Three-term Hanceville Mayor Kenneth Nail landed in the middle of a controversy when one of his Facebook posts last week was perceived as an inappropriate sexual comment aimed at Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.

By the end of the week, Sen. Paul Bussman, R-Cullman, was calling for Nail’s resignation. Nail said he does not plan to resign.

As a backdrop to the photo in question, Nail was visiting Montgomery to visit with state officials on behalf of his city. Reps. Corey Harbison, R-Good Hope, and Randall Shedd, R-Fairview, were there and helped arrange a photo shoot with Nail, Baileyton Mayor Johnny Dyar and the governor. The representatives were also in the photo, which is a common courtesy often extended to visitors from home districts.

Nail posted the photo Wednesday to his Facebook page. In the comments on the Facebook post, a poster asked, “Where is your right hand”

Nail responds, “She did have a smile on her face, didn’t she LOL”

In an era of increasing awareness and condemnation of inappropriate comments and actions, Nail was wrong in responding to the initial Facebook comment. To his credit, the mayor admits it, knows it, and regrets it. He has apologized to Ivey, who acknowledged she spoke to Nail.

Nail, in his own hindsight knows he shouldn’t have responded to the comment made about his hand and arm. The truth is that five people simply were standing close together for the sake of fitting into the frame.

Social media is rife with innuendos, corny comments, foul language, and people trying to get attention through all sorts of photos and words. What appears in cyberspace never goes away, even if you hit delete. 

Somewhere an impression posted online remains.

Everyone should be careful about what he or she post, but too many people believe they are immune from criticism. A person in leadership should especially take care in the words and images that find their way on social platforms.

With that being said, the point in this controversy involving Nail is part of a broader discussion spreading into all points of social and professional settings. The seemingly endless reports of sexually-inappropriate comments and behavior by prominent people, and some lesser known, have become more than a big story. 

People are losing their jobs due to the disrespect they have shown others. The problem has particularly been difficult for women.

American workplaces are supposed to be managed by people of integrity and fairness. Discussions can carry on about how men and women view each other, but that, too, misses the point.

The issue comes down to treating people with respect, not intimidating them through threats, sexual innuendos or advances. Everyone deserves and is entitled to respect in the workplace and anyplace.

Some people believe sexual banter is all in fun and the backlash is overblown. However, if you are on the receiving end of such language and actions, you probably think otherwise.