Officer Attempts to Apologize for 'Jungle Monkey' Comment

For some people, it's apparently getting increasingly hard to effectively conceal their racism, especially when it comes to dealing with the media. In a story that has emerged amid the unavoidable Gates-Crowley fiasco, Cambridge police officer Justin Barrett has somehow managed to put himself in some deep excrement.

Barrett was put on paid administrative leave after he mass-mailed a racist, bigoted e-mail to the Boston Globe and members of his National Guard unit in which he continuously referred to professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. as a "jungle monkey."

And just to reiterate how far down his throat he has swallowed his foot, here are some of Barrett's original statement's:

"If I was the officer he verbally assaulted like a banana-eating jungle monkey, I would have sprayed him in the face with OC, deserving of his belligerent noncompliance."

"I am not a racist, but I am prejudice towards people who are stupid and pretend to stand up and preach for something they say is freedom but it is merely attention, because you do not get enough of it in your little fear-dwelling circle of on-the-bandwagon followers."

"Gates is a goddamned fool, and you, the article writer, simply a poor follower and maybe worse -- a poor writer. Your article title should read 'Conduct Becoming a Jungle Monkey: Back to One's Roots.'"

Thursday night on CNN's Larry King Live, Barrett meekly attempted to do some damage control. ...

His first statement:

"My choice of words was lacking. I failed to think through the perception of what others may have based upon what I wrote. ... I sincerely apologize that these words have been received as such. I truly apologize to all involved."

When asked by Larry King whether he thought that he deserved to be suspended, Barrett chose not to answer the question and instead deflected it to his attorney with an uncomfortable gulp.

What saddens me is that the people who demonstrate this type of behavior are more remorseful for getting caught and how they "worded" their statements more so than recognizing the social implications of their actions.

How can Barrett say with a straight face, after writing such an incendiary letter, that he has "never used those words" ? The insincerity is evident and this "apology" was obviously an attempt to stave off the very likely prospect of his firing. Addressing his choice of words instead of the fact that he made a racist statement is indicative of how he feels.

Not once during his interview did he expressly give an apology directly to professor Gates or even mention him by name. What he should have done was speak to the fact that America has a long way to go as far as race relations are concerned. But it was evident, given Barrett's obvious limitations, that such a statement was beyond him.

If you cannot formulate your own words and need the assistance of an attorney concerning your own actions, then your actions leave room for question. Barrett did not vindicate himself at all in this interview. If anything, he further implicated him as racist fool.