SEYMOUR — State Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, is being accused of racism after creating and posting an image of a group of black children dancing with the words “We gon’ get free money!” placed on the photo on his Facebook page.
The post went up at 9:04 p.m. on Monday and had not been taken down as of Tuesday afternoon.
In a follow-up post, Lucas wrote that he was bored on Monday and made several memes through a meme generator. He said the intention of the post was to criticize federal bailout efforts, and that he believes the government is overstepping its authority.
“I used this STOCK PHOTO of a little boy dancing and celebrating because the government is handing out free money, to everyone, regardless of their skin color,” Lucas wrote in the post. “I phrased it in a celebratory way and have danced and mocked things in that exact same manner myself. I’m white. But hey, it’s a picture of a black kid so I guess that makes it different, WHICH IF YOU THINK THAT WAY, IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF RACISM!”
In a phone call Tuesday, Lucas, who represents District 69, said he won’t take the post down because he doesn’t believe it’s racist.
“There is no racism intended in it,” he said. “Had I not used (the photo) because of the color of the kid’s skin…isn’t that the definition of racism? Judging people by the judgement of their skin. I saw a kid happily dancing.”
Lucas later posted two photos with the same statement: “We gon’ get free money!” One of the photos was of him smiling while wearing a yellow foam hat and the other was of a group of white people without teeth smiling.
Before sharing an article written by Indystar on the subject, which he labeled with the caption “‘The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.’ – George Orwelle,” he made another post sharing his thoughts around noon.
“I can’t believe how triggered so many people are today and how many people are just looking to be outraged at a manufactured ‘outrage opportunity,'” Lucas wrote. “The bottom line is that if you look hard enough for good or bad, you’ll find it and the funny thing is that all of the Jim Haters out there prove my Constitutional beliefs right with every ‘you’re a **** post that they make.'”
Among those criticizing Lucas is Jeannine Lee Lake, an African American woman vying for the 6th Congressional District seat as a Democrat. Republican Rep. Greg Pence currently holds the seat.
“REPREHENSIBLE: I wasn’t going to repost this offensive picture, but sometimes you just have to let ugly be ugly,” Lee Lake posted Tuesday morning. “This is a post from GOP State Rep. Jim Lucas’s Facebook page last night, a post he apparently thinks is okay. The post is still up and getting likes from some of his followers; others are offended and shocked. Hate has no place in our community – particularly at a time when people are dying and afraid. Like we did last time, please express your outrage, condemn this hate and demand he resign. Maybe this time, he will. #ShameOnHim #ShareAndShameHim.”
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
