Monday, an officer of the Estherwood, La. police department received major backlash after posting an obviously racist meme on Facebook. The officer in question, Wayne Welsh, has since decided to resign. However, this decision did not come without a prior defense of his actions.
The story was originally reported by KATC after the Estherwood Police Chief walked into a call from a woman in Houston angry about the post. However, KATC did not reveal the name of the officer in question because they do not identify people in the situations unless they have been charged with a crime. Of course, that just wouldn't do, and black Twitter decided to take matters into their own hands.
A screen capture of the racist post was posted to Twitter with his name, and from there, Welsh realized that you can't just be a racist bigot without being called on it in the days of the internet. Just like you can post what you want, so can other people.
Cops: "You shouldn't fear us if you haven't done anything wrong."
Also cops: pic.twitter.com/3Ie84hhEcg
— Black Aziz Ansari ???? (@Freeyourmindkid) August 1, 2017
The post, which was offensive for several reasons, shows a white mother pushing her child's head under water and reads “When your daughters first crush is a little Negro boy.”
Yikes. While he eventually took the post down, he didn't go down without a fight.
"It's not against the law to share something on Facebook. It's social media. Internet," he posted.
oh
okay then wayne pic.twitter.com/pdoe7hbaFE
— John Cullen ???? (@nellucnhoj) August 1, 2017
"I shared somebody else's posts and everybody mad at me again," he wrote. "So Facebook police mad at me." KATC also mentions that he pulled the inevitable "race card" and claimed that people were looking to call him a "bad guy."
Finally, he gave an attempt at an apology.
"Well, I posted something on Facebook that made a lot of people mad," he wrote. "Well, I'm sorry for what happen. Ya have a blessed day."
Uh, thanks?
Anyway, to put into perspective the type of person he is (If you couldn't already tell), he posts positive posts about President Trump, he has shared posts that call women in burqas "trash bags," makes fun of Democrats, in particular, female elected officials and Michelle Obama, and make fun of overweight women and of women who receive child support.
He deleted that one, but this one's still up. Guy's a real shitbag. pic.twitter.com/GiLAPWPhXZ
— Dez (@dezanutes) August 1, 2017
Police Chief Ernest Villejoin Sr. told KATC that he had a conversation with Welsh by phone, and despite him saying that the post was an accident, the behavior wouldn't be tolerated. Welsh was scheduled to turn in his resignation Tuesday night.
You know how all of this could have been avoided? Don't be racist! But that's too hard I guess.