Southern California mayor to quit over Obama watermelon e-mail

Special to the NNPA from the
Afro-American Newspapers

(NNPA)—The mayor of a small Southern California city who was criticized for sending an e-mail showing watermelons on the White House lawn said he will give up the mayoral post but remain on the City Council.

The Associated Press said Los Alamitos Mayor Dean Grose heard calls for his resignation two weeks ago after he forwarded an e-mail showing a watermelon patch on the White House lawn under the title, “No Easter egg hunt this year.”

Grose has apologized and told the media he was unaware of the racial stereotype that blacks like watermelon.

AP reported that officials in the Orange County town said Grose was expected to officially resign as mayor on March 9. But, Grose told KCAL-TV on March 6 that he intends to remain on the five-seat City Council where he was chosen to serve by fellow council members.

This is part of the March 11, 2009 online edition of Frost Illustrated.

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