US Census Worker Lynched? : Greg Laden's Blog

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US Census Worker Lynched?

Category: Republicans
Posted on: September 23, 2009 6:37 PM, by Greg Laden

A part time teacher and US Census worker was lynched in Kentucky earlier today. The word "FED" was scrawled on his body.

Michele Bachmann, I wonder what your opinion of this killing is?

The AP and other agencies are just starting to report this.

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Comments

Bachmann has no opinion. Damn poor thinker...but we knew that already.

She didn't bring the rope did she?

Posted by: MikeMa | September 23, 2009 6:51 PM

I see you read my Twitter feed. :D

Posted by: Jason Thibeault | September 23, 2009 6:54 PM

First thought, thank god it wasn't WV.

Posted by: Abstruse | September 23, 2009 7:02 PM

Source?

Posted by: Anon | September 23, 2009 7:24 PM

how sad: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/23/census-worker-fed/ (links to AP and an unrelated article about the victim)

Posted by: jake | September 23, 2009 7:29 PM

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32991672/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Posted by: OmegaMom | September 23, 2009 7:35 PM

There's a lot to be said for education, and not much to be said for lack thereof. Really sickening that there are still any number of people in this country who think and act in such a disgusting manner.

Posted by: Dan J | September 23, 2009 9:59 PM

WTF??!!

Posted by: Paulino | September 23, 2009 10:19 PM

Jason, actually, no. Anon [4] I gave the source, but I did not give a link. I try to avoid linking directly to AP because they have threatened bloggers.

You know, killing a federal employee like this is one of those things covered under the patriot act for which you can be executed. I'm just sayin'

Thanks for the links, Jake and Omega

Posted by: Greg Laden | September 23, 2009 10:44 PM

You know, killing a federal employee like this is one of those things covered under the patriot act for which you can be executed. I'm just sayin'

Thus saving countless lives no doubt.

Posted by: Bill James | September 24, 2009 1:06 AM

Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. -- Michelle Bachman

Posted by: SQB | September 24, 2009 4:49 AM

The AP suing bloggers? Wow.

I had swallowed my pride and linked to HuffPo, as they were the only ones I could find carrying the story at the time. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/23/census-worker-hanged-with_n_297114.html

From the MSNBC article:

"I told him on more than one occasion, based on my years in the state police, 'Mr. Sparkman, when you go into those counties, be careful because people are going to perceive you different than they do elsewhere,'" Acciardo said.

"Even though he was with the Census Bureau, sometimes people can view someone with any government agency as 'the government.' I just was afraid that he might meet the wrong character along the way up there," Acciardo said.

So how long until we see the Patriot Act employed against these terrorists? Or is Murder also OKIYAR?

Posted by: Jason Thibeault | September 24, 2009 6:17 AM

Jason@12: So how long until we see the Patriot Act employed against these terrorists? Or is Murder also OKIYAR?

Obviously you can't use the Patriot act against the perpetrators of this -- those good people are Real Patriots™

[/snark]

My wife & I are still a few years away from applying for citizenship... acts like this make us wonder if we want to actually go through with the process.

WTF is up with the wingnuts in this country?
WTF is up with the media making lunatic fringe positions out to be mainstream?
WTF is up with a democratic majority acting as if they need permission to govern?

I truly wonder.

Posted by: TonyC | September 24, 2009 7:37 AM

Jason, not suing, just threatening to charge them like 1,000 per quote or something absurd like that.

Then they would sue, presumably.

What's wrong with huffpo? Are you a member of some sort of purity movement or something !?!?

Posted by: Greg Laden | September 24, 2009 8:22 AM

I suppose my hatred for the woo that's peddled and antivax nonsense there does sort of count as a purity-movement type mentality, and while it's unbecoming of me, I can't shake it. They're an example of the type of nonsense the left is prone to, and the only real counterexample I can think of to the nonsense believed by the right-wing about Obama.

Posted by: Jason Thibeault | September 24, 2009 8:40 AM

From the huffpo article: "Investigators are still trying to determine whether the death was a killing or a suicide"

Seriously? The guy was strung from a tree with something carved into his chest and you're still mulling this one over?

And WTF. A Census worker. Really? This is who you attack? My experience has been that these are the nicest, most truly patriotic of people.

My only question is whether this is politically motivated, racism, or just another creep.

Posted by: Spiv | September 24, 2009 9:09 AM

While I have little doubt that Bachman and assorted wing nuts have helped whipped things up, this murder occurred in an area of the country that has a long history of suspicion of the government going back to illegal moonshine and revenue agents. The modern version of that is attempts to hide large scale pot farms in the National Forrest near by. It's also a very, very poor place with a pretty weak education system.

Believe me I don't take this lightly, because of my job for the federal government, I've been out with Census workers who go door to door observing as they prepare for 2010 and I'm likely to have to do it at least several more times before they finish. I just think that this goes back much further than the current wing nuttery.

I'm fairly certain that killing a federal employee in the line of duty was a federal crime long before the Patriot Act.

Posted by: katydid13 | September 24, 2009 9:28 AM

katydid13: I am thinking roughly the same thing as you. What you say makes sense.

But my question for Bachmann has a broader meaning. I do want to know what she thinks of this person being lynched for being a federal employee with the census given her call to oppose the census, and for her followers to come to the table "armed and dangerous." A world in which sometimes people kill census workers is different than a world in which such an act has never happened and is unthinkable across the board. We live in the former world, and in that world Michele Bachmann should be more responsible with her hate rhetoric.

Yes, the Federal Code had life imprisonment or the death penalty for the crime of murdering a federal employee in the line of duty. The Patriot act expanded this for transportation industry contexts, and state-level clones resulted in various enhancements (I do not know about KY).

Posted by: Greg Laden | September 24, 2009 10:11 AM

I missed the morning news actors this morning, was this story covered by the networks?

Posted by: jake | September 24, 2009 10:13 AM

While, I believe this is the first murder of a Census worker, it's a more dangerous job that people think. There have been assults and refusal to cooperate that has been rooted in an anti-government rhetoric. Depending on where you are being greeted with a gun is not unheard of.

We saw a taste 2000, when Bush said that if he got the long form he wouldn't answer it, until he was reminded that he was campaigning to be President and shouldn't suggest people break the law.

I think Bachman and her ilk have certainly whipped up the crazies, but I think they are bringing a long existing problem to the forefront. There is a deep streak of anti-government feeling that is being brought mainstream and attracting more attention than it got in the past.

Posted by: katydid13 | September 24, 2009 11:24 AM

I just checked that census taking a constitutional duty.

Posted by: Antoni Jaume | September 24, 2009 4:14 PM

jake: It was covered, but not much was said. The murder happened many days ago and apparently only now has it been leaked that this is a federal case with possible hate/terrorism/whatever aspects. There is almost no actual news that i know of out there.

Posted by: Greg Laden | September 24, 2009 4:29 PM

Le sigh.

Imagine if it was apparent that a census worker had hung someone. I cannot fathom the backlash.

Posted by: jake | September 25, 2009 11:52 AM

Bill Sparkman's death ruled a suicide made to look like homicide

You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

Posted by: Bill James | November 26, 2009 5:21 AM