A photographer who worked for the Houston Rockets has been fired after posting an offensive meme referencing California senator and running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Bill Baptist, a photographer based in Houston, had been working as an independent contractor for the Houston Rockets for the last 30 years, according to a source who spoke with USA Today. Baptist reportedly posted a meme on his Facebook last week that read “Joe and the Hoe,” in lettering that appeared as a campaign emblem.
WNBA Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes brought attention to the meme last week, referring to it as “disrespectful” and stating that the photographer “needs to go.”
“So this guy works for the NBA but covers the Houston Rockets. Has been around for a while. Even worked for the Houston Comets. It’s amazing how people will smile in your face but eventually their true colors will show.”
The Houston Rockets have not released an official statement, but Baptist has since issued an apology via a Houston television station. The photographer said he “deeply” regretted posting the statement and noted the image did not reflect his personal views.
“I deeply regret posting on my Facebook page a phrase that I saw and copied from others as a sample of some people’s reactions to Biden’s selection of Senator Harris as his choice for VP,” he wrote in the statement. “The phrase I posted does not reflect my personal views at all. I should not have been so insensitive to post the statements by others. I sincerely apologize to all of those who have rightfully been offended and I have taken the post down from my FB page. It was a horrible mistake on my part.”
Harris, 55, was named Biden’s running mate last Tuesday. She was a one-time nominee for the presidential spot for the Democrats. The native of Oakland, California, who is also of Indian descent, is the first Black woman to be named as a vice presidential pick in the country’s history. Biden vowed months ago to choose a woman as his vice presidential partner in his run for president.
By choosing Harris, Biden is embracing a former rival from the Democratic primary who is familiar with the intensity of this unique campaign year. Harris, a first-term senator, is also one of the party’s most prominent figures and quickly became a top contender for the No. 2 spot after her own White House campaign ended.
“I’ve decided that Kamala Harris is the best person to help me take this fight to Donald Trump and Mike Pence and then to lead this nation starting in January 2021.”
About a week before Harris was officially named, a Virginia mayor joked on Facebook that Biden would be selecting “Aunt Jemima” as his running mate. The mayor has since apologized and several have called for his resignation.
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