Iowa Radio Host Says Nuns Should Be “Pistol Whipped”; GOP Congressman Laughs
Today on the Iowa conservative radio show “Mickelson in the Morning,” host Jan Mickelson had on Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA) to talk about the Nuns on the Bus tour and the Ryan budget. Objecting to the tour, Mickelson asked Latham whether he had any power to pull over the bus and “pistol whip” the nuns:
MICKELSON: There’s a bus full of nuns headed towards Washington to lobby against the Ryan plan. Do you guys, do you have any power to pull the Nuns on the Bus over and pistol whip them?
LATHAM: It’s always fun to be on your show [Laughs]
While Congressman Latham doesn’t express outright support for Mickelson’s statement, he seems unfazed by the suggestion and happy to laugh off this grotesque call for violence on women religious. It’s unacceptable for anyone, let alone an elected representative, to tacitly condone suggestions of violence. Rep. Latham should apologize and clarify that he would never support “pistol whipping” religious sisters.
H/T Progress Iowa
this is totally amazing that someone of his stature would say something like that. Violence made funny is NOT funny — i am disgusted. Totally disgusted.
These wing nuts, they really should go back to hunting alligators in the southern swamps.
Poor Jan. Girls still make him feel scared and icky. That’s why he still keeps the “No Girls” sign on his treehouse.
Ignorance. Can’t live with it; can’t live without it. It crops up its ugly, ugly head. Son, you go near any nun who taught me, when I was growing up, God help both of us. Before you step anywhere near a nun, any nun, let’s talk in person. Pistol whipping a nun. You poster child for ignorance.
Right on, Mark V. Couldn’t have said it better. That radio moron sounds about as useless as Limbaugh.
BTW, here’s the station’s contact list, in case anyone wants to send a suitably vitriolic message to management: http://www.whoradio.com/pages/about/contact/index.html?feed=122318
Morons are cute!
Anyone who wants to see what REAL religious persecution looks like should start here, not with the Fortnight for Freedom.
It is so bizarre. Iowa=legalizes same sex marriage. Iowa=one of the first states to put an anti bullying law in place. Iowa=adult male leadership that thinks violence against nuns is funny. Messed up.
Fire Jan Mickelson for his rude comments about the good sisters of the Catholic Church. How does this station condone a man who makes comments that replicate actions of the KKK? Is he also burning crosses in front of the catholic churches in your city? Is he whipping catholics seen in public? Fire the man!!!
And we should also keep in mind the other Congressman from Iowa (the Sioux City area) who last week call i undocumented workers “dogs”. Iowa used to be a state of hardworking civil people.
Check and confirm whether Mickelson and Latham (either individually or their supporters) contributed to the gala in St. Louis MO when nun-hating Raymond Burke was promoted to “Cardinal” (and quietly removed to Rome from his duties in St. Louis). Not all of Burke’s supporters are Catholic, but do include right-wing types of the sort that these gentlemen in this story are.
This is just one more example of violence against women, verbal thought it may be. It is the Republican Congress that has prevented the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act. It would seem that now we know why; they condone it rather than abhor it. So sad. Go Nuns on the Bus!
I’m sure the Congressman is a staunch supporter of whatever political demands the Catholic bishops make and a true warrior in the war on women.
Please people, as a devout Catholic, ya’ll get a grip.
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your brief comment. Who, exactly, needs to get a grip? And a grip on what?
Why are you talking about ignorance? Ignorance has nothing to do with it! It’s EVIL, peeps! Call it what it is!
The bishops have issued a statement ” These would not be the words we would have used’.
Here’s the station management info:
Management
Have a concern or want to compliment us?
Reach WHO Radio management.
Van Harden, Program Director
vanharden@clearchannel.com
515-245-8900
Bullying and violence are certainly not protected under the First Amendment. It is more than sad, though, that people can spew such cruelty, and then point accusing “Christian” fingers at someone from another faith or no faith. Pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on us.
Apologize to the Sisters and all women for advocating violence against them!
This to me is not so much an attack on the catholic church as it is an attack on anyone who doesn’t agree with the conservatives. This seems to be the way more and more people in power in this country react to anyone speaking up. This is America where people are supposed to have the right to be heard. If a bus full of nuns, workers, women, rich, poor whoever want to travel the country to voice their opinion on this government they have every right whether I or anyone else agrees or not.
In this era of continued xenophobia, sexism, racism, and homophobia, lets call this what it is: a physical threat of violence. Report it, with the URL clip, to the FBI:
https://tips.fbi.gov/
Why do Republicans go on these right wing talk shows? I bet Latham wanted to say something, but instead he says something vague and laughs nervously. He can’t criticize the host because he doesn’t want to tick off Mickelson who will attach Latham for weeks on air if Latham doesn’t go along. The entire GOP should just wash their hands of these attention seekers.
Ironic that this comment comes on the heels of the whole issue with the Vatican taking over the LCWR! The Vatican claims that nuns aren’t supporting the church and its values enough. I don’t see any busloads of men religious! Seems like the women religious are criticized by someone no matter what they do or don’t do!
I wonder if the Congressman would be so bold as to laugh at a black joke just to please Mickelson and his audience. What a jerk.
Organize an advertiser education and boycott, who is ready? Get the advertisers to pull their support for his show with his lack of knowledge!
Why that was SO damn funny I forgot to laugh!
The real question is why people elect this kind of a man to office. He is their representative, standing for their values. His remark only reflects the general polity of the country and its people. There are many who share his feelings, and soon those feelings will be demonstrated in their behavior. Meanwhile liberals sleep, believing that everyone deserves a seat at the table. They are telling you what they stand for, and you do nothing.
To the person who said that Michelson and Latham “should go back to hunting alligators in the southern swamps.” That’s an insult to all alligator hunters and all southerners. Believe it or not, there are lots of alligator hunters AND southerners who have more sense than these two. Also, to the bishops who said, “” These would not be the words we would have used,” your misogyny speaks for itself in both your words and actions over the past 1500 years or so. Don’t act like you are superior. You are worse.
Man, I am sure hoping this was the sort of nervous laughter that happens when one hears something extremely offensive.
Given the fact that Iowa has also produced the likes of Rep. Steve King, I have my doubts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/steve-king-threatens-to-sue-over-obama-immigration-order/2012/06/15/gJQAWsBXfV_blog.html
The right wing has lost its collective mind.
Both Jan Michelson and Congressman Latham need to apologize and resign their positions. They need to recognize the ways they see violence as a “solution” and note that violence, verbal or otherwise, is the preferred choice used by those who lack maturity — moral, spiritual, emotional and psychological .
nuns keeo the church moving forward; they do the ‘work of Jesus”; this rep needs to be voted OUT OF OFFICE! Iowans: Register and vote your conscience.
Violence against women is no joke. It’s not funny! Mickelson and Latham seem not to realize that it wouldn’t be the first time that nuns have been pulled over and pistol whipped on a far-Right politician’s orders: http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/03/world/4-salvadorans-say-they-killed-us-nuns-on-orders-of-military.html
Pistol whip the nuns?????? May God forgive you (and maybe also give you a bit of wisdom). Many of the nuns are my good friends and deserve better than this!
All of you should get a sense of humor. Even those lacking the mental capacity most are given know the comments on a radio show are sensationalized for ratings and such and that the host was KIDDING. The host is not calling for nuns to be actually pistol whipped. Show some sincerity for your own words by having a brain in your head and arguing against the arguments, not the twisted words of a jokester…