Any Connection Between Crazy Cops and Hate Radio?

Posted by Digby, Hullabaloo at 9:46 AM on August 1, 2009.

Most of you have probably already heard about the police officer in Boston who was suspended for writing an email to a reporter and then passing it on to his army buddies in which he compares Henry Louis Gates to a "jungle monkey."

But have you seen the actual email?

Officer Barrett's original e-mail

This guy is a psycho and the Boston Police are lucky that when his temper went off he just sent an email instead of shooting up the place. It was only a matter of time.

You've noticed, I'm sure, that an awful lot of what he writes sounds like boilerplate radio wingnut. It's always worried me that so many of these military and police fellows, overseas and at home, listen to that crap. 95% of those who do are perfectly capable of separating out the idiocy from the nonsense and behave like professionals. But there have to be a few who go off the rails, either with PTSD or their own personal demons.

Of course, officers like this fellow will find out who their allies are when called upon to enforce the law against a right winger. It's a one way street.

Update: This just in: the officer insists he isn't a racist. But then racists never think they are, do they? And they get really, really upset when someone says they are.

"I would like to take this opportunity to offer fellow police officers, soldiers and citizens my sincerest apology over the controversial e-mail I authored," Barrett said on CNN. "I am not a racist. I did not intend any racial bigotry, harm or prejudice in my words. I sincerely apologize that these words have been received as such. I truly apologize to all."

Fine. Now he needs to explain the rest of his psychotic utterings.

Tagged as: racism, gates, barrett, hate-jocks

Digby is the proprietor of Hullabaloo.