Hispanic leaders call for McAlister’s resignation
In a news conference Wednesday afternoon on the steps of City Hall, Abilene Independent School District trustees Samuel Garcia and Bill Enriquez, speaking as members of the Hispanic community, called for the resignation of Abilene City Councilman Kyle McAlister in response to what have been labeled racist Facebook postings.
The men, joined by eight supporters, also demanded the councilman no longer referee Abilene ISD soccer games or events.
“We are here today on behalf of the Hispanic community in disbelief on the comments recently made on social media by (McAlister),” Garcia said, acting as a spokesman for himself, Enriquez and several others.
The posts in question date back to at least 2010, some before McAlister was elected and others after he joined the council in 2013.
“We felt it was important to speak up and let Mr. McAlister and the rest of the Abilene community know that this kind of racial commentary is unacceptable,” he said. “It will not go unnoticed nor excused as humorous banter.”
‘Real apology’ sought
McAlister in a news conference with Mayor Anthony Williams, as well as earlier on Facebook, apologized for his remarks and said he would willingly be subjected to censure by the council, though he said that he did not plan to step down.
More:Abilene City Councilman McAlister apologizes for past social media posts
In those remarks, McAlister said that he promised to “be more mindful of what I find humorous,” and that he had “caused (many) people in this community a lot of pain and confusion.”
Garcia said in prepared statements that people many times do not recognize that their words and jokes “are seen as racist and simply shrugged off as a part of a quirky sense of humor.”
“Casual racism, ignorant commentary or jokes shouldn’t be acceptable, especially from a public figure,” he said. “Those who perceive that they have the right and luxury to engage in racist jokes do not understand that they are adding to a lifetime of injury to those who have navigated racism.”
In addition to demanding his resignation, Garcia said he and others wanted “a real apology” from McAlister to residents and the Hispanic community, adding that “so far his dismissive attitude is only making this situation worse.”
McAlister apologized publicly before Garcia spoke.
If McAlister does not resign, Garcia said the group wanted to see him censured.
Regarding the request that McAlister be barred from refereeing AISD games, “many of his comments have been aimed directly at fans, coaches and players, which bring into question his judgment on and off the soccer field,” Garcia said.
“Had those comments come from an AISD employee, it would not have been tolerated and (it) should not be tolerated from anyone being paid by Abilene ISD,” he said.
A few hours after the news conference, Abilene ISD spokesman Phil Ashby said in a statement that the district had “has been made aware of social media posts attributed to Kyle McAlister,” which it said do not reflect its “values and mission.”
“In light of this, the district at this time has requested that the Abilene Chapter of the Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO) scratch Mr. McAlister from officiating AISD soccer games,” Ashby wrote. “This process will be conducted in accordance with Section 1204 of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Constitution and Contest Rules.”
More:Social media reaction to Abilene City Councilman Kyle McAlister
Who came forward?
The decision to speak out about the Facebook posts has nothing to do with the upcoming election cycle, Garcia said.
“This has nothing to do with any race,” he said. “Why people brought it forward at this time was because it was just recently discovered. But I’m not interested in the city race. I’m interested in knowing that he has to be accountable.”
McAlister is up for re-election in May. Filing opens next week.
In an email after the news conference, Garcia said he did not know who initially discovered and shared the comments.
The ultimate lesson, he said, is that social media should not be used to attack others and that we must all be personally accountable, and hold others accountable, for potentially racist speech and comments.
That especially affects those in positions of authority, he said.
“Do you not wonder: Is he going to give me the full benefit of the doubt?” he said. “Is he going to treat me the same as he has any other citizen that comes before this council?”
Garcia said McAlister must earn back the public’s trust, something that would take longer than a mere 24 hours.
“It doesn’t happen by just announcing that you’re sorry,” he said.
Pattern in councilman’s posting
Jovon Guzman, whose husband Jack, is president/District 9 director of Abilene’s LULAC, said that she was present Wednesday afternoon because she and others were saddened by “all the racial things that he has put on Facebook over the years.”
“It also saddens me for the youth, and I feel like they were done (an injustice),” she said. “I’m all about the kids, and when we start attacking the kids, that is heartbreaking in my opinion.”
Because of that, “(Abilene’s) LULAC and the Texas LULAC, and the civil rights attorney is asking for the resignation of Mr. Kyle McAlister,” she said.
Guzman said the timing of the complaints stemmed from the Facebook comments being brought to the group’s attention. Once they were, LULAC began an investigation, she said.
“Once we discovered it and got all the evidence, then that is when Mr. Jack Guzman turned it over to (local news media),” she said.
Guzman said that she was born in Abilene and taught to care for “everybody – all races.”
“We don’t need to make fun of poor whites, blacks, Hispanics. It’s uncalled for,” Guzman said. “We need to all work together, and we cannot trust him. If I go before him, or my daughter, who is Hispanic, goes in front of him, we cannot trust him.”
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