Beverly Whaling was compelled to step down as the mayor of Clay in West Virginia. After an online petition seeking to move her out of office hit over 150,000 backers calling for her resignation. Calls for her resignation were sparked by what would seem as her condoning of racist remarks made on the outgoing FLOTUS Michelle Obama.
Whaling’s comment of “Just made my day Pam” on Pamela Ramsey Taylor post on Facebook of Michelle Obama’s picture in the White House with the captions:
‘It will be so refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady back in the White House. I’m tired of seeing an Ape in heels.”
Ramsey Taylor was the director of a local government-funded charity program, Clay County Development Corp. But has since been removed from her position due to the above racist remarks on Michelle Obama.
Mayor Whaling, as a public figure expected to uphold higher moral ground, has also stepped down from her position. Following her comment on the post that could be interpreted to condoning racism. There were public outcries and an online petition demanding her resignation. The petition worked, and Whaling stepped down as the mayor.
Whaling’s comments have since been deleted from the post, and in a statement to the Washington Post, she defended herself as follows:
“My comment was not intended to be racist at all. I was referring to my day being made for change in the White House!
I am truly sorry for any hard feeling this may have caused! Those who know me know that I’m not of any way racist! Again, I would like to apologize for this getting out of hand!
As expected, social media was a buzz of activity following this event.