So I drew this the morning after Steve King made these comments at his press conference announcing his bid for reelection, but I decided to use it for the March 20 issue of the PRESS after all. Not just because I put so much work into it or because I'm so busy today (Mar. 16) but mostly because, he still ticks me off.Of course, now Geraldine Ferraro has been being a racist too, and oil has not topped $110/barrel.
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I woke up early one morning "full of piss and vinegar," so I channeled that energy into the following letter. We should all keep in contact with our state and federal reps, because they won't know how to represent you otherwise.
ReplyDelete--------------------------------------
Steve King
800 Oneida Street, Suite A
Storm Lake, Iowa 50588
March 20, 2008
Dear Representative King,
I hesitate to address you as my district’s representative, considering your misrepresentation of our people as a bigoted group of insensitive xenophobes. This is not a letter arguing your policy decisions, but your behavior. Well-informed people from around the world read and listen to your public statements on their news media and consider Western Iowa to be the most shameful, backward place in the world because of you—not because of the people you represent.
People like me who work hard to promote our state to attract economic development and tourism have a more difficult time convincing others that Iowa is a desirable place to work and enjoy themselves when our Congressman makes statements expressing distrust and fear of outsiders.
I’ve most recently been ashamed of your statements about Barack Obama’s connection to Islamic terrorists because of his middle name and because of his late father’s religion. If my middle name were Adolf, would you be just as suspicious of my motives? Shall we be suspicious of you, Steve Arnold King, since your middle name is the same as the famed traitor Benedict Arnold?
The years of scorn you’ve brought upon the innocent people of Western Iowa have got to stop. I cannot believe that a majority of us are as bigoted and uncouth as your actions lead the rest of the world to consider us.
I am tired of hearing people say my Congressman is “One of the Worst People in the World,” “a horrible and uneducated person,” and a “douche.” A colleague from Nebraska recently wrote me, “If the people of Iowa don’t protest, then he has the right to continue to say stupid things in public.” This is my protest for you to stop saying stupid things in public. One former resident of District 5 has continued to vote here by absentee ballot for the sole purpose of voting against you.
If I was disliked this strongly, sir, I would seriously consider if my actions were an appropriate representation of my constituents, and if I were doing more harm than good in my current position. As an official elected to embody the actions and opinions of Western Iowa, please consider that we are not a district of tactless bigots.
Authentically and desperately your ashamed constituent,
Kenny Kahl