Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton shocked some city council members Tuesday when responding to questions about the city's troubled Rape Crisis Center.
You might remember the center was so short staffed, it had to actually turn away rape victims, including a 14-year- old girl.
The meeting started with smiles and handshakes but within just a few minutes it was pretty clear Mayor Willie Herenton was a upset over all the controversy over the rape crisis center.
Herenton told the committee the center is nationally recognized and it was built by the city and would stay under city control.
His mood only got more intense, especially when city council members started questioning the mayor about the center, and it's future.
The mayor said he wondered where all the interest and outrage was a year ago, when 3 children drowned in city pools.
All three were black and the mayor insinuated no one cared about their deaths.
Mayor Herenton, "...what I did not see from all of these special activists. I did not see the hue and cry or concern about the death of those African American inner-city kids."
In reality, there was both a media and public outcry and changes were made at the pools because the incidents.
As city council members watched, and some were visably angry, the mayor continued by saying he gets upset when he sees children as victims of crime.
Councilman Jim Strickland held committee meetings last year on the 3 drownings and said the mayor is wrong in his accusations, "...I was offended by the insinuation that I only cared about white victims of crime. That's what the mayor said. I think when I asked him about, he actually backed off it. I don't think that he meant what he said."
It's important to point out the Sexual Assault Resource Center serves members of all communities and races.
You might remember the center was so short staffed, it had to actually turn away rape victims, including a 14-year- old girl.
The meeting started with smiles and handshakes but within just a few minutes it was pretty clear Mayor Willie Herenton was a upset over all the controversy over the rape crisis center.
Herenton told the committee the center is nationally recognized and it was built by the city and would stay under city control.
His mood only got more intense, especially when city council members started questioning the mayor about the center, and it's future.
The mayor said he wondered where all the interest and outrage was a year ago, when 3 children drowned in city pools.
All three were black and the mayor insinuated no one cared about their deaths.
Mayor Herenton, "...what I did not see from all of these special activists. I did not see the hue and cry or concern about the death of those African American inner-city kids."
In reality, there was both a media and public outcry and changes were made at the pools because the incidents.
As city council members watched, and some were visably angry, the mayor continued by saying he gets upset when he sees children as victims of crime.
Councilman Jim Strickland held committee meetings last year on the 3 drownings and said the mayor is wrong in his accusations, "...I was offended by the insinuation that I only cared about white victims of crime. That's what the mayor said. I think when I asked him about, he actually backed off it. I don't think that he meant what he said."
It's important to point out the Sexual Assault Resource Center serves members of all communities and races.
