George,

No sooner than President Barack Obama dismounted Air Force One, Wednesday January 25, 2012, in Mesa, Ariz, he was approached by Arizona Gov. Janice Brewer who handed him a handwriten letter. During what appeared to be an intense conversation at the base of Air Force One's steps, Obama told Brewer that in her book, Scorpions for Breakfast, she had "inaccurately described what occurred during the June 2010 Oval office meeting." Brewer was critical of the President and accused him of being "patronising."

During what appeared to be a tense encounter, red jacket-clad Brewer pointed her index finger within inches of the President's mouth. In the 'hood this would be a provocative and probable cause for a physical altercation.

Whether the Governor was acting out of a racial mentality or staging a publicity stunt to sell her book is debatable. It is a fact, however, that Arizona was next to the last state to approve the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday which Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) joined with Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) in opposing. The holiday was approved by the Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. Arizona voted to approve the King holiday in 1992, only after a tourist boycott and loss of Super Bowl XXVII that was played on January 31, 1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, instead of Phoenix.

Brewer's index finger pointing gesture was reminiscent of the outburst of Joe Wilson, (Republican Rep. of S.C.) who during President Obama's Health Care address to Congress in 2009 called the President a liar. He later offered an apology. Brewer should do no less. Her finger pointing gesture at the President was disrespectful and disgraceful.

On behalf of African Americans, in particular, and all Americans who respect the Office of the President and the President, we together denounce Brewer's behavior and call upon her to offer an apology to the President and the American people.

Uriah J. Fields (Electronic mail, January 26, 2012)