Derek Chauvin verdict email sets off racist 'Reply-Allpocalypse' at California state agency: report

According to a report from the Sacramento Bee, a simple email sent out to employees of a California environmental agency offering a "safe space" discussion following the guilty verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin instead set off a flurry of racist comments that were shared with everyone on the email list.

The report states, that the "State Water Resources Control Board contacted the 2,376 staff members at the agency with the email that featured a subject line reading: "Employee Support Lunch Through Teams Friday 4/23/2021." In the email, a staffer at the Racial Equity Steering Committee and Working Group, "called for a voluntary lunch meeting for anyone who wanted to discuss Chauvin's conviction for murdering George Floyd, as well as more recent deaths of Black Americans at the hands of the police," with the text explaining, "We first and foremost want to acknowledge how rough the last few weeks have been on everyone's mental health with the senseless killings that have taken place all over the country. Secondly, we would like to let you know that you are not alone."

That resulted in an avalanche of responses that -- through a quirk in the way the email went out -- went to everyone on the list which exposed an undercurrent of barely disguised of racism within the agency.

In one exchange, replete with misspellings, a staffer wrote, "Killing occurs everyday in the United States and it is not all reported on. If the eater (sic) board actually wanted to make a difference they would or would not do this for everyone. The fact the water boards is doing this now, is just a sign of caving into the mob. Rome also was a great nation once before it feel (sic) to the mob."

That staffer, identified as a geologist, added, "intra racial killing of African Americans is much more higher and significant than white cops killing African Americans unnecessarily."

"I refuse to apologize or be victimized for immutable characteristics over which I have no control," wrote an employee from San Diego, while another added to what the Bee called a "Reply-Allpocalypse": "Shame on the waterboard steering committee for stoking the flames of division like this. How extremely inappropriate and unfortunate to distribute such egregious propaganda this way."

Another added, "I am really shocked to see all the hate mails — you may have opened a can of worms."

Despite pleas to "Please STOP replying all," the emails continued, the Bee reports, before adding, "The information technology office disabled the thread to prevent further reply-all responses," according to a statement from the agency.

You can read more here.