U.S. Navy Capt. Scott Bethmann Resigns From Naval Academy Board After Accidentally Livestreaming Conversation Filled With Racial Slurs

A retired U.S. Navy captain resigned from the Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees after accidentally broadcasting a conversation with his wife filled with racial slurs and derogatory comments on Facebook Live.

Scott Bethmann and his wife Nancy were heard watching TV and making comments throughout the now viral 30-minute recording, though they are not seen because the phone camera seemingly faced the couch while the video was being taken accidentally.

In the recording, Bethmann used the N-word and other derogatory statements multiple times and spoke negatively about the Black Lives Matter movement, including how companies, like American Airlines and Citibank, have announced support for the movement.

“I’ve gotten an email about how ‘We’re supporting,’ and ‘We need to fix this problem.’ … F*** you! Oh, ‘If you work in my office and you’re silent, we know where you stand.’ So all the white people have to say something nice to the Black b**** that works in the office. But the Black b**** don’t get fired it’s bulls***.”

Eventually, Nancy chimed in saying, “F*** Asians from China, who love to steal all of our intellectual property.”

The recording ends when Bethmann realizes that he’s been streaming live the whole time. He starts reading comments out loud, and asks, “What are they talking about?” before saying “Oops,” and ending the stream. The livestream and Bethmann’s Facebook page have since been taken down, though many screen recordings still exist on the internet.

Bethmann later apologized through a statement given by a family spokesperson: “There are no words that can appropriately express how mortified and apologetic my wife and I are about the insensitive things we said that were captured on social media,” the statement said. “I know that an apology from us rings hollow on many ears in our community, especially in the current environment. We intend on using this experience as an opportunity to grow, listen, learn, and reflect.”

“These attributed statements do not represent the mission and values of the Alumni Association, the Naval Academy or the U.S. Navy,” said the US Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation in a Facebook post, which also confirmed Bethmann’s resignation. “As alumni, we seek to uphold the Naval Academy core leadership values of honor, courage and commitment. As an alumni organization, we seek to be an inspiration for all young people who want to become future Navy and Marine Corps officers.”

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