Union Demands Apology After 19th Century Book Discovered in Congressman’s Office

EXCERPT:

FOX: “Well, John, this -- this week there was an interesting observation when members of AFSCME were sitting in the congressman’s office waiting for a meeting to get started and one of them Octavius Miller (ph) noticed a book that was in the glass case. And the book was titled 'General Robert E. Lee: Soldier, Citizen and Christian Patriot.' It was a 19th century book and it was opened to an offensive page, according to the members who were in that office. The -- the page said, 'The blacks are immeasurably better off here than in Africa, morally, socially and physically. The painful discipline they are undergoing is necessary for their instruction as a race, and I hope will prepare and lead them to better things.' Now a member of the Federal Employees Union Octavius Miller (ph) said the he was shocked when he saw this page that was open in the congressman’s office, and a leader from AFSCME actually called the congressman’s office later to ask, you know, what was going on? We need you to issue an apology, we need you to remove this book from the office. The chief of staff actually called Octavius Miller (ph) the next day and apologized, but they want a more formal apology and they have — the office has said that they’ve removed the book from this office. But you know my colleague Ellie Kaufman who spoke with Octavius Miller (ph) said that Miller was deeply, deeply disturbed by this book and the fact that the page was open in the congressman’s office.”