(ATLANTA, GA, 7/25/18) — The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia) today welcomed Jason Spencer’s decision to resign from the Georgia state legislature.
CAIR-Georgia also informed Rep. Jason Spencer that he has an”open invitation” to meet with representatives of the communities he offended in order apologize and make amends.
CAIR-Georgia had demanded that Spencer resign his position after he was shown shouting “sand n**ger,” and other slurs on Showtime’s “Who Is America?”
Video: CAIR-Georgia Seeks Resignation of Lawmaker Shown Yelling ‘Sand N**ger,’ Other Slurs
Following his resignation, CAIR-Georgia informed Spencer that he has an “open invitation” to meet with representatives of the communities he offended to in order apologize and make amends.
In a statement, CAIR-Georgia Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“When Jason Spencer announced his resignation from the Georgia state legislature last night, he finally did the right thing. His behavior on national television, combined with his history of inappropriate behavior, was unbecoming of anyone — especially a state legislator.
“Even though Mr. Spencer’s time in public office has come to a justifiable end, this does not have to represent the last chapter of his public life. As people of faith, Georgia Muslims believe that anyone has the potential to change for the better. We all make mistakes, some worse than others, some more public than others. But we should all learn from our mistakes and improve as people.
“To that end, we hope Mr. Spencer will meet with leaders of the communities he offended, including Muslims, African-Americans and Asian-Americans, in order to sincerely apologize. In doing so, we hope Mr. Spencer will make amends, shed his prejudices and eventually help others do the same.”
On July 23, CAIR-Georgia called on Rep. Spencer to resign after footage of him shouting “sand n*gger,” “n*gger,” and other racial slurs aired on Showtime’s “Who Is America?” Spencer also performed an offensive impression of Chinese-Americans and acted out slipping a camera under a Muslim woman’s dress.
Spencer released a statement in which he resigned and apologized to his friends, family and constituents, but not to the communities he offended.
Spencer lost his bid for reelection during the GOP primary in May 2018, but he would continue to serve in-office until the new class of legislators are sworn-in.
In November 2016, Rep. Spencer submitted a bill that would have made it a crime for Muslim women to wear face veils. He withdrew the bill after CAIR Georgia and other civil rights organizations spoke out against the proposal.
In August 2017, Rep. Spencer engaged in a Facebook debate with former Rep. LaDawn Jones about the status of Confederate monuments. During the discussion, Rep. Spencer warned Ms. Jones that if she traveled to south Georgia to call for the removal of Confederate monuments, local residents might kill her and dispose of her body in a local swamp.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
END
CONTACT: CAIR-Georgia Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]