Charles Lovett recorded the confrontation with Jeffrey Whitman, the owner of Uriahs Heating and Cooling, outside of his home Tuesday morning. On the video, Whitman - who was driving a company vehicle at the time - tells Lovett "I just want to tell you what a n***** you are."
He's also heard telling Lovett he's a "rude n*****" and that he's entitled as they argue over whether Lovett had cut off Whitman.
In a statement, Whitman said
"To Charles Lovett and the community,
I apologize for my use of the n word towards Charles Lovett on Tuesday, July 24th. I understand that using the n-word was not only hurtful towards Lovett as an individual, but hurtful towards the Black community at large. Using the word was dehumanizing, unacceptable, and inexcusable. My actions reflect an unhealthy mindset I have developed and I need to work to change. I have served the Black community for the last 9 years, installing furnaces and water heaters with pride. My actions that day are not a reflection of my feelings towards the Black community. I also understand that racial tensions in America are higher than before, and I regret my part in contributing to that tension. I realize that words are hollow without action, and because of the hurt I have caused, I hope I have the opportunity to give back to the Black community that I have harmed in a meaningful way."
"To Charles Lovett and the community,
I apologize for my use of the n word towards Charles Lovett on Tuesday, July 24th. I understand that using the n-word was not only hurtful towards Lovett as an individual, but hurtful towards the Black community at large. Using the word was dehumanizing, unacceptable, and inexcusable. My actions reflect an unhealthy mindset I have developed and I need to work to change. I have served the Black community for the last 9 years, installing furnaces and water heaters with pride. My actions that day are not a reflection of my feelings towards the Black community. I also understand that racial tensions in America are higher than before, and I regret my part in contributing to that tension. I realize that words are hollow without action, and because of the hurt I have caused, I hope I have the opportunity to give back to the Black community that I have harmed in a meaningful way."
When contacted by ABC 6/FOX 28 Tuesday, Whitman didn't want to speak on camera but said in a phone call he regretted it and "I lost my head."
Update 7/29/2018. From the Columbia Dispatch website, Karma has come calling on Mr. Racist Whitman. Columnist Theodore Decker writes:
If Whitman felt entitled to follow, confront and demean a stranger from the seat of his marked company van, thousands of strangers felt obliged to punish him for it.
They shared his image online, overloaded his voicemail and flooded consumer websites like Yelp with hundreds of negative reviews, complete with images of the Ku Klux Klan and Hitler.
“Your type is not wanted in this country any longer, nor are your ‘heating and cooling services’ ever needed again,” reads one.
All of this has had the intended effect.
“It was an awful mistake and obviously I don’t know how to explain it, and it’s ruined my life and it’s ruined my family’s life,” Whitman says.
He says this in a voicemail left for me on Thursday, two days after he most definitely didn’t apologize when confronted by a local television reporter.
Now, in this message, he sounds despondent.
“I’m out of business, I’m completely out, I’m done, I’ll never work in Columbus again,” he says. “This has completely and thoroughly ruined my life.” The message ends abruptly.
Stating the obvious here, driving to a stranger’s house to harass the person with racial slurs is not a “mistake.” It is a chosen course of action. It is stupid and small-minded and threatening and a host of other descriptions now attached to Whitman’s name for Internet eternity.
On Friday, Whitman called again. He said he chose the wrong word and insists he is not a bigot. He provided a woman’s number and urged me to call her. He wouldn’t say why exactly, but I get the sense that he sees her as a character witness.
He rambled a bit and said a few other things, including one sentiment that would have many of his newfound enemies guffawing:
“I just don’t understand the intensity of the hate,” he said.
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