Wayne Gay Comments on His Behavior

Talk about timing, we posted a blog post on yesterday Gay needs to apologize to community too that suggested Wayne Gay should apologize to the community for outbursts made during his concession speech last week. Today in the local paper we discovered the following correspondence to the community. All things work together for the good. Here's the letter as it appeared in it's entirety.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 9:46 AM

Gay apologizes for harsh comments

Wilson County is a wonderful place. There are many good, hard-working people here who care about others, work hard at their jobs and sacrifice for their families and neighbors. As your sheriff, you trusted me to uphold your high standards and expectations. On election night last week, I let you down. I said some things that were unacceptable. Please accept my deepest apology. I have previously apologized to Calvin Woodard. I again apologize to Mr. Woodard, to his supporters and to those who cast their vote for me. It was only through your belief in my maturity and ability that you let me serve as sheriff. I completely understand that. I could not have achieved anything, the sheriff's office could not have become as good as it has, without your being there with us. I have always understood the Sheriff's Office, thankfully, does not "belong" to any individual. You have the right to fill it as you wish. That's a right we should all cherish. There were reasons for my statements last Tuesday. There were no excuses. I had just spent the day going to different polling places and had been to the Board of Elections for early voting. I saw literature referring to an African-American family who supported me, as "lackeys." I heard worse about any African-American who would vote for me. Racism is not tolerated in the Sheriff's Office; it was not tolerated among my campaign workers. Now, it was being used against my African-American friends. At other polls, I heard vicious rumors about my wife, daughter and me. Even the media had been told of some of the falsehoods resulting in "investigations" aimed at the Sheriff's Office, friends and me. I was livid. It was one thing to come after me -- that is just part of politics -- but my family and friends should have been left alone unless there was actual wrong-doing. There was none. Despite all of that, despite those "reasons," I was wrong. There was no excuse for my reaction. Under the stress of the moment, you deserved much better. Please forgive me.

Wayne Gay,
Wilson

This article appeared in the Letter to the Editor section of the Wilson Times.