Tony Zirkle, Republican candidate for 2nd District U.S. representative, addresses a weekend gathering in Chicago of the American National Socialist Workers Party at a celebration of the 119th anniversary of the birth of Nazi leader Adolph Hitler. From The New York Times.
I'll be honest, I'm not sure what to say about this NY Times story:
A congressional candidate is defending his speech to a group celebrating the anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birth, saying he appeared simply because he was asked.
Tony Zirkle, who is seeking the Republican nomination in Indiana's 2nd District, stood in front of a painting of Hitler, next to people wearing swastika armbands and with a swastika flag in the background for the speech to the American National Socialist Workers Party in Chicago on Sunday.
"I'll speak before any group that invites me," Zirkle said Monday. "I've spoken on an African-American radio station in Atlanta."
The 2nd Congressional District includes a large portion of north central Indiana spanning from South Bend to Kokomo. It includes Pine and Jackson Townships in Porter County and parts of Washington Township, which includes the eastern edges of the Valparaiso.
It is currently served by Democrat U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly.
Porter County Republican chairman Chuck Williams on Tuesday denounced Zirkle's appearance at the gathering.
"He certainly doesn't hold the view of the of the Republican Party," Williams said. "I don't know why you would stand up in front of a picture of Adolf Hitler when millions of Americans fought against that kind of oppression."
I'm not sure what to say about this guy, except is Tony Zirkle completely batshit crazy??? My apologies here for the crude language, but I can't seem to make any sort of political analysis on a GOP congressional candidate who decides to speak before the National Socialists on old Adolf Hitler's birthday. What is this guy Zirkle trying to accomplish? Of course, it gets even better with the NY Times story:
Zirkle said he did not know much about the neo-Nazi group and that his intention was to talk on his concern about "the targeting of young white women and for pornography and prostitution."
I just googled National Socialist, and I received plenty of hits linking National Socialist Party with Nazism (or the Nazi Party). In fact, the first link was Wikipedia's definition of the Nazi Party--complete with the Nazi flag. Tony Zirkle could have easily found plenty of information on the American National Socialist Workers Party website and see the Nazi symbol in the upper right hand corner. Does Tony Zirkle even know how to use the Internet?
I guess not.
I'm being rather sarcastic here because it appears obvious to anyone with half a brain to realize that Zirkle is a neo-Nazi sympathizer. He wanted to speak before the Nazi group, even as he was currently running for Congress--he's courting the Nazi vote here! What especially boggles my mind is did Zirkle even realize that this speech before a Nazi group would come out in the news media? Did Zirkle even think that by zoning in on the Nazi vote, he's threatening an even larger vote base of moderate conservatives if they realize Zirkle spoke before a Nazi group? Zirkle's speech is out on the Internet in glorious video, courtesy of the American National Socialist Workers Party website Overthrow.com.
Right after this story broke the media, Zirkle has been backpedaling, saying that he didn't know much about the Nazi Party. According to The News-Dispatch:
Zirkle confirmed to The News-Dispatch on Monday he spoke Sunday in Chicago at a meeting of the Nationalist Socialist Workers Party, whose symbol is a swastika.
When asked if he was a Nazi or sympathized with Nazis or white supremacists, Zirkle replied he didn't know enough about the group to either favor it or oppose it.
"This is just a great opportunity for me to witness," he said, referring to his message and his Christian belief.
He also told WIMS radio in Michigan City that he didn't believe the event he attended included people necessarily of the Nazi mindset, pointing out the name isn't Nazi, but Nationalist Socialist Workers Party.
The Crown Point Republican spoke in front of about 56 "white activists" at an event honoring the birth of Hitler. The German leader was responsible for the genocide of millions of Jews and others during World War II.
This is a major CYA here. Zirkle knows that he screwed up, and is trying to justify it by saying he'll speak to any crazy group as a means of getting "his message" out. I just hope that Indiana's 2nd District voters realize just how much of a bigoted and hateful man Zirkle is, and send him back to the sewer where he belongs. This is not the kind of person we need in our government.
You can watch more of this story on Zirkle through this WSBT Channel 2 news report here through YouTube:
Complete batshit crazy.
No comments:
Post a Comment