According to sources, House Speaker Kent Williams, acting at the request of Democratic leaders, already has dismissed the intern, who has been identified as Blake Graves who was working in the office of Rep. Karen Camper, D-Memphis. "It was offensive to Asians," says our source, just to mention one of the pictures. Democrats think they can claim the upper hand in this little contretemps because their staffer has been fired, unlike the Republican offender, Sherri Goforth, who was merely reprimanded.

We've been here before. Remember Bill Hobbs back in 2006? A big deal was made in the press about that goofy Muslim cartoon he put on the Internet, his employer (Belmont University) was mentioned in the articles (even though Belmont had nothing to do with that cartoon), putting Belmont in a position where it really had no choice but to save face publicly by giving Hobbs the heave-ho. I remember talking to some folks in the local press back then and getting this general reaction: "Well, that's silly. They shouldn't fire him." As though the press accounts somehow had nothing to do with it; as though Belmont was just sitting around and just up and arbitrarily decided to can him. It's like someone shooting a guy in the head and being surprised that they fall over dead. "Well, I'll be damned. He died just like that. Huh. Never saw that coming." The probable outcome of this episode will be the termination (one way or the other) of Sherri Goforth. So, don't act surprised. And don't act like you had nothing to do with it. Own it. Hell, be proud of it, the "greater good" and all of that.

Blue Collar Muse is correct. This is also wrong. And, having been convinced by ACK that a reprimand may be an acceptable level of punishment, if I knew this staffer’s name, I’d publish it too, and ask they be reprimanded. It’s a matter of respect and courtesy, damn it, for human beings. We’re all different in some way or another.

Let’s also take a moment to see what’s beneath the waves of our state’s political ocean. Overlooked in this whirlwind is a budget that needs passing and a legislative session that has been mind-boggling. Our elected officials of both parties, in my opinion, need to show they are leaders on and off the floor of the house and senate. It isn’t a game and they need to stop acting like it is. People across this state are left to deal with the real results of the actions of those sitting in the legislature, those who were elected and those who assist them. It’s not a frivolous party for folks just trying to get from one day to the next. It’s not a game.

Connie Ridley, director of legislative administration, said under state policy a first-time violation such as Goforth's is grounds for a reprimand, but a person risks being fired after a second violation. "If the behavior continues, then that places that person in a position for termination," Ridley said.

We have a deep well of valuable resources in Tennessee who would, I’m sure, be more than happy to make the trek to the Hill when session is over to hold an open discussion or a workshop or a seminar. Or a week of discussions or workshops or seminars. Distinguished Vanderbilt University Professor Rev. Jim Lawson, who helped desegregate Nashville’s lunch counters and organized the Freedom Rides, might be a good choice. Or perhaps Nashville resident Tim Wise, who lectures on the pathology of white privilege. Please urge Senator Black to grab hold of this moment, get creative, and work with other members of the General Assembly to send the message to their staffers that racism - no matter how casual - is not OK.

In all of the “Gosh, we’re offended and SHOCKED!” comments at Newscoma’s, one of the folks jokingly “fixed” the email, replacing other presidents with other caricatured photos. Bozo for Reagan, Hillary for Bill Clinton….and Hitler for GWBush. That kind of humour comes from the same place as racist humour in my book. It comes from a place of blind hatred. It comes from a place of not wanting to cooperate or get along or even coexist peacefully.

There have been calls for the termination of Sen. Diane Black's assistant, Sherri Goforth, a twenty year employee, for forwarding the email. I have mixed feelings about that. Perhaps a better response would be a week or two suspension without pay to give her time to reflect, plus some mandatory sensitivity training. In my view, it's a "teaching moment" opportunity to turn someone around v. making them a right-wing martyr.