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“I am the individual who was recorded using racist language in a recently released video," Jonathan Spanos, the owner of the Paddock on Market, began his speech at Springettsbury Municipal Complex on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
“The video captured a heated family confrontation in which I intentionally used the most ugly language known to me to lash out in anger,” Spanos said.
The video was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday, Nov. 10 by the new account: YorkpaRacist.
You can view it in full in the player below:
The apology comes after Spanos resigned from the Penn State York advisory board, where he gave the 2014 commencement speech. The school issued the following statement:
"This hateful language has no place in our community and is not reflective of the University’s values or our desire to foster an inclusive environment. The appropriate offices at Penn State have been notified and we are looking into this matter with urgency."
It also comes after he was contacted by the NAACP, the Black Ministers Association of York County, and the Confronting Racism Coalition.
“To the members of my community who are Black and brown, I want to say how truly sorry I am for my language and behavior,” Spanos said during his speech.
Pastor Bill Kerney, President of the Black Ministers Association of York County, Dr. Sherry Washington, incoming president of the York County branch of the NAACP, and Dr. Larry Walthour, Pastor and member of the Confronting Racism Coalition of York joined him during the speech but “By no means does our presence at this conference signify all is well because all is not well," said Dr. Sherry Washington, incoming president of the York County NAACP.
“The Confronting Racism Coalition recognizes Mr. Spanos’s apology and ownership of those actions as important first steps on the long journey in this community towards healing, equity, inclusion, and reconciliation," added Dr. Larry Walthour of the Confronting Racism Coalition.
A full statement by the NAACP is available in the Facebook post below:
“I will ask God to search in my heart to uncover the offensive ways in words within me. My prayer is that God can use this painful situation to change me and somehow use it for the greater good of our community, our overall state, which we are both beloved to, and to heal our nation which is so divisive at this time.”
He concluded: “Due to the video's wide distribution, I hope this confession and plea for forgiveness are also far-reaching."
He declined questions following his statement.
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