Mia Love, the African-American Mormon mayor of Sarasota Springs, Utah, who became a nationally known figure after her speech at the Republican National Convention, received racist and disturbing photos in the mail that she says were sent to her because she “poses a problem to the policies of the Obama administration.”
It’s an odd twist, for a black Republican to accuse Obama and Democrats of being the source of racist attacks on her because she’s black. It’s as if Love feels like racists would need political reasons to send her hate mail—the fact that she’s a prominent African-American female politician wouldn’t be enough.
The Deseret News reported that a thick envelope arrived at the mayor’s offices and it contained pictures of aborted fetuses, as well as a photo of Love and her husband and hooded Ku Klux Klan member, according to City Manager Mark Christensen.
“I couldn’t tell if it was threatening or anything. It kind of shocked me, what I saw,” said Christensen, who described the photos as “disturbing” and “pretty creepy.”
This isn’t the first time the city has received mail aimed at Love, but this one was the worst. He said he turned it over to Saratoga Springs Police Chief Gary Hicken, who said he assigned an officer to investigate.
“I can say it’s racial in nature but I can’t tell you it’s criminal in nature,” Hicken said.
Love is currently handily beating Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson in Utah’s new 4th Congressional District, according to polls, called herself a “tough cookie.”
“I want you to know, I want everyone to know I am comfortable in my skin,” she said. “I’m comfortable and proud of my heritage. I’m proud of who I am. I know where I’m going and I know what we need to do to get this country back in order again. There isn’t anything that anyone can send me that will distract me from that so they can bring it.”
Love said she believes she’s been targeted because she poses a problem to the policies of the Obama administration. She said the threats are meant to divert her from the issues in the race. If she wins the November election, she would be the first black Republican female elected to Congress.
“I knew that people would come after me,” Love said. “I knew that people would try to change and distort information so I’m going to focus on things that are really important.”
