Woman Who Used Racial Slur Apologizes; Some Say 'No Votes'

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — A woman who allegedly used a racial slur in a call to police and is now running for Southampton Village Board apologized this week in a public Facebook post.

"After meeting with neighbors and community members this afternoon, I realized that I want to say the following: I apologize for using such a hateful word last August, though I may have been justified in my anger, I should not have used that word. I am very glad that I listened to my neighbors, I did not understand how painful this word is to hear. My apologies to all whom I offended, Valerie Smith."

But the apology may not be enough to stem the tide of those vowing not to cast their votes for her at the Southampton Village election on June 16.

Lydia Bonner, the mother of one of the young men about whom Valerie Smith was referring when she said the word "n----r", responded to the apology.

"I feel it's not an apology because she's says she was justified in her anger. And, that she can still try and fix what has happened but we will not vote for her and we will do our best to make sure she doesn't get voted in," Bonner said.

She added, "Forgiveness is a must because the Bible tells us to forgive. But we won't vote for her."

Lisa Votino-Tarrant, who is white and lives on the Shinnecock Reservation, said a group is meeting Monday to make signs and then stand outside the Southampton Arts Center at 5 p.m. Monday to say "hate isn't welcome here," before a debate of village candidates sponsored by the Southampton Press at 6 p.m.

Last week, Smith faced her neighbors at a community meeting but, despite repeated requests from those gathered, she did not apologize at the meeting.

(Editor's note: The video below contains the racial slur discussed).

A video posted by Lydia Bonner, the mother of one of the young man about whom Valerie Smith was referring when she said the word "n-----r" shows the entire meeting, held on Thursday.

Smith allegedly called police about a group of black men standing in front of her Hillcrest home, "drinking Hennessy," calling them "a bunch of n-----s."Smith, a 27east.com post said, confirmed that she made the call and said the words, after The Southampton Press received a copy of the recording via a Freedom of Information Law request.

At the community meeting this week, Smith began to discuss how she'd rehabilitated the house.

"The problem is not the house. The problem is that she called them 'n------s,'" one woman called out.

Smith said she does not like littering or people throwing cigarettes onto her property and playing loud music outside her home. "I deserve peace and quiet like everybody else," she said.

Community members pointed out that she's had loud construction at her home for months.

"Our community understands our community and that's basically something that you don't," former Southampton Village Trustee Bonnie Cannon told Smith; Smith did not know who Cannon was, initially.

"You need to explain to this mother why you called her son a 'n-----,'" Cannon said.

"Racism is the issue. She needs to apologize to the community," one resident wrote on Facebook.

"This is not going to go anywhere because she's not going to apologize," a frustrated neighbor said, at the community meeting.

Others called out for Smith to drop out of the election. "How are you going to represent us?" another asked.

"We've asked her several times if she would apologize and she refuses to apologize. We know what we need to do and to take those steps," Cannon said, with many agreeing that they needed to register to vote in the coming election.

Of Smith, a woman wrote on Facebook, "She needs to take the Peace t-shirt off. She's brought disharmony and brought the neighborhood down."

After the meeting, Cannon told Patch: "It was a very productive meeting." Residents, she added, are "very concerned about the recent developments in the community." Smith, she said, attended. "She was given the opportunity to apologize for saying the "n" word. She admitted that she had said it to offend a particular person, but we know it was not just one person, toward whom she used that type of language. She refused to apologize after being told by the community that we were offended. So, now the community knows what we need to do and we are mobilizing and moving forward. It's unfortunate — but she gave us no choice."

A mother's story

Speaking with Patch after the meeting, Bonner explained how it feels to have her son called a "n----r".

"I was shocked at first. My sons kept telling she was using racial slurs but I thought they were exaggerating until I saw the story," she said. "As a mom our job is to protect our children, all children. I'm angry but I'm trying to keep from letting that emotion control my behavior. It's not easy when she says the 'n word' to my face."

However, the issue has had one positive outcome, Bonner said.

"I'm just glad as a community no matter what color we are, this is bringing all of us together, and it shows growth. We will not let an outsider come into our community and do what she's doing. We are all family in Southampton Village, no matter what race you belong to."

"This neighborhood isn't for me. It's clear." — Valerie Smith

Smith attended the gathering and attempted to explain her stance, stating at the end of the video, to Bonner, "This neighborhood isn't for me. It's clear," Smith said.

Speaking to Bonner, she said she spoke to one of the young men the following evening, after the call to police. "I said, 'If you continue this behavior, you're going to be a n----r," she said. "I've asked you to move away from my property, and he said 'I'm sorry' and we had a really good connection. It was a learning experience for him, I think," she told Bonner.

And then, Smith expressed her feelings about the community. "This neighborhood isn't for me. It's clear. I've known it for a while now. I can't live here if I'm treated like this. I haven't done anything to warrant people throwing their garbage on my property and disrespecting the neighborhood in which I live."

She said "people have twisted it all around," and asked why others could "say the word 'n----r' and I can't say it?"

Bonner explained that the word, throughout history, has long held negative implications.

"You guys can have your neighborhood and live with trash and garbage. You bring down your own people by allowing this," Smith said.

At the meeting, Smith also said she's been called a "white b----", told to "get out of the neighborhood" and been harassed.

Votino-Tarrant, a white woman who lives on the Shinnecock Reservation, said Smith is not a "pioneer," as she has she has publicly stated, "because she decided as a white woman to buy a home in a historically African-American neighborhood and call her neighbors the n-word. Her overt racism and harassment of those in a community she willingly chose to move into is absolutely disgusting. Her feigned ignorance is no excuse. What is sad is that she has been living on the hill for six-and-a-half years and decided to build herself an 'oasis' when the truth is that she was surrounded by an oasis of amazing people, culture and history."

She added that people have been moving into neighborhoods that are dominated by one ethnicity or religion that isn't their own since the beginning of time. There are other white people who live on the Hill, she said.

"I am a white woman that lives on the reservation. When people choose to do this, you mold to the community, the community doesn't mold to you. It is entirely possible to have an issue with a neighbor and not use racial slurs. In fact, that's what decent people do if a problem has escalated," Votino-Tarrant said.

Votino-Tarrant encouraged all to watch the video "to see just how amazing they are. The woman and her son who the 911 was about are standing there asking for an apology and Ms. Smith refuses repeatedly. Through all of this they keep their cool. I'm not sure I could have done that. . .As a community we will come together, organize and act. That is what a community does."

Dyáni Brown, who wasn't personally at the meeting, said she watched the live stream on Facebook.

She spoke out on the controversy Friday and said "#ValerieSmithRepresentsHate credited herself as a 'pioneer' for moving into a black neighborhood, like she is some kind of 'great white hope.' She's running for village board on a platform to 'save the poor black community.' The community functioned just fine without her. No one asked to be saved. Hillcrest is one of the few Southampton neighborhoods where locals can still afford to live. As a Native American, I know all too well the intension of pioneers. Gentrification started with Manifest Destiny."

She added,"Hillcrest is not trashy. It is like any other neighborhood in Southampton; the only difference is that the community there is predominantly black. Ms. Smith says she doesn't see color, but chose a racially derogatory word to deliberately offend her neighbors. She refused to apologize at the meeting because she doesn't care — she's privileged and doesn't have to."

Brown said there's a need to educate people on the very real manifestations of white privilege. One definition of white privilege, she said, is choosing not to be affected by the historic or systematic circumstances that shape the world we live in.

"The n-word derived from the history of enslavement and continued violence orchestrated by white people to eradicate the black population. A manifestation of privilege is that no equally condemnable word exists to degrade white people because in the history of America, white people have never been at the mercy of any other race. Therefore, no matter how Ms Smith spells the n-word or how many black celebrities she heard chant it, unapologetically spewing that word as a white woman classifies her as racist," Brown said.

After the alleged racial slur by a candidate running for the Southampton Village board, a group of elected officials and human rights organizations have come together to issue a statement, demanding that she retract her words and apologize.

A statement was issued by Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming, the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission, the Suffolk County Anti-Bias Task Force, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, the Southampton Town Anti-Bias Task Force, and Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley.

“The racial language reportedly used by Valerie Smith in her complaint to police last June, and her reported defense of that language, is particularly disturbing and unacceptable by the Southampton community and by the residents of Suffolk County," the statement reads.

"Our cherished Constitution asserts our freedom of speech. But that does not mean that we should abuse that freedom with offensive, hateful, and disrespectful words to others. Words do hurt and it is important that every person, particularly those in positions of leadership in our communities or hoping to enter leadership positions, be most mindful of what they say and do. We urge all citizens to be mindful of what they say because what they say does make a difference for the peace and security of our communities," the statement said. "We specifically call upon Ms. Smith to retract her words and apologize for them.”

Speaking to Patch, Mayor Epley added, ""Southampton is a very diversified community and our elected officials have to recognize that. Her comments on the phone call are unacceptable and inappropriate. And her justification is inexcusable."

Cannon also sent her comments to Patch: "This is my neighborhood and I am appalled at her comments! She called our neighborhood 'rodent infested'? And she claims to have transformed the neighborhood? She don't even know what she is talking about. For the record, we have black, white — not just her — Asian, and Latino residents in our neighborhood. There are respectable seniors, teachers, professionals, business owners, ambulance fighters, plumbers, electricians, college graduates, nurses, and more in this neighborhood."

Smith also used the "n-word" during a call with the reporter, the 27east.com post said, stating that she lives "in a black neighborhood. I came here and didn't see color." She added that she is a "pioneer," who transformed a "rodent-infested dump" and said she is the "only white person who owns and lives on this street," the 27east.com post said.

The story has sparked an outcry of rage and shocked disbelief on social media; the story has been picked up internationally.

Deeply rooted racism has long been an issue of concern on the East End.

Before a Black Lives Matter rally in July, 2016, some men and women spoke out about how racism has impacted their lives.

Smith did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Photo, video courtesy Lydia Bonner.
Valerie Smith photo via Facebook.