Wednesday, February 11, 2009

UAB Employee Sends Racist, Anti-Obama E-Mail

An employee at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) used her work computer to send a racist e-mail that mocks President Barack Obama and other prominent Democrats.

The e-mail's content is a crude take-off on the classic poem "The Night Before Christmas," and its transmission using state-owned equipment is a clear violation of UAB's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). It remains unclear if the university has taken any disciplinary action in the matter.

The racist poem, which is available in different versions on the Internet, begins:

Wus da night afo' Crizzmus
And all thru da hood
Everybody be sleepin'
And da sleepin' be good


We hunged up our stockins
An hoped like all heck
Dat dear Ol' Obama's

Gunna brang us our checks

The poem goes on to make references to a "hoe," a "watermelon," "eight big-ass rats," and fake gold to "wear roun my neck."

The poem also makes negative references to Jesse Jackson, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and other prominent Democrats.

Legal Schnauzer contacted the office of UAB President Carol Garrison and requested an interview about the misuse of state-owned computers. Garrison has not responded to our request.

A source tells Legal Schnauzer that UAB officials were notified of the anti-Obama e-mail in early January. Does the university take it seriously when an employee uses state equipment to send a racist message? It's hard to tell.

We do know that the woman who sent the e-mail still works at UAB. Her name is Ashla Jana' Campbell, and she works as a financial associate in the Department of Pediatrics. I called Campbell yesterday morning, and when she realized the nature of my call, she hung up.

I left an after-hours voice message for her, making sure she had an opportunity to offer a comment or explanation. I've received no reply.

Examples of violations under UAB's Acceptable Use Policy include "creating, displaying, or transmitting threatening, racist, sexist, or harassing language and/or materials."

University computer and network resources may not be used for activities that "compromise the character and reputation of UAB by association."

This is the second time in less than two months that public reports have shown UAB employees violating the university's computer-use policy, with apparently little or no consequences.

In the first instance, an employee in UAB's Department of Physiology and Biophysics used her work computer to send an anti-gay e-mail to a California organization. Greg Privett, of WHNT in Huntsville, reported on that incident, and UAB spokesperson Dale Turnbough said the university had "handled" the matter. She did not say whether the employee, Pamala Gibson, had been disciplined in any way.

Here is the anti-Obama poem, in its entirety. The version we received at Legal Schnauzer was sent on December 16, 2008, at 11:55:11 a.m. (Language alert; this is pretty vile stuff):

Night Befo Crizzmus

Wus da night afo' Crizzmus
And all thru da hood
Everybody be sleepin'
And da sleepin' be good

We hunged up our stockins
An hoped like all heck
Dat dear Ol' Obama's
Gunna brang us our checks

All of da family
Was ly'in on the flo'
My sister wif her gurlfriend
And my brother wif some hoe

Ashtrays was all full
Empty beer cans and all
When I heared such a fuss
I thunk . . . "Sh'eet, it must be da law"

I pulled the sheet off da windoe
And what I'z e could see
I was spectin' the sherrif
Wif a warrent fo' me

But what did I see
Made me say, "Laaawd look at dat"
Dere was a huge watermelon
Pulled by 8 big-ass rats.

Now over all of da years
Santy Claws he be white
But it looks like us brotha's
Got a black un' tonight

Faster than a poe'lice car
My homeboy he came
And whupped up on dem rats
As he called dem by name

On Biden, On Jessie, On Polosi and Hillary Who
On Fannie, On Freddi, On Ayers, and Slick Willy too

Obama landed dat melon
Right there in da street
I knowed it fo' sho'
Can you believe that Sh'eet!

Dat Santy didn't need no chimney
He picked da lock on my doe
An I sez to myself
"Son o' bitch . . . he don did dis befoe"!

He had a big bag
Full of presents I suspeck
Wif "Air Jordans" and fake gold
To wear roun my neck

But he left me no presents
Just started stealin my shit
He got my guns and my crack
And my new burglar's kit

Den, wif my crap in his bag
Out da windoe he flew
I sho' woulda shanked him
But he snagged my knife too.

He jumped back on dat melon
Wif out even a hitch
And waz gone in two seconds
"Democrat son of a bitch"

So nex year I be hopin'
A white Santy we git
'Cause a black Santy Claws
Just ain't worf a shit!


Ashla Jana' Campbell

Financial Associate

Pediatrics Chair Office

PH (205) 996-9679

FAX (205) 934-1150

janac@peds.uab.edu

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Ambulatory Care Center
1600 7th Avenue South
ACC 608
Birmingham AL 35294-0011


At the end of the e-mail are these words: "Merry Christmas"

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, that's pretty frickin' hideous. I feel like my brain needs a scouring.

Anonymous said...

This is beyond disgusting. If I were her supervisor, Ms. Campbell would suddenly have lots of free time to forward hateful racist emails from home, but somehow I can't help feeling that her employment at UAB is secure.

Anonymous said...

What the $%$# is going on at UAB? I'm all for academic freedom, but this is political and racist ugliness that has no place on a university campus. Or anywhere for that matter, but especially not a taxpayer-funded organization.

Other than sending this person an email, what specifically do you suggest people do to voice their concerns?

legalschnauzer said...

Countrycat:
Here are several people that could be contacted:

* Carol Garrison, president of UAB
cgarrison@uab.edu; (205) 934-4636

* Malcolm Portera, chancellor of the University of Alabama System
mportera@uasystem.ua.edu; (205) 348-5861

* Finis St. John, president of the University of Alabama Board of Trustees
stjohnfe@bellsouth.net; (256) 734-3542

* Richard Lindsey, chair of Education Appropriations Committee, Alabama House of Representatives
(256) 475-3415 (home); (334) 242-7713 (office)

* Vivian Figures, chair of Education Committee, Alabama Senate
vivian.figures@al-legislature.gov; (334) 242-7871

LS

Anonymous said...

do not get stuck in the obvious LS, the set-ups by and through the CIA-Mossad are trip wires to waste a lot of time and to get people upset and ready for the planned 'revolution' ... by the Obama camp since Emanuel and he are the prime picks to usher in the 12/12/2012 AGENDA!

http://www.tpuc.org/node/538

UAB is connected to COMMON PURPOSE, therefore study Brian Gerrish at this link provided and then do your investigative reporting on the charity that just keeps on giving, as you have noted.

BiloxiM

Anonymous said...

How childish to only approve comments that agree with your warped worldview. Maybe I should just come down to 5204 Logan Dr and kick your pansy ass. Why don't you look over your shoulder for a while like my wife has had to you piece of useless shit.

legalschnauzer said...

Anon:
Or should I say "Robert." Sounds like you are making a threat. Is that how a "real man" handles his problems? Making anonymous threats. What a manly thing to do.

Why don't you write a semi-coherent response, in English, with your real name. Maybe that will work.

Anonymous said...

eventually schnauzer your going to piss off the wrong person.you write b/s about people and expect them to take it.sorry u femine pansy azz will get it

Anonymous said...

No wonder UAB let you go, you don't know english when you see it?
Real man?? does a real man harrass a woman from behind a computer. Does a real man kick that man's ass when it's his wife? you betcha I'm glad you know my name because when people ask "Who did that to your face?!" you can tell them.

Anonymous said...

I would pay to see that guy kick your ass schnauzer.You've got it comong BIG BOY

Anonymous said...

If I'm not mistaken, threatening someone's personal safety is in itself a crime. It's called making "terroristic threats" or in some other places it's called "menacing." It's a serious crime. Maybe "Robert" should learn this from his local police.

Anonymous said...

I think this is just spot on - why can't everyone laugh at things that are funny and not have to take it as anything but pure COMEDY! This is going to be the fall of America if we can not laugh as a group. Come on people, this is FUNNY !!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

this made me laugh !!!!!!!! we do need to learn to get over all this bull shi* and just laugh as a group or America will fall. Laughter is the best medicine for any problem!!!!

Anonymous said...

Where is admin?!
Thank you