Mayor Shawn Larsen Apologizes for Second, Third Graders Chanting "Assassinate Obama" On School Bus

Mayor Shawn Larsen of Rexburg, Idaho, has apologized for an incident involving second- and third-grade students on a school bus who chanted "assassinate Obama!" after the Nov. 4 election. He said that there's no excuse for such behavior. I applaud him for taking a stand against such behavior. He wrote an editorial which was circulated to the local newspapers in which he stated that he was saddened by the notoriety his community had received over the incident, both across the United States and abroad. Larsen said that a formal response to the incident in his city was sorely needed.

"When people don't stand up and say, 'That's not appropriate, that's wrong, and those are hateful remarks,' it's almost like they are saying that it's an OK thing to do. And it's not," he said. "The mayor doesn't have any authority over the school system, but I do think it reflects upon the community."

In his editorial, Larsen recounted seeing Barack Obama speak in Washington, D.C., in early 2006 about his faith and how his upbringing had influenced his policies and his priorities. Larsen said he left the event inspired.

Idaho voters overwhelmingly favored Republican John McCain in the presidential election. According to MSNBC, in Madison County, where Rexburg is located, 85 percent of voters chose McCain over the Democratic candidate, and some claim it's the "reddest county" in America. However, there is no excuse for the hateful and hurtful comments about Barack Obama, a man who is going to lead our country in less than 60 days. I am appalled that children could spew so vile words and it is quite obvious that they heard this at home. What are the values their parents are instilling in them? To hate because of the color of one's skin? To threaten to kill or assassinate the president of the United States is taken very seriously and those words should not be used lightly.

It seems, however, that Idaho is just brimming over with supremacists groups. According to MSNBC.com,

The Aryan Nations had a compound in northern Idaho's Hayden Lake until 2000, when the group lost a $6.3 million civil judgment in favor of two people who sued after being attacked by Aryan Nations' members.

After Obama's election, a northern Idaho man erected a sign advertising a "free public hanging" of the president-elect and several other political figures, prompting the U.S. Secret Service to investigate.

Surely we can overcome the racial stigma that has dogged America for much of its history. It is shameful that children foster such harmful thoughts and the sad reality is that they heard it in their home.