Delayed reaction to alleged racial slur

Houston Port Commissioner Cheryl Thompson-Draper is under fire for a racist remark she allegedly made in Shanghai last year — but it seems her comment wasn't much of an issue until she made a county commissioner mad.

While port commissioners were on a trade mission to Shanghai in May, Thompson-Draper reportedly objected to a black band that played at an event, saying she preferred "just country-western music. If not, I am out of here. I won't listen to this jungle bunny music." Port Commission Chairman Jim Edmonds told KHOU that Thompson-Draper did make the comment, but he apparently let it go. Things rocked along as usual at the port until a month ago, when Thompson-Draper recommended that Kase Lawal, the only black member of the port commission, step down as vice chairman of the group. That's when County Commissioner El Franco Lee suddenly took an interest in Thompson-Draper's comment, sending a letter about it to every county commissioner and port commissioner. "Diversity, sensitivity and inclusion ... all becomes lip service once a statement is credited to a person that's supposed to come from our region, our country," Lee said.

Though Lee apparently didn't call for any official action against Thompson-Draper, City Councilwoman Ada Edwards said the port commission should call for her resignation. Thompson-Draper, for her part, took the usual stance: "I do not recall the comment ... it is not in my vocabulary and is certainly not reflectve of my personal attitude or character."

The case raises the question of whether Lee's reaction to Thompson-Draper's comment was a result of her recommending Lawal be removed from his post — but the bigger question in our mind is why the port commission didn't do anything about the incident when it happened.

Update: KHOU reports this afternoon that Thompson-Draper plans to resign under pressure from community leaders.