Dear editor,

On Friday morning’s “Real Talk” show, I was quite disturbed to hear Mr. Mark Duke state that Bush Hog employees have no (fashion) style and no wonder they were fired. This being said while the sound of laughter from his cronies were heard in the background. This has to be the most insensitive statement I have heard this year. I know Mr. Duke claims to be from the south, but you see we southerners are taught from an early age that some things are just not funny. If he thinks that 154 hard working men and women loosing their jobs is a joke, then what is next? Snickering about someone having a miscarriage, loosing a loved one or having their house foreclosed on? Those of us that were raised with better manners know that some things should never be the subject of a joke, no matter what spin you put on it.

We here in Selma chose to forgive Mr. Duke and his followers when they held a “Moving to Selma” party where they blacked out their teeth, dressed in the most demeaning stereotypic hillbilly garb and then had the audacity to publish photos of this event on the internet. Some even chose to look the other way when Mr. Duke preached MLK slept around in his sermon about child molesters in the clergy. Some even chose to ignore when he called the New Testament “That crappy gospel that is tearing families apart”. I believe that this latest joke in bad taste is the straw that has broken the camels back. If Mr. Duke would like to send me a letter from his lawyer threatening legal action, I welcome it. My number is in the book.

Now I will borrow a phrase from a good friend of mine. Mr. Duke, go home and slap your momma for not teaching you better manners!

Maggie Davies

Selma, Alabama