Dear Mayor Kahn and City Council
On September 17, Keene City Councilor Bobby Williams offered a sort of “apology” about his vile and offensive comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, which he posted on Facebook. In his apparent apology, he called Kirk’s assassination a tragedy when it was, in fact, an atrocity. A tragedy is a drama depicting human suffering and sorrow, such as when someone accidentally falls off a cliff. An atrocity is an appalling behavior or act; a monstrousness; an act of unusual cruelty. This is what assassins and criminals do, as in the case of Kirk’s assassination.
I say apparent or sort of apology because it does not ring true to me: One, because it appears he negated his apology by attempting to frame his divisive vitriol within the intellectual context of free speech and negative consequences thereof (celebrating and/or inciting violence). You don’t get a free pass by claiming free speech when you incite political violence. Two, by stating there are “hundreds of cases like mine in which people who have expressed negative sentiments about Charlie Kirk are being subjected to organized harassment campaigns”, Bobby claims victimhood (plays the victim card among the other hundreds). Thus, he does not yet appear cognizant that about 1070 people who read his vile comments were understandably appalled by his brazen celebration of violence against a 31-year-old father of 2 young children and a wonderful wife, who rightfully demand his resignation via petition.
I too was appalled when I first heard about it this Sunday at church. It’s a natural response to evil. Word travels far and wide on its own momentum when a behavior, act, or malicious lie breaches norms, as well as going over the borders of civility, and that which makes us human – that makes us sick to our stomachs. It felt like someone was dancing and celebrating death on top of the graveyard of a slain innocent man. So, what Bobby calls “organized harassment campaigns” is a human response of righteous indignation and push back from about 1070 people. People who have lost faith, trust, and confidence in the governance of the City of Keene. Mocking Kirk’s assassination has undermined trust in the entire City Council. This demands the removal of Bobby Williams from the City Council.
Lastly, it appears true that “things are not going well” for Bobby Williams. Efforts to remove him from office will not cause the universe to implode nor democracy to erode. To the contrary, the removal of Bobby Williams from the Keene City Council is an affirmation and an imperative that showcases and comforts the general public that consents to be governed that a Constitutional Republic still works well despite its ideologues.
Respectfully Submitted,
Anthony Ferrantello Keene
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