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WEBVTT 00:05.005 --> 00:08.008 SERA: HERE IS THE RESIGNATION P 00:08.008 --> 00:09.009 LETTER FROM STEPHENINA TO THE 00:09.009 --> 00:13.013 rtMAYOR. 00:13.013 --> 00:15.015 IT MAKES NO MENTION OF THE 00:15.015 --> 00:16.016 CONTROVERSIAL FACEBOOK POST 00:16.016 --> 00:21.021 WHICH MANY ARE CALLING RACIST. 00:21.021 --> 00:22.022 rtSTEPHEN PINA IS NO LONGER 00:22.022 --> 00:23.023 SERVING ON THE BROCKTON PARKS 00:23.023 --> 00:24.024 AND RECREATION COMMISSION, HE 00:24.024 --> 00:25.025 SUBMITTED A LETTER OF 00:25.025 --> 00:27.027 RESIGNATION, AFTER COMING UNDER 00:27.027 --> 00:29.029 FIRE FOR A SOCIAL MErtDIA POST. 00:29.029 --> 00:31.031 >> TROUBLED OFFENDED, SHOCKED, 00:31.031 --> 00:36.036 , JUST A HORRIBLE COMMENT AND 00:36.036 --> 00:36.036 ITrt IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T 00:36.036 --> 00:40.040 TOLERATE. 00:40.040 --> 00:40.040 SERA: THE COMMENT CAME AFTER 00:40.040 --> 00:41.041 SUNDAY'S PATRIOTS GAME, WHERE 00:41.041 --> 00:44.044 SEVERAL PLAYERS TOOK A KNEE 00:44.044 --> 00:45.045 DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.rt 00:45.045 --> 00:47.047 PINA POSTED IN PART : TURDS, 00:47.047 --> 00:49.049 YOUR EXPLETIVE ISN'T PAID TO 00:49.049 --> 00:51.051 THINK ABOUT POLITICS, DANCE 00:51.051 --> 00:53.053 MONKEY, DANCE.rt 00:53.053 --> 00:54.054 AT A YOUTH FOOTBALL PRACTICE IN 00:54.054 --> 00:56.056 BROCKTON YESTERDAY, PARENTS WE 00:56.056 --> 00:59.059 TALKED WITH WERE TROUBLED BY THE 00:59.059 --> 01:03.063 COMMENT. 01:03.063 --> 01:05.065 >> ISrt RACIST AND THAT YOU ARE 01:05.065 --> 01:05.065 TALKING ABOUT THE BLACK 01:05.065 --> 01:10.070 COMMUNITY. 01:10.070 --> 01:10.070 SERA:rt IN HIS RESIGNATION LETTER 01:10.070 --> 01:12.072 TO THE MAYOR, NO MENTION OF THE 01:12.072 --> 01:13.073 CONTROVERSY. 01:13.073 --> 01:14.074 HE WRITES MY OTHER COMMITMENTS 01:14.074 --> 01:15.075 , HAVE BECOME TOO GREAT FOR ME 01:15.075 --> 01:16.076 TO BE ABLE TO FULFILL THE 01:16.076 --> 01:17.077 REQUIREMENTS OF MY POSITION ON 01:17.077 --> 01:18.078 rtTHE COMMISSION, AND I FEEL IT IS 01:18.078 --> 01:19.079 BEST FOR ME TO MAKE ROOM FOR 01:19.079 --> 01:21.081 SOMEONE WITH THE TIME AND ENERGY 01:21.081 --> 01:25.085 TO DEVOTE TO THE JOB. 01:25.085 --> 01:25.085 WE MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS FOR 01:25.085 --> 01:27.087 rt 01:27.087 --> 01:27.087 COMMENT FROM PINA. 01:27.087 --> 01:29.089 HE TELLS THE BROCKTON ENTERPRISE 01:29.089 --> 01:29.089 HIS WORDS WERE NOT INTENDED TO 01:29.089 --> 01:31.091 BE RACIST. 01:31.091 --> 01:32.092 HE MAY ALSO LOSE HIS COACHING 01:32.092 --> 01:34.094 POSITION WITH THE POP WARNER 01:32.092 --> 01:34.094 LEAGUE.rt

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A former Brockton parks commissioner is under fire after a social media comment he made about the kneeling members of the New England Patriots, calling the players “turds” and monkeys for not standing for the U.S. national anthem at Sunday’s game.The Enterprise reports Stephen V. Pina, who sits on the Brockton Parks and Recreation Commission, commented on a social media post about the players kneeling during the national anthem, writing that the athletes aren’t being paid for their politics, adding the the words, “dance monkey dance.”Pina told The Enterprise on Monday that his words were not intended to be racist and he did not believe they would be perceived as such. Pina said he was drafting an apology at his Brockton home, getting ready to post it online, as TV news crews were outside trying to talk to him.“It was not meant to be a racist comment, and if it was taken as such that’s regrettable,” said Pina, speaking to The Enterprise by phone, noting that he declined to speak to the television news crews. “I want to set the record straight.”Pina said that he is a U.S. combat veteran, and deeply respects the American flag, and thinks that players should stand for the national anthem. But Pina admits he may have been caught up in the social media outrage surrounding the debate.“I got sucked into the whole social media paradox,” Pina said.Before the end of the day on Monday, the parks commissioner had submitted his letter of resignation to the mayor. Pina was appointed in 2016 to a five-year term on the Brockton Parks and Recreation Commission by Mayor Bill Carpenter.In his letter of resignation, Pina did not mention his comments. Instead, he wrote that he can no longer dedicate the time necessary for the job."My other commitments have become too great for me to be able to fulfill the requirements of my position on the commission, and I feel it is best for me to make room for someone with the time an energy to devote to the job," Pina wrote. Pina also coaches youth football in Brockton.Pina’s original comment that was perceived by many as racist was left on the post that showed a picture of kneeling Patriots players including Devin McCourty, Brandon Cooks, Duron Harmon, James White, Malcolm Butler and others.“Turds, your dumbass isn’t paid to think about politics....dance monkey dance,” Pina wrote.Pina also told The Enterprise that he has heard the phrase “dance monkey dance” on WEEI sports radio “a thousand times” on the Kirk and Callahan morning show, adding that he was using it simply to express his displeasure for players who refused to stand for the national anthem.But the president of the Brockton Area Branch NAACP said she’s not buying it.“Does that make it right?” said Phyllis Ellis, referring to Pina’s WEEI explanation. “I think it’s disgraceful. When a black person hears ‘monkey,’ that’s racial discrimination. I don’t know what he’s talking about. To use his phrase, he cannot dance around this. It is what it is. It’s racial.”“I’m offended, I’m troubled, and I’m disappointed with the remark,” said Carpenter, speaking by phone. “He has to be held accountable. I don’t think an apology is good enough I believe the proper and best outcome would be for him to voluntarily step down from the commission.”Ollie Spears, a city activist who formerly served on the Brockton Planning Board, saw Pina’s social media post on Sunday night. Spears said he went to high school with Pina and has done business with him in the past. Spears, who is African-American, said he was shocked and outraged by Pina’s comment, calling it inexcusable.“When I saw the post, I was offended,” Spears said. “Being a black man, you can’t call a black man a monkey. It just goes back to years and years of discrimination and hatred toward blacks. So when I saw that, and these guys were doing a peaceful protest, and he said, ‘Dance, monkey. Dance,’ I was totally offended. ... It’s just disheartening, especially in a city so diverse as Brockton.”