Violent rhetoric in our political discourse has become commonplace.

Sheriff Clarence Dupnik: Arizona ‘Mecca For Prejudice & Bigotry’

First Posted: 01- 8-11 11:18 PM   |   Updated: 01- 9-11 08:28 AM

….While speaking, the sheriff said that himself it included, “it’s not unusual for all public officials to get threats.” However, he said the sentiment doesn’t come without consequences.

“And that’s the sad thing of what’s going on in America,” he explained. “Pretty soon, we’re not going to be able to find reasonable, decent people who are willing to subject themselves to serve in public office.”

A representative of the Faux News Channel took issue with Sheriff Dupnik’s words on the subject.

In Holden, Missouri, on August 3, 2010 – from a Holden Police Offense/Incident Report:

Holden Police Department

110 W. Third St. Holden, MO 64040

Offense/Incident Report

….On 08/03/10 at approximately 10:15 hours, reporting officer Cpl. Michael Scott Brandt, #308, was on duty in the City of Holden. I was contacted at the Holden Police Department by Courtney Cole in regards to an incident that occurred outside the Polling center in Holden.

According to Ms. Cole, she was standing outside the polling center speaking to a voter when an argument between herself and a male subject, she identifies as Jim Nipko, began. During their argument Mr. Nipko stated, “I’m not voting for you just based on that. I hate what they are doing. I am going to go get my nine millimeter.” According to Ms. Cole, during their argument Ms. Nipko was yelling at Mr. Nipko to get in the car.

I went to Mr. Nipko’s residence to speak with him about the incident. Mr. Nipko stated that he did have an argument with a candidate running for office. According to him they argued and increase until she asked if he was going to hit her. His reply was, “No but can you out run a nine millimeter.” I told Mr. Nipko that he could not say things like that especially around a polling center. I advised Mr. Nipko that I would need to speak with Major Martin and the Prosecuting Attorney, and that I would get back to him.

M.S. Brandt, Cpl.

….Printed 08/16/2010 05:51:35 PM

We received a copy of a letter to the editor (Update: at PoliticMo) written by Courtney Cole, the unsuccessful Democratic Party candidate in the 121st Legislative District race in November, in response to the incident in Arizona:

All over America, people have spent the weekend in shock over the senseless murder of six people and the wounding of another 13 in Arizona. It was heart breaking to read quotes from the father of nine-year-old, Christina Taylor Green, who was killed in the attack, “She was excited about the political process.”

Unfortunately, the political process is ill.

In the last election cycle, when I ran for State Representative, I received several threats of gun violence on the campaign trail. The most serious involved Holden City Councilman Jim Nipko. On the day of the primary, I went to the polling location in Holden where I stood and greeted individuals as they left the poll after voting. Nipko heard me speaking with another individual about labor issues as he left the poll with his wife. He became very hostile with me and claimed that he would do whatever possible to see that I wasn’t elected after hearing my support for workers.

Quoting directly from the police report on Nipko’s side of the story: “According to him they argued and increased until she asked if he was going to hit her. His reply was, ‘No but can you outrun a nine millimeter?'”

To me, this was a threat and I was concerned enough to go to the police. The county prosecutor, Lynn Stoppy, refused to pursue the case, dismissing it as only an implied threat.

I didn’t draw attention to these incidents during the race. My point in sharing this story now is not to rehash the past campaign. I want to offer a very specific local example of violence in politics. We would like to think that the vitriol is only a part of the national political scene, however, it made its way to Johnson County.

I believe we have a responsibility to ourselves, Democrats to Republicans, conservatives to liberals, to respect our democracy and political process as well as each other. Our political environment has become more and more hostile. The unseen victims of the current chaos are all of us. Constructive debate is overshadowed by cheap slams and dishonest robo calls. Not only does it cost us respect for our neighbors, it crowds out the reason needed to solve our collective problems and make coherent decisions about the future.

We can commit to civility. We can be an example of faith in the democracy that has guided us to being the greatest nation on earth. Just as the mother of the young girl who lost her life this past weekend pleads, “I want her memory to live on that she’s a face of hope…a face of us coming together as a country to stop the violence and hatred and evil words.”

Courtney Cole, Warrensburg

Evidently, in our current political environment “can you out run a nine millimeter[?]” now passes for acceptable discourse.

“…Pretty soon, we’re not going to be able to find reasonable, decent people who are willing to subject themselves to serve in public office…”

How long before a right wingnut politician in Missouri jumps on the Arizona Senate Bill 1070 [pdf] bandwagon? Not very.

Reporter Sloane Heller at KSHB-TV in Kansas City is reporting this morning that Representative Mark Parkinson (r) is intent on filing legislation similar to Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070, requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship to law enforcement based on “reasonable suspicion.”

[Kobach]…professor here at UMKC actually helped write the law in Arizona. So, uh, it’s possible, we don’t know, that he could actually help state Representative Mark Parkinson out of St. Charles. Now we talked to Parkinson’s aide yesterday. He gave us some new information about Parkinson’s plan for reform on immigration. Right now Parkinson is backing a bill that would make it a felony to transport illegal immigrants. What he wants to do, he wants to substitute that bill and create one that matches Arizona’s new law. Of course that law gives police the ability to ask for documentation if they suspect somebody is here illegally. Now Parkinson is hoping, uh, to introduce his new bill before the session ends. Uh, critics, of course, have been coming out and talking, the last couple of weeks, saying that this new law in Arizona encourages racial profiling…

If Mark Parkinson (r) has his way Missouri law enforcement officials will have to add B-movie dialog to their repertoire.

In an earlier report Heller also stated that this would be offered as a substitute for HB 2449. HB 2449, in its current form:

HB 2449 Creates various crimes for trafficking, concealing, haboring, sheltering, or transporting illegal aliens

Sponsor: Parkinson, Mark A. (16) Proposed Effective Date: 08/28/2010

CoSponsor: Jones, Timothy W. (89) ……….etal. LR Number: 5481L.02I

Last Action: 04/20/2010 – Referred: International Trade and Immigration (H)

HB2449

Next Hearing: INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND IMMIGRATION

Date: Wednesday, 04/28/2010 Time: 5:00p.m. or upon afternoon adjournment

Location: Hearing Room 7

Executive session may follow.

Calendar: Bill currently not on a calendar

Missouri House proposes immigration reform

….The measure was proposed on April 1, and is the only bill proposed this year that deals directly with the criminal enforcement of illegal immigration.

The sponsor, State Rep. Mark Parkinson, R-St. Charles, said the bill has “nothing to do with Arizona,” and called it an “economic issue.” He cited the state’s unemployment figures, which were at 9.5 percent in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Mr. Parkinson said the bill would protect undocumented workers from exploitation by employers, and would assert the state’s stance against federal immigration reform, which has yet to be proposed.

“This is going to send a message to the White House,” Mr. Parkinson said. “Missourians don’t want amnesty….”

“…he [Parkinson] wants to substitute that bill and create one that matches Arizona’s new law…”

“…nothing to do with Arizona…” Really. Which side of your mouth did that come out of?

And what does the Sheriff of Pima County, Arizona (which is on the state’s southern border with Mexico) think of the law?:

The Dupnik rebellion: Pima’s top cop says “no” to SB 1070

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) – Pima County’s top lawman says he has no intention of enforcing Arizona’s controversial crackdown on illegal immigration.  Sheriff Clarence Dupnik calls SB 1070 “racist,” “disgusting,” and “unnecessary.”

Speaking Tuesday morning with KGUN9’s Steve Nunez, Dupnik made it clear that while he will not comply with the provisions of the new law, nor will he let illegal immigrants go free.  “We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing all along,” Dupnik said.  “We’re going to stop and detain these people for the Border Patrol.”

The sheriff acknowledged that this course of action could get him hauled into court.  SB 1070 allows citizens to sue any law enforcement official who doesn’t comply with the law.  But Dupnik told Nunez that SB 1070 would force his deputies to adopt racial profiling as an enforcement tactic, which Dupnik says could also get him sued. “So we’re kind of in a damned if we do, damned if we don’t situation. It’s just a stupid law.”

Dupnik had harsh words for anyone who thinks SB 1070 will not lead to racial profiling. “If I tell my people to go out and look for A, B, and C, they’re going to do it. They’ll find some flimsy excuse like a tail light that’s not working  as a basis for a stop, which is a bunch of baloney.”

Remember, Pima County is on the border with Mexico.

So, how long before teabaggers flood town halls screaming about a ‘police state’. [sound of crickets]