Does Stefanik believe `replacement theory?’
Crandall event scheduled for Tuesday, May 24
The Front Page
Morning Update
Monday, May 16, 2022
By Ken Tingley
If we are ever going to change the direction of our country, we have to get back to the basics and hold our elected officials accountable. Starting right here in our own backyard with their lack of civility.
As we saw over the weekend, political rhetoric and conspiracy theories are not only wrong, they are dangerous.
An 18-year-old from Conklin, N.Y. drove 200 miles to Buffalo to address “replacement theory” and kill 10 people in a neighborhood grocery store. Conklin is small rural town just southeast of Binghamton, probably not unlike many of our rural communities.
What is truly shocking is that you can draw a direct line from the beliefs of this young man and Facebook ads run by Rep. Elise Stefanik eight months ago.
The Times Union editorial board was disturbed enough about the ads at the time that they called out Stefanik in an editorial that began like this:
"Back in 2017, white supremacists marched in Charlottesville, Va., carrying torches and chanting, 'You will not replace us' and 'Jews will not replace us.' Decent Americans recoiled at the undeniable echo of Nazi Germany.
"That rhetoric has been resonating ever since in the right wing, repackaged lately in what's known as 'replacement theory,' espoused by conservative media figures like Fox News' Tucker Carlson,” continued the editorial. “And it has seeped into the mainstream political discourse in the Capital Region, where Rep. Elise Stefanik has adapted this despicable tactic for campaign ads.”
We cannot presume that the alleged murderer from Conklin saw any of Stefanik’s ads or that he even knows who she is, but it is clear that Stefanik is not the only politician playing up this type of thinking.
Did you know that Rep. Stefanik believes in “replacement theory?”
Is this the type of person you want representing you in Congress?
Is this the type of person you would even want to be representing you as dog catcher?
Most of you probably were not aware of the ads, because they are subtle.
“She doesn't quite attack immigrants directly,” the Times Union editorial states. “Instead, she alleges that Democrats are looking to grant citizenship to undocumented immigrants in order to gain a permanent liberal majority.”
When Rep. Stefanik tweeted Saturday that she was “heartbroken about the tragic news of horrific loss of life in Buffalo,” author Don Winslow responded quickly, writing:
That’s not all. Rep. Stefanik characterized Democratic opponents as the “usual pedo grifters” in another tweet to characterize all Democrats as pedophiles. You may remember that a man showed up at a pizza parlor where allegedly children were being held hostage with an assault rifle. He believed the conspiracy theories.
This type of rhetoric has to stop.
I’m not asking you to adopt a liberal agenda that goes against your beliefs, just to demand Rep. Stefanik to treat her opponents with respect and to stop the attacks and spread unsubstantiated conspiracies.
I’m stumped why Rep.Stefanik has been so popular in this district. An outsider, and Washington insider she doesn’t seem to have much insight into how to solve the most pressing problems facing her constituents. She is not one of them. She never has been.
The trouble is that constant attacks does have consequences as we saw this weekend.
If you believe her rhetoric is wrong, let her know about it. You can call her office in Glens Falls at 518 743-0964 or her office in Washington D.C. at 202 225-4611.
And if she doesn’t stop, then rally around another candidate and vote her out of office.
Crandall event
On Tuesday, May 24, Crandall Public Library will be hosting a “Conversation with Ken Tingley” as Will Doolittle and myself talk about life, newspapers, the future of journalism and my upcoming book “The Last American Newspaper.”
Crandall Public Library announced it in Saturday’s newspaper as it’s first public event since the beginning of the pandemic.
The event will start at 5:30 p.m.
Tweet of the Day
Having a family member sexually abused I know firsthand the suffering and trauma a family goes through. Having our representative in Congress use "pedo" to describe democrats is dispicable. Stefanik has become what I detest the most in our elected officials. Divisive and dangerous. BTW, the perpetrator sits in prison and I could care less what his party affiliation is. Evil is evil.
Unfortunately, she has chosen the "low" road as have too many Republicans. Which is the reason my husband and I left the Republican part during the last administration and enrolled as Independents, which actually we always have been. PS. Never voted for her