Story Published: Aug 21, 2008 at 7:01 PM EDT
By Kyla Igoe
7 News has obtained a copy of the racist sign that was posted at a Niagara Falls Department of Public Works garage. The sign, reading: "Whites Only Water Fountain" was posted by a drinking fountain and discovered by an employee during an overnight shift at a DPW garage. The director of public works says they are now conducting an internal investigation.
"In this case, I will absolutely go to every avenue and every strength that I have to see that this individual will never even have the opportunity to do anything like this again," said Director of the Niagara Falls Department of Public Works David Kinney. "Its not going to be something that is brushed under the rug, and I'm going to pursue it to its fullest degree."
The Niagara Falls mayor and city administrator also added that the city has a zero tolerance for discrimination. Community leaders are now speaking out.
"I thought that it was very unfortunate that we live in the year 2008 and people would still do something like that," said Pastor Cassandra Salter-Smith from St. James United Methodist Church. "I just couldn't believe it. It just took me back to the 1950's and 1960's where you had white water fountains and black water fountains, or white swimming pools and black swimming pools. It just took me back to that era and its not a good thing."
The DPW is still unsure who placed the racist sign by the water fountain and the case remains under investigation.
It's stuff like this that just sets our country back hundreds of years. It's sad that in the times we're in...where a BLACK man could potentially become the president of this nation....that people still want to have bigot attitudes. I guess this is just another example of how racism will forever be alive in this country...and that's a sad thing.
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