TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — A Muskogee city councilor is apologizing after she admits to using the Confederate flag in a post on her Facebook page.
The community leaders, consisting of the NAACP and Muskogee ministers, demanded a public apology from Jaime Stout, and she issued it at St. Mark Baptist Church.
“I just want to take this time to do my sincere apology. I didn’t It was a share. I didn’t think about the other side of the Confederate flag and the meaning of it, or I wouldn’t’ have posted that,” said Stout.
She deleted the post, that read, “Just posting this historical flag to offend the ignorant people.” The online news source MuskogeeNOW captured the post and used it in an article that upset the community.
“Today, we have come to communicate, come to talk. Yes, while we know her post was irresponsible, it was culturally insensitive, and we are expecting councilor Stout to do the right thing,” said Rev. Rodger Cutler, NAACP president.
Cutler also called on a reprimand for Stout from the mayor and city councilors.
“I am here in support of Jaime because she has done a dumb thing, and I mean that. Hopefully, she won’t do it again,” said Mayor Janey Boydston, who was also present at the press conference.
Stout says she has been active in her community, even participating in a Black Lives Matter rally. She says the post was not meant to be racially divisive.
“Scrolling through Facebook. It was an impulse. The Confederate flag, I didn’t think about the racism of it. I just thought of our nation’s history. I didn’t think about the other side of it," said Stout.
Councilwoman Stout says she will lead the way on the diversity training for all city councilors, as the community has asked.
