Movie quote draws allegations of racial insensitivity

A quote from Steve Martin's comedy classic "The Jerk," posted two years ago on a reunion blog site by Democratic Salt Lake County Council candidate Paul Pugmire, has the Democrat answering allegations of racial insensitivity — especially from the office of the county's Republican Party chairman, who uncovered the gaffe in a google search.

Pugmire, who used Martin's line "I was born a poor, black child" in an attempt at a humorous introduction to a 2006 biographical blog at the Web site, reunion.com, acknowledges the poor choice of a quote but said it in no way was intended to be hurtful or derogatory.

"I made a bad attempt at being funny and silly," Pugmire said. "It was a mistake that I feel quite badly about ... and I sincerely apologize for it."

Salt Lake County Republican Chairman James Evans said he accepts Pugmire's apology but held the use of the quote up against racially charged statements made by Utah Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, during last year's legislative session.

"Senator Buttars may have misspoken, but Pugmire actually wrote this," Evans said. "You have to think about what you're writing."

Evans, who is African-American, said the comment sheds light on Pugmire's character and is another element in an "unfortunate pattern of American history."

"Why not make fun of somebody who's black," Evans said. "It gives me some insight on what he thinks about African-Americans."

Salt Lake NAACP President Jeanetta Williams disagrees with Evans' contention that Pugmire's quote is in the same league as Buttars' comments on the Senate floor last year.

"When you look at both of them ... Sen. Buttars' statement and Mr. Pugmire's quote, it's a completely separate issue and totally different," Williams said. "We reviewed the (Pugmire) situation and don't feel that it was malicious or derogatory."

Williams' group called for Buttars to step down following his comments made during a 2008 Utah Senate debate on school funding when he referred to a bill as "this baby is black, I'll tell you. This is a dark, ugly thing."

Williams said she had spoken with Pugmire and that he had offered an apology, which she accepted. She also questioned whom Evans was speaking for on the issue, noting he is not now, nor has ever been, an NAACP member.

"James wants the NAACP to come out and make negative statements against Pugmire, and we're not going to do that," Williams said. "Because the Republican Party is wanting to push it, this close to an election."