CEO Loses Job Over First Lady as Chimp E-Mail

I can already hear the cries of some pinheads apologizing for public relations executive Walt Baker, who lost his job for forwarding a racist e-mail about First Lady Michelle Obama: Don't we have free speech in America? Should a guy lose his job for a little harmless joke? His e-mail didn't hurt anyone, so why all the fuss? Why are black people so thin-skinned?

To those who would make those paper-thin arguments, understand one thing:

Baker didn't lose his job because of his beliefs on race. In his off hours, he could prance around his home in a Klansman's robe for all anyone cares.

Racism alone didn't bring Baker down. Stupidity did. And not just your everyday brand of stupidity. I'm talking STUPIDITY.

In firing Baker, the Tennessee Hospitality Association and the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association came to the wise decision that if a CEO doesn't understand that forwarding an e-mail comparing the First Lady to a chimp as extremely hazardous to your career, then he probably shouldn't be running their campaign.

We are talking about public relations, after all.

In an interview, Baker offered an apology to those offended and said he never thought of himself as a racist nor as racially insensitive.

If you say so.

In most situations, being a racist alone can't get you fired, but letting people know you might be one can be hazardous to your financial health. Baker was too slow-witted to have understood that memo.

I know Baker wasn't the only person on the planet to forward the Mrs. Obama-as-chimp e-mail to friends.

Like it or not, sharing an off-color, racist or sexist joke is as American as apple pie, but if you have something to lose, as Baker did, you had better be very careful about how you express your freedom of speech.

It would be nice if we as a people could merely shrug our shoulders in response to an e-mail like Baker's. But the overt and subtle racism many black folks face every day in offices run by the Walt Bakers of the world won't allow for that response just yet.