SALEM – State Sen. Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day) has apologized to people of Greek descent, wherever they may live, after sending an e-mail suggesting Greece is a “haven for morons.”
Ferrioli, in a statement issued Feb. 10, said his words didn’t reflect his respect and admiration “for the great history, traditions, culture and contributions of the Greek people.”
The apology stemmed from an e-mail exchange Feb. 7 between Ferrioli and Louise Du Toit, a wolf advocate and South African singer living in Greece. Du Toit had urged him to oppose a Senate bill that seeks to take wolves off the state’s endangered species list and to support the well-being of all native wildlife.
Ferrioli responded that he supports the bill, and questions why comments from European Union residents should make any difference to him. Then he added, “perhaps I should be writing to EU ministers to stop bailing out Greece. Clearly it has become a haven for morons.
“Go away!”
Du Toit forwarded the exchange to the media, noting that she had sent a “polite letter of protest” about the wolf bill to all 30 state senators. She called the response from Ferrioli disgraceful and said it presented “a negative image of representatives of the US.”
The ensuing uproar produced letters to the editor in newspapers including The Oregonian, criticizing Ferrioli’s response as “churlish” and “immature".
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