TBD on Ning
Tenn. mayor claims Obama blocked 'Peanuts' special
ARLINGTON, Tenn. (AP) - The mayor of a suburban Memphis city accused President Barack Obama of deliberately timing his speech about the war in Afghanistan this week to block the airing of the "Peanuts" Christmas television special.
According to The Commercial Appeal, Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman posted the statements on his Facebook page and said the president is Muslim. Obama is Christian.
"We sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose," he wrote, according to the newspaper.
Wiseman downplayed the posting when contacted by the newspaper Thursday. He did not immediately return phone calls from The Associated Press on Friday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
ARLINGTON, Tenn. (AP) - The mayor of a suburban Memphis city accused President Barack Obama of deliberately timing his speech about the war in Afghanistan this week to block the airing of the "Peanuts" Christmas television special.
According to The Commercial Appeal, Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman posted the statements on his Facebook page and said the president is Muslim. Obama is Christian.
"We sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose," he wrote, according to the newspaper.
Wiseman downplayed the posting when contacted by the newspaper Thursday. He did not immediately return phone calls from The Associated Press on Friday.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A response from The Commercial Appeal, Memphis TN
In an effort to separate itself from the controversial comments made by Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman on his Facebook page, the town issued a statement Monday on its Web site saying the mayor's views do not reflect the town's official ideas and beliefs.
And Monday afternoon, Wiseman sent an e-mail to the news media that read in part:
"Regarding all of the reports about my recent Facebook remarks, I want to take this opportunity to say how much I regret that I offended anyone with my poor attempt at tongue-in-cheek humor amongst friends. While my comments were certainly blown way out of proportion, I do recognize that I allowed things to go too far."
Last week, Wiseman created a national media firestorm after posting several negative comments about President Barack Obama on his Facebook page, claiming the president's speech about the war in Afghanistan was deliberately scheduled at the same time as the "Peanuts" television Christmas special.
Wiseman also attacked the President, his supporters and declared Obama to be a Muslim.
In response, the town's updated Web site now notes: "The views of Russell Wiseman, Mayor of the Town of Arlington, expressed on his Facebook account do not reflect an official position of the Town of Arlington.
"His comments were not made on a Town computer, or using Town computer services. The Town recognizes Barack Obama as the President of the United States, and in accordance with the Constitution, recognizes both the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. We welcome all law abiding people to our town.
"We do not discriminate and we provide essential services to all Town of Arlington people without regard to their religion, race, color, age, gender, sex or national origin."
Arlington superintendent Ed Haley said the post was meant to ensure people that the town doesn't discriminate.
"Unfortunately I don't think (his posts) were meant to hurt anybody, but it didn't come out that way," Haley said.
In Wiseman's note, he admitted to not liking Obama and that "I'm afraid I let my frustrations and my sarcastic and joking nature get the best of me and so I egged and goaded them (Obama supporters) on within the confines of what I considered at the time to be a semi-private conversation among friends."
Although there is no town policy banning elected officials from joining social networking sites, Haley said town employees are prohibited from visiting such sites during work hours. Wiseman's comments were posted after work from his home.
In the aftermath, hundreds of supporters and critics have expressed their opinions online.
Last Friday, Wiseman had deleted his own Facebook account, but two new pages have been put up -- Support Russell Wiseman and Tell Russell Wiseman To Respect Charlie Brown And Our President.
The Web site sarahpalinrussellwiseman2012.com also was created in support of Wiseman.
"I trust that we have probably all experienced things getting out of hand from time to time, and I do regret it," Wiseman said.
"I also take some measure of comfort in knowing that the people who know me best... understand that I am a progressive and tolerant person who believes wholeheartedly in the rights and equality of all people."
According to The Commercial Appeal, Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman posted the statements on his Facebook page and said the president is Muslim. Obama is Christian.
"We sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose," he wrote, according to the newspaper.
Wiseman downplayed the posting when contacted by the newspaper Thursday. He did not immediately return phone calls from The Associated Press on Friday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
ARLINGTON, Tenn. (AP) - The mayor of a suburban Memphis city accused President Barack Obama of deliberately timing his speech about the war in Afghanistan this week to block the airing of the "Peanuts" Christmas television special.
According to The Commercial Appeal, Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman posted the statements on his Facebook page and said the president is Muslim. Obama is Christian.
"We sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose," he wrote, according to the newspaper.
Wiseman downplayed the posting when contacted by the newspaper Thursday. He did not immediately return phone calls from The Associated Press on Friday.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A response from The Commercial Appeal, Memphis TN
In an effort to separate itself from the controversial comments made by Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman on his Facebook page, the town issued a statement Monday on its Web site saying the mayor's views do not reflect the town's official ideas and beliefs.
And Monday afternoon, Wiseman sent an e-mail to the news media that read in part:
"Regarding all of the reports about my recent Facebook remarks, I want to take this opportunity to say how much I regret that I offended anyone with my poor attempt at tongue-in-cheek humor amongst friends. While my comments were certainly blown way out of proportion, I do recognize that I allowed things to go too far."
Last week, Wiseman created a national media firestorm after posting several negative comments about President Barack Obama on his Facebook page, claiming the president's speech about the war in Afghanistan was deliberately scheduled at the same time as the "Peanuts" television Christmas special.
Wiseman also attacked the President, his supporters and declared Obama to be a Muslim.
In response, the town's updated Web site now notes: "The views of Russell Wiseman, Mayor of the Town of Arlington, expressed on his Facebook account do not reflect an official position of the Town of Arlington.
"His comments were not made on a Town computer, or using Town computer services. The Town recognizes Barack Obama as the President of the United States, and in accordance with the Constitution, recognizes both the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. We welcome all law abiding people to our town.
"We do not discriminate and we provide essential services to all Town of Arlington people without regard to their religion, race, color, age, gender, sex or national origin."
Arlington superintendent Ed Haley said the post was meant to ensure people that the town doesn't discriminate.
"Unfortunately I don't think (his posts) were meant to hurt anybody, but it didn't come out that way," Haley said.
In Wiseman's note, he admitted to not liking Obama and that "I'm afraid I let my frustrations and my sarcastic and joking nature get the best of me and so I egged and goaded them (Obama supporters) on within the confines of what I considered at the time to be a semi-private conversation among friends."
Although there is no town policy banning elected officials from joining social networking sites, Haley said town employees are prohibited from visiting such sites during work hours. Wiseman's comments were posted after work from his home.
In the aftermath, hundreds of supporters and critics have expressed their opinions online.
Last Friday, Wiseman had deleted his own Facebook account, but two new pages have been put up -- Support Russell Wiseman and Tell Russell Wiseman To Respect Charlie Brown And Our President.
The Web site sarahpalinrussellwiseman2012.com also was created in support of Wiseman.
"I trust that we have probably all experienced things getting out of hand from time to time, and I do regret it," Wiseman said.
"I also take some measure of comfort in knowing that the people who know me best... understand that I am a progressive and tolerant person who believes wholeheartedly in the rights and equality of all people."
Tags: Mayor Russell Wiseman, Peanuts Christmas Special
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Permalink Reply by Boothby171 on
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I've never seen such furious back-pedaling! Fascinating!
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