Two days ago, I diaried that Galvin Ellzey, Republican Vice Chair of the 3rd District had made inappropriate comments via twitter - comments he later deleted.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
These comments were forwarded off to other organizations and noted by campaigns and others who asked for Galvin Ellzey to step down. Today, the story extended - as the Kansas City Star picked up the story and managed to get Ellzey's response - just slightly before more information came to light.
http://www.kansascity.com/...
Gavin Ellzey, the vice chairman of the Kansas Republican 3rd Congressional District Committee, advised on Twitter in early July that “offending Muslims is the duty of any civilized person.”
Ellzey added, “Especially with a .45.”
In an interview with The Star, the Overland Park resident acknowledged writing the tweet in response to television news reports about Christians being “crucified” overseas.
“Sometimes you overreact,” Ellzey said.
Mahnaz Shabbir of the Crescent Peace Society said she was shocked when she saw the tweet.
“We’ve been doing a lot of work in the community to try to help others understand who we are,” she said. “When something like this comes across my computer, my first reaction is like, are you kidding me?”
She pointed out the tweet came just months after the shootings at the Jewish Community Center.
Shabbir said that Ellzey should be removed from his minor party office and that the Kansas GOP should apologize.
Clay Barker, executive director of the Kansas Republican Party, said the state party has “no responsibility for or connection to the public statements of private citizens who perform volunteer work for the party.”
Please note: Gallvin Ellzey is the VICE CHAIR of the 3rd District of the Republican Congressional Committee. This isn't some guy off the street who just goes out on a volunteer basis and hands out signs and fliers.
Ellzey apologized to the KC Star at the end, noting:
Told that the words were explosive, Ellzey said, “You’re right,” and said at another point, “I’m not trying to give offense to anybody.”
Ellzey of course didn't bother apologizing for cracks about women of NOW being 'ugly' and not needing birth control.
But in the hours after the report from the KC Star, the Kansas Republican Vice Chair seems to have had no problem offending people in the past:
https://www.facebook.com/...
Gavin Ellzey Palestine = parking lot for Israeli jets. Time to make that happen
Gavin Ellzey Simple. Turn Iran into a sheet of radioactive glass. And if the Muslims don't like it, do the same to Mecca.
For a guy looking to not cause any flap and no desire to offend anyone, the comments sure come across.. well, fairly nutty.
For the most part, this is a private citizen, and I respect his right to free speech. If he says this and believes it, then he is entitled to this opinion - that is what makes America great. Still, as the Vice Chair of the Republican Party Committee for the election of Kevin Yoder, the silence of Kevin Yoder to address this issue - in the same way that Yoder previously ducked all requests to rebuke Johnson County Chair who called for Kelly Kultala, his general election opponent to be excommunicated sends the message that maybe there are others who aren't quite as offended as the rest of us.
Is Representative Kevin Yoder made of strong enough stuff that he can publically admonish his Vice Chair? Call for him to step down? Public apologize? Or is this the Kevin Yoder who managed to put his name on 6 bills in the house and found himself playing the game of do less in order to rock the boat?
If Yoder wants to be considered serious about being seen as a leader, his ducking of handling the problems in his back yard is not the way to do it.
Fri Aug 08, 2014 at 7:06 AM PT: Update For those that find this diary late, he has resigned.