Cobb officials critical of commissioner's comments

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | April 07, 2008 | JEREMY REDMON

[Melissa 24]

Cobb County commissioners voiced support of county employees Monday in reaction to an inflammatory speech fellow Commissioner Annette Kesting gave at a Marietta church recently.

"It is unfortunate that commissioner Kesting would comment on race and religion, which has no bearing on how our employees perform their duties and serve the public," Commissioner Helen Goreham said Monday morning.

Commissioner Tim Lee said of Kesting's remarks: "It is safe to say, I don't share her point of view on the employees or the work environment."

An official with the Anti-Defamation League called Kesting's comments "unfortunate."

"Some of her remarks sounded offensive to me," said Bill Nigut, southeast director of the Anti-Defamation League, "but I wish we would just get past just reacting and find a way to deal with discussing race in an environment free from accusation."

Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Marietta had invited Kesting, the county's first black commissioner, to speak as part of the church's 21st Annual Black History Celebration.

But in a rambling half-hour speech, Kesting decided to touch on other topics as well, including what it is like to work in the county government headquarters.

In an interview last week, she stood by her comments, but later softened her position.

"I love my enemies. I pray every day with my enemies because I have to go up on the third floor and work with white women," she said in her Feb. 17 speech, which was captured on a video for sale at the 1,200-member church.

[Melissa 24]

*snip* Kesting, the lone Democrat on the county board, said she had been "lied on" and "talked about" as commissioner and added that she senses "evilness" surrounding her when she goes into the office.

[Godwin1]

The Dirty Little Secret or the Truth We Dare not Say: Racism has become Unfashionable and Unacceptable among most white Americans, including virtually all white Americans with the advantages of higher education. But overt racism is rampant at all levels of African-American society: they don't even feel obliged to hide it. All one need do is read Obama’s 1995 autobiography, in which he describes how he turned on his own white family to establish his Black credentials. We have come to accept this, the reason perhaps, that Obama’s book has not become a major, career ending scandal. The tragedy of low expectations. How sad.

[PAR35]

She’s filed bankruptcy twice in the last 6 months or so.
http://www.mdjonline.com/content/index/showcontentitem/area/1/section/15/item/108972.html