HOUSTON – The local NAACP chapter, along with other organizations, are condemning the use of the N-word and are speaking out about the Twitter controversy surrounding the new Miss Teen USA.
The social media firestorm created by newly crowned Miss Teen USA, Karlie Hay from Tomball, continues.
The string of tweets on Hay's timeline back in 2013 and 2014 include the N-word several times. They are getting plenty of strong reactions.
"In this day an age there's a lot of racism going on. There's a lot of racism going on. It unacceptable. She's going to be a role model for young children. That's not acceptable," area resident Margo Hernandez said.
"Karlie Hay does not deserve to be Miss Teen USA," Tammie Lang-Campbell, Honey Brown Hope Foundation, said.
The foundation is a local anti-N-word advocacy group whose mission is to eradicate the use of the racial slur altogether.
File: NAACP Media Statement- Condemning the use of N-Word by Miss Teen USA
The group was furious after hearing about the controversy surrounding Hay.
"It's appalling and unacceptable and we shouldn't accept a half apology, period," Lang-Campbell said.
Hay took to Twitter over the weekend to respond to the allegations, saying in part:
"I admit I have used language publicly in the past that I am not proud of, and that there is no excuse for."
"People don't accept that word. It's a racist word. That's something you can't do," area resident William Holmes said.
Hay, along with her family, preferred not to comment.