Mayor in Idaho apologizes for kids' 'assassinate Obama' chant

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-obama-threat,0,976537.story

By JOHN MILLER | Associated Press Writer
4:01 AM CST, November 19, 2008

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ The mayor of an eastern Idaho town where second- and third-grade students on a school bus chanted "assassinate Obama!" after the Nov. 4 election has publicly apologized, saying there's no excuse for such behavior.

Rexburg Mayor Shawn Larsen wrote in a guest editorial sent Tuesday to local newspapers that he was saddened by the notoriety his community had received over the incident, both across the United States and abroad. snip

The Aryan Nations had a compound in northern Idaho's Hayden Lake until 2000, when the group lost a $6.3 million civil judgment in favor of two people who sued after being attacked by Aryan Nations' members.

After Obama's election, a northern Idaho man erected a sign advertising a "free public hanging" of the president-elect and several other political figures, prompting the U.S. Secret Service to investigate.

[grannie4peace]

1. they had to get it from somewhere!!!

[midnight]

2. Here in Wisconsin a union president of a firefighters union

told a group of people he was watching the news with that people can call him Presidential elect Obama, but he was going to call him the N word. This is revealing to me how this country tolerated the boots in the W.H.

[annabanana]

3. I would love to hear from a progressive in Idaho..

Are there any?

[IDemo]

6. There are plenty of us here

Unfortunately, even though we did better this time than in 2004, Idaho still came out neon red in the election.

Idaho gave Obama the highest percentage of primary votes from any state, believe it or not. It's not for a lack of determination and enthusiasm that progressives and Democrats in general don't do better here. But when you combine a few factors: it's a heavily rural state; the Mormon Church has a very large influence; and many here tend towards a libertarian viewpoint, it becomes very difficult to effect change (although we did get rid of our own version of Michelle Bachman - Bill Sali, in favor of Democrat Walt Minnick!)

Incidents like this sadly tend to make many feel that Idahoans in general look favorably upon racist behavior. While I wouldn't argue that the state is entirely free from such thought, the culture of white power many on DU like to believe permeates the state simply doesn't exist.

I think the kids in this situation were probably repeating something an older sibling told them to repeat on the bus. They need to be given some education as to why this behavior was wrong and offensive.

[SmileyRose]

4. Under Zero tolerance, every parent of every kid should be visited by the authorities

and every kid who participated should be suspended.

Zero tolerance is mostly idiotic and misused but when kids are "playing" with kill the president it's time for intervention.

[liberal1973]

5. Unreal

Where's Freddy Krueger when you need him?
/snark}(

[Lex]

7. wow, there are such racists in the South . . . oh wait.

nt

[BlooInBloo]

9. Racism has indeed established branch offices throughout the country....

Despite undoubtedly being headquartered in the south.



EDIT: Nothing about that is news to anybody.

[Lex]

10. LOL

not. NC, VA, and FL were blue this time.

[BlooInBloo]

11. It's bizarre that you think that your statement actually disagreed with mine.

[Lex]

12. So you think I disagreed with you?

[BlooInBloo]

8. Fuck him, fuck them, fuck Idaho.