Jacksonville-area Naval Academy alumni board member resigns after accidentally broadcasting racial s

[douglas9]

Scott Bethmann, a now-former Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees member, resigned from his position Saturday after an accidental Facebook Live video broadcast him and his wife speaking about the Black Lives Matter movement with racist comments and racial slurs.

A seemingly quiet Friday night on the couch between a now-former Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees member and his wife went awry when a private conversation was broadcast to hundreds.

While Scott Bethmann, 63, and his wife, Nancy, were watching the news, they started discussing the Black Lives Matter movement, making racist comments and using slurs including the N-word in a video that was accidentally streamed on Facebook Live.

Now, locals are calling for action, and he’s resigned from his position with the Naval Academy Alumni Association on national and local levels, where he also served as the local chapter’s treasurer. Bethmann is also a member of the Atlantic Beach Country Club. A previous version of this story incorrectly identified him as a board member.

“Somehow I clicked onto some live event,” Scott Bethmann can be heard saying in the now-viral video.

https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20200606/jacksonville-area-naval-academy-alumni-board-member-resigns-after-accidentally-broadcasting-racial-slurs

[malaise]

1. On way or another

truth will out.
Down go two more racists

[Laelth]

2. k&r for visibility. n/t

-Laelth

[StarfishSaver]

3. They're everywhere

And you cannot convince me that not one of the "good" white people he and his wife interacted with on a daily basis ever noticed these attitudes. People like this manage to hide in plain sight because the people around them either ignore or defend their obvious racism.

[Demovictory9]

11. the wife is bigot against everyone: her opinion, letting in "The blacks", women, "fucking asians"

"you can kiss the academy goodbye", letting them "steal our intellectual property". unpacking all that bigotry... "the blacks", Asians, women aren't Americans, aren't part of building that organization. WOW.

you can hear the recording here:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1388154741385119&id=100005718189283

[Johnny2X2X]

16. You are right.

As a white male, unfortunately you are right. This guy is normal. About half of all white men in my opinion are as racist or more racist than this guy. I feel it is my duty to call out racism when I hear it, and let me tell you it’s not been good for my career. There’s a good ole boy vibe you get whenever you end up in a conference room for all other white guys. From guys I previously really respected and thought highly of I’ve heard things like this. From guys I know vote Democrat I’ve heard things like this.

And the perpetual victim hood that Rightwing media has them in has really emboldened them to speak their racism more often now. They honestly believe that this country is least fair to white Christian men. That’s why this guy and his wife were so upset, they think things aren’t fair for them. I know, it’s insane.

I think this latest movement will push the racists back into hiding for a number of years, maybe even some will have their hearts changed. But there will always be too many people like these in America, and they too often are in positions of power.

[Proud liberal 80]

4. Just imagine

This was just accidentally broadcast, but I imagine a lot of people in white suburbia are watching the news and are having the same conversations.

[Sancho]

5. There are many, many "Archie Bunkers" out there...and apologies don't cut it!

Scott Bethmann simply expresses what a lot of the GOPer think and say behind the oak doors.

[mn9driver]

6. I belong to a couple of private Facebook Navy alumni groups.

I thought it would be a way to connect with old shipmates, but instead it’s given me a window into just how messed up the thinking of most of these people is.

Based on what I’ve seen, this racist idiot is not the exception. He is typical.

[Demovictory9]

7. LOL!

[Demovictory9]

8. He starts reading the comments aloud and asks "What are they talking about?" before muttering "Oops,

By the end of the 33-minute accidental stream, which mostly shows a black screen, the video shows Bethmann realizing he’s live and pointing the camera at his cream colored couch. He starts reading the comments aloud and asks “What are they talking about?” before muttering “Oops,” and cutting the feed.

[dameatball]

9. No one pays good money to hang around a country club with people who do not agree with them.

These folks are the tip of the iceberg.

[Demovictory9]

10. agreed. "black bitch"... the slurs rolled off his tongue so easily...

[Native]

12. Their disgustingly effusive apologies sicken me.

[Freedomofspeech]

13. They only thing they are sorry for is that they were outed.

Bastads.

[Native]

14. For sure.

[rockfordfile]

15. Un-American racist pos

[MagickMuffin]

17. At least their statement sounds like a start in educating themselves

I hope that they mean what they say, and I hope they bring their racist friends on board for a reeducation in humanity and especially with POC.

Below is the family’s full statement:

“There are no words that can appropriately express how mortified and apologetic my wife and I are about the insensitive things we said that were captured on social media. There is never a time when it is appropriate to use derogatory terms when speaking about our fellow man. I know that an apology from us rings hollow on many ears in our community, especially in the current environment. We intend on using this experience as an opportunity to grow, listen, learn, and reflect. We are deeply sorry for the impact our actions have had on the Naval Academy, my fellow servicemen and women, our former colleagues, friends, family, and the community as a whole. We are committed to educating ourselves more on the racial inequalities in this country and being better people.”

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

18. The "apology" of someone who is very, very sorry

his bigotry and racism got outed.