b) Other racist comments regarding the
presence of blacks
A Department of Treasury employee told us that on the night before the Jack Scott confrontation someone challenged the admission of blacks to the Roundup.
The witness had been working security and admitted two black officers into the campground. [ / He could not identify these individuals either by name or agency. No individuals matching this description signed in on Wednesday evening, the first night of the 1995 Roundup. The witness may have been mistaken about the evening or the two black officers may not have signed the registration list. ] He told us that a short time later, a retired suburban Alabama police officer, who was very drunk, walked down toward the entrance and asked, "who let the niggers in?" [ / Rightmyer told us that he had previously cautioned this same person regarding use of the word "nigger." Indeed, one time the officer had taken the microphone and gotten on stage and started using this word and saying other inappropriate things. Rightmyer said he pulled the microphone from the officer, took him aside, and lectured him about the inappropriateness of his language. Rightmyer believed this person had intentionally used such language to needle Rightmyer who claimed he had just finished instructing people that racist or gross behavior in their skits was unacceptable. ] The Treasury employee said he told the person to "go back up there." He said he heard nothing further from the man on the subject. He did not report the incident to anyone, and we found no one else who claimed to be aware of it.
An African American police officer from Athens, Tennessee, said he felt uncomfortable while at the 1995 Roundup. He noticed people staring at him as he walked through the campground. At one point while he was with a group of friends at their campsite, one unidentified person walked up and asked the group, "Is this the black section?" This person then noticed the African American officer and walked over and apologized. The officer only stayed a short period of time because of his discomfort.