It does happen here : "...can you out run a nine millimeter...", part 2

by: Michael Bersin

Wed Jan 12, 2011 at 07:39:30 AM CST

Courtney Cole (D) had her opinion piece on violent political rhetoric published in today's Kansas City Star:

Political threats are real, and I've heard it firsthand

All over America, people spent last weekend in shock over the senseless murder of six people and the wounding of another 13 in Arizona. It was heartbreaking to read quotes from the family of victim 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green that said 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 a municipal elected official in my area. On the day of the primary, I went to a polling location in my district where I stood and greeted individuals as they left the poll after voting. A municipal elected official 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.

A police report on his side of the event states: "According to him they argued ... 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. But I didn't draw attention to these incidents during the race. My point in sharing this story now is not to rehash the campaign. I want to offer a 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, Mo.

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 last weekend pleads, "I just want her memory to live on because she was a face of hope ... a face of us coming together as a country to stop the violence and hatred and the evil words."

Courtney Cole of Warrensburg, a Democrat, lost in November in her race for state representative in the 121st District, Johnson County, Mo. She is a high school teacher in Higginsville, Mo.

Posted on Tue, Jan. 11, 2011 10:15 PM

It's really interesting to read the online comments from the usual suspects.

Uh, yep:

Sadly this is nothing new. Your district is small, no one knows you. You received one threat. This happens multiple times daily to federal congressional workers and the president. There will always be crazies on both sides of the political spectrum, but the blame is always put upon the republicans simply because of their constitution view of free gun rights which has proven to decrease crime. This debate will go on forever. Every time someone gets shot with a gun, gun control is always brought up...and even if they were tighten this kid could have got a gun anyways legally or illegally.

One is one too many.

Reading comprehension isn't this person's strong suit.

"...In the last election cycle, when I ran for state representative, I received several threats of gun violence on the campaign trail...." [empasis added]

Compare Courtney Cole's published Kansas City Star piece above with what ran here on Monday (and at PoliticMo):

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

You think the Star checked out the police report?

And there's still another incident as described in a September 29, 2010 Warrensburg, Missouri Police Incident Report.

According to the police report a Courtney Cole campaign volunteer who was going door to door had to jump out of the way when a van swerved toward her while the occupants yelled at her.

Yep, this is obviously an environment conducive to a reflective and serious democratic process.

Nah, it's their world, we only get to live in it.