They're doing that in a state setting," he said. "She should condemn it."

Officials were not releasing the names or positions of workers involved.

It appears the original e-mails were sent to state employees from outside the state system, but some state employees forwarded them.

One e-mail, with the subject line of "Night Befo Crizzmus," was forwarded dozens of times, Kreitzer said.

It was not immediately clear how many workers were involved in forwarding the e-mails.

The personnel files of state workers who circulated the jokes will be examined for a pattern of similar behavior, Kreitzer said. Discipline will be determined by past behaviors and could range from diversity training to letters of reprimand, she said.

The state was investigating whether the two other e-mails given to the AP also were in the state system, Kreitzer said.

Comments

[htd2009]

There's a reason Alaska's way the hell up there...

[helloboyd]

Racist and sexist (Clinton and Pelosi) "funny" e-mails have been common on U.S Government computers in Alaska along with images of confederate flags. The U.S. needs to integrate Alaska. The Feds are too inbred here.

[StillAmused]

A few bad apples, huh?

Where have we heard that before?

You betcha'!

[Tropiholic]

In the meantime, 0bama has been elected President and sister sarah travels around, desperate for attention,wearing stolen clothing. You tell me who is doing better!

[donbrown]

It is clear that his is one of our more backward states... on the same level as Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas, judging by test scores in its schools.

Oe almost forgets that the state was populated mainly by oil workers withou much education from the dustbowls of Oklahoma and Texas...no great shakes on the intelligence scale either.

Thus, it should surprise no one that Palin should rise in a state like that..and would raise such ignorant kids.

[rockyb26]

even if you count W as a Texan (which he isn't), Texans still aren't as uneducated as folks in Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

[Dingoangst]

Yeah boy, we Texans are a bunch of dumb bunnies. Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, Bill Moyers, Ann Richards, Chester Nimitz, Molly Ivins, J. Frank Dobie, and, of course, Willie Nelson. On and on. Yep, we can barely read. What an ignorant, bigoted person you are. And, because you are so, so dumb, Bush was born in Connecticut, high school at Andover, college in the Ivy League, DUI in Maine. We gave the little man a part-time job, the rest of the country elected him pres. He was and is a Texas poseur all along.

[jhallbo]

You forgot Bill Hicks.

[joeyfoto]

When you start counting great Texans, don't forget: Ike Eisenhower, LBJ, Tina Turner & Janis Joplin; Alan Lomax, Mary Martin; Willie Shoemaker; O. Henry, Katherine Anne Porter & Robert Rauschenberg & "Bring em'back alive" Frank Buck. I'd add Kinky Friedman, even if he was born in Chicago, he's more of a Texan than Shrub Bush.

[chazzman]

donbrown

dustbowels would be more appropriate

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

No wonder Sarah Palin wants $10,000 to look through her emails!

It's all too clear now.

[alaskanrex]

You people are clearly showing your own ignorance of Alaska and our people with your biased comments which seemed to be based on the knowledge of our one and only "face" - that of Sarah Palin. And while it is true we do have corrupt politicans, can you name a state with no corrupt politicians? Voters in our largest city, are largely oil company workers and their ilk who do vote for those criminals. But you should understand that we have over 20 indigenous Native languages spoken here and a very diverse population with many tiny villages. We did manage to oust Stevens in favor of a Dem., but our quiet voices are not supported by the Oil companies and those who come here to rape the land of its resources. Until you have lived in this environment (and let me point out that my kids were on the playground in below 0 temps yesterday), then don't criticize what you know nothing of. Believe me, we have many of your mistakes to point out as well.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

Why the hostility? People are basing their opinions on what they know - that's all. True, people may not know that much about Alaska or its people, but they are basing their opinions on the information that they have been given or obtained on their own.

Where's the harm in that?

[hortonhearsawho2]

"quite voices", well speak the hell up then...

[eraofpeace]

Thank you for your tempered response when the less restrained among us would have been spitting venom. Alaka is certainly not Sarah Palin.

[Meah]

Thanks. I read your great blogger at Mudflats, and learned lots about Alaskans when Sarah Palin was down here. Like most other places, there are good people everywhere. And there are some who don't get it. I live in California and there are terrific people here, and others who just don't know what to do with their own hate and fear.

[deebell]

Isn't Alaska the state that came this close to re-electing a convicted felon?

Sorry if you have a reputation, but it isn't like you haven't earned it.

[rosal]

After Pailin and her rallies, nothing surprises me. It seems to be in the water, or the snow.

[antaeus]

Obama should trace these folks and reach out to them. We can't always agree with everyone, but we can still honor them with a seat at the inauguration.

[realitychecks]

Nah,just get the helicopter and hunt them dwn the good old Alaska way!

[klondiker]

BINGO!

[siney]

exactly...­turn the other cheek....

[wkt20]

Maybe Obama can find the source of the emails and invite them to warm up the crowd with jokes before the Rick Warren invocation.

[kennyfasugbe]

Dude, that is taking it a little too far. Though I did not support the choice of Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration ceremony, yet, I believe PE Obama has not only a sound reason behind this, but something to gain in return in the long run in moving his agenda forward, especially regarding social matters such as the LGBT community issue.

[BigBen]

Seems like those who remember Hitler will recall how at the beginning people ignored his attitude to the Jews just as so many liberals want to ignore Obama's attitude to gay bashers.

[SailawayJane]

I had no idea Alaska was such a backwards place to live. Alaska must be so proud. Not.

[Xavieer]

Ithought there were only eskimos, seals, and bears there?????? Oh ok Sarah and her pals......­got it...anywa­y no cred in the lower 48!!!!!!

[BigBen]

Certainly no gays there.Righ­t?

[lemonyashes]

Though there are "eskimoes, seals, and bears" oh my, they are ignored by Gov. Palin.

[jcwtts1]

The best thing about Obama's win is that I can go back to ignoring everything that happens in Alaska for the rest of my life.

J

ps -well maybe not the best thing :- )

[bboyy]

Wellllllllll isn't that special,, (done is the voice of the chuch lady) wHO IS THAT, SATAN!!!!!

[elthelight]

It is so very apparent that there is an inherent sense of entitlement by the mindset that would make an insulting joke about the new "first family" after numerous decades of "whites living in government housing" . How infuriated they must be that a black family whose ancestors BUILT the white house would now be in a position to access THEIR inheritance. I am glad that God is fair and will have the last "say so" when these "superior" minds get to the pearlie gates and discover their is no "whites only" sign! Although, there is sure to be a sign that says, "No Hatemongers Allowed"!

[Norak]

"Discipline will be determined by past behaviors and could range from diversity training to letters of reprimand.­" How can there be any question that these perps should not be reprimanded in the pocket book by firing them. These are government employees, for heaven's sake, their salaries paid in part by the people they are scorning. i live in Florida, got several racist Obama e-mail "jokes,"since the Dems won, sent them back with the comment "racist and stupid." Now I am no longer on the senders' e-mail list and i'm so glad. Talk about sore losers.