In this space we try to avoid giving air time to blatant stupidity, but sometimes things come along that are so over-the-top we feel compelled to report on them. Such is the case with Joshua Black, the Black Republican running for the State House in Florida, who went on Twitter and Facebook to write posts suggesting that President Obama should be hanged for treason.
Black last night got a visit from the Secret Service, according to statements he made to the Tampa Bay Times. Since Black is new to politics, having moved to Florida after practicing street evangelism in St. Louis, maybe he isn’t aware that Americans can’t go around talking about killing the president.
“To everyone who was offended that I said that the POTUS should be hanged for treason, this is the man who droned Al-Awaki on “suspicion of terrorism”–not proof–and later killed his 15-year-old son for nothing more than being his son,” Black wrote on Facebook. “This is also the man who sought to have Bradley Manning and Eric Snowden executed for treason when they didn’t kill anyone, nor does the US government pretend to believe that they cost any spies their lives. This would be exactly what the President has done to others, and, as Jesus said, ‘the measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you again.’ I make no apologies for saying that the President is not above the People. If ordinary Americans should be executed for treason, so should he.”
As expected, Republicans were not pleased with Black.
“It’s deplorable, it’s despicable, and it has no place in public discourse,” Susan Hepworth, the Republican Party of Florida’s communications director, told The Huffington Post. “He should probably just go ahead and bow out of the race.”
Black’s opponent in the state house race, incumbent Democrat Dwight Dudley, told the Tampa Bay Times he was “stunned” by Black’s comments.
“It’s dangerous and unbecoming for someone who wants to lead to call for such violence and extremist action,” Dudley said.
Black said he would not acquiesce to a request from Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) to withdraw his candidacy.
