Local black leaders are wondering why they haven't heard a peep out of Senator Jeff Flake after his son's racist comments, including his use of the handle "N1ggerKiller" in an online game.
After African-American activist Jarrett Maupin II told New Times Flake's apology was "half-assed," more black leaders have joined Maupin's call for Flake to meet with some members of the black community.
See also:
-Maupin: Flake's "Half-Assed" Apology Not Enough
-Flake's Son Pretends to Commit Suicide in Video
-Flake's Son Calls Himself "N1ggerKiller"
Maupin, as well as Maricopa County NAACP president Oscar Tillman, former Phoenix Vice Mayor and City Councilman Calvin Goode, state DOE deputy associate superintendent Ann Hart, and retired pastor Luther Holland have sent a letter to Flake's office, trying to get a face-to-face meeting.
It seems that they're interested in more than an apology that was e-mailed to media outlets after it was discovered that Flake's son called himself "N1ggerKiller."
"Many in our community cannot understand why Black leaders weren't contacted by you or your office after this incident became public," the letter states. "If we are a valued constituency, as you have said in the past, we certainly weren't treated like it. Learning of your apology/explanation second-hand from media reports left us, and justly so, wondering if our community matters to you at all."
Flake's 15-year-old son also made reference to a friend being a "Jew" for taking credit for a joke, used the word "faggot" many times, and made offensive comments toward other races on social media accounts, including Twitter.
"We acknowledge your apology and the fact that you regret his choice of words," the black leaders' letter says. "But Senator, we hope you can understand that it is not the words that concern us so much as it is the kinds of ideologies and values that give life to such words that gives us pause."
We'll have to wait and see if Flake takes them up on their offer.
Read the letter in its entirety below:
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Follow Matthew Hendley on Twitter at @MatthewHendley.
