SAN DIEGO — Tip to future politicians: saying you “kind of agreed” with a white supremacist who is accused of shooting and killing three people at Jewish centers, who ironically all turned out to be not Jewish, does not a tranquil life — or a political career — make.
Marionville, Missouri’s former Mayor Dan Clevenger just found that out. He became former when his comments in the wake of what most assuredly appears to be a quintessential hate crime by Frazier Glenn Miller — a bigot with a very long hate activity resume — were not well received by his constituents.
So he resigned as efforts began to impeach him.
Apparently Clevenger forgot how easy it is to research someone on the Internet. The Week’s Jon Turbush gives a great summary of what has transformed Mayor Dan Clevenger into former Mayor Dan Clevenger:
After the shooting, Clevenger told a local news station he “kind of agreed with [Miller] on some things,” adding “but I don’t like to express that too much.” Unfortunately for him, he did express that too much. Following his admission, reporters dug up some of Clevenger’s past warnings about the “Jew-run, government-backed banking industry,” the “Jew-run medical industry,” and so on. When confronted, Clevenger doubled down on his anti-Semitic musings.
After the meeting, Clevenger told a reporter that he wished he hadn’t written a letter to a newspaper 10 years ago when he was influenced by Miller’s way of thinking.
He got a deserved earful when the city’s aldermen voted 4-1 to start the impeachment process, and it was clear in political terms that the handwriting was on the wall.
One person defended him on the grounds of free speech. Fair enough.
But no one gagged Clevenger and he had a right to continue saying that he “kind of agreed with” Miller or anyone else.
Residents and aldermen, in turn, also have a right to argue that Clevenger could provide such a bad image to the city if some who lived there felt the mayor hated them for racial or religious reasons, or some business decided it was a bad place to be or if someone somewhere even started a boycott of the city or its businsesses until it got a new mayor.
Clevenger could have expressed regret, and repudiated his past statements — except for the fact that his statements after Miller’s murder made him to a-p-p-e-a-r to try and rationalize the actions April 2014 of a cold-blooded killer.
“I don’t know if you still feel the same way, but that is between you and God,” [Dan Noyes, an African-American] told Clevenger. “But I will say this, if you don’t step down, I ask you from this point on to keep your mouth shut unless you know that everybody in this town agrees with you.”
Gene Smith spoke in support of the mayor and pointed at his fellow residents.
“I have seen a lot more hatred from some of you people than I have seen out of Dan Clevenger,” he said. “I thought we had free speech in America.”
Smith blamed the media for “twisting” Clevenger’s words, and when a News-Leader reporter later asked if he could take his picture, Smith tried to hit the reporter with one of his crutches.
Attn. Mr. Clevenger: this is not a great way for someone defending you to do it.
…..Resident John McCormick told the board, “We have been slimed, like in ‘Ghostbusters.’ ”
A woman who stood next to him also spoke.
“I personally know and love a Jew,” she said. “I have a grandson who is Jewish.”
After saying that, she added that the investment firm of Goldman Sachs in New York City has played a large role in damaging the U.S. economy.
One speaker said Clevenger’s comments not only engendered fallout locally but “across the nation.”
She said Clevenger was hurting businesses, including local restaurants, as well as the Hillbilly Gas Mart.
What’s unusual about this story? It’s unusual to ever find the mayor of a city in any way, shape or form expressing any sympathy for someone who decided to just wipe several residents out.
And now the question is: if Miller influenced Clevenger’s thinking, who did Clevenger influence with his comments suggesting he understood the feelings Miller had — feelings that caused Miller to suddenly and unapologetically snuff out the lives of three innocent persons including a teenager on a seemingly glorious, Sunday Kansas afternoon?
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Gandelman is editor of The Moderate Voice, where this story first appeared. … San Diego Jewish World invites attention from sponsors who would like their messages to run beneath topical stories. Contact donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com