With the identity and motive of last week's mystery texter revealed, the post-message frenzy could be described as truly bananas.
Andrew Tatum, a former UF student, has been demonized and vilified as racist by many. The now-infamous text originated in a room of bored friends. Tatum simply clicked "next," not knowing where "next" would take him.
Students who received the text saw the word "monkey" and were quick to assume that it was a derogatory racial comment toward newly inaugurated President Barack Obama.
But Tatum, who said he is a Democrat, actually voted for Obama.
Those who interpreted the message as racist were simply projecting their own prejudices upon an otherwise innocent mistake.
But let's be real. It was a poor choice of words on Tatum's part, especially on a day when the nation was celebrating the election of its first black president.
However, Tatum owned up to his mistake immediately and is doing all he can to make right by those he may have offended. He's publicly apologized for any harm he may have caused as well as for the time authorities wasted dealing with his mistake.
The Editorial Board respects Tatum. It takes guts to admit when you've made a mistake, especially when that mistake made so many people angry.
