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Mississippi Councilman's Suggestion to Throw Rocks at Policemen Sparks Controversy
Townhall.com ^ | January 2, 2016 | Christine Rousselle

Posted on 01/02/2016 12:49:16 PM PST by Kaslin

Jackson, Mississippi Councilman Kenneth Stokes is possibly facing an investigation after suggesting that city residents throw rocks, bottles, and bricks at policemen who enter the city in pursuit of a criminal. Stokes suggested this in response to police officers from other jurisdictions who chase petty criminals into the city, and suggested that throwing projectiles at the officers would dissuade officers from doing as such.

From CNN:

Councilman Kenneth Stokes has a reputation of saying what he thinks and stirring controversy.

"Let's get rocks; let's get bricks, and let's get bottles," Stokes told CNN affiliate WJTV. "And we'll start throwing them, and then they won't come in here anymore."

It was no one-off quip. Stokes repeated the suggestion to other local news outlets.

"When you have these police officers coming from other jurisdictions and they will not respect human life, then I said we should use rocks, bricks or bottles to try to get the message over: stop endangering our children," Stokes told Jackson's The Clarion-Ledger newspaper.

While these comments are certainly jaw-dropping, they may also be criminal. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant (R) posted on Facebook that he is requesting that the state's attorney general investigate Stokes to see if his remarks would constitute a criminal threat against officers:

Below is my full statement regarding Jackson city councilman Kenneth Stokes' remarks about law enforcement officers. "...Posted by Phil Bryant on Friday, January 1, 2016

These comments make me sad, because they do nothing productive to address a situation and instead spark more controversy and anger. Police brutality and the militarization of police forces are things that should rightfully be discussed, but Stokes' comments do nothing to aid in that discussion. Instead of discussing whether or not the police forces in the area were acting appropriately, we're now discussing how an elected official is encouraging people to throw rocks at officers. (Which is never okay.)

It is dangerous to throw rocks at cars--people have been maimed or killed by such acts. It is incredibly irresponsible (and possibly criminal) for an elected official to use this kind of rhetoric, and it is right that Stokes is being investigated.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; US: Mississippi
KEYWORDS: police
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1 posted on 01/02/2016 12:49:16 PM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Obama has emboldened trash like this Stokes guy.


2 posted on 01/02/2016 12:51:17 PM PST by Farmer Dean (stop worrying about what they want to do to you,start thinking about what you want to do to them)
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To: Farmer Dean

Of course


3 posted on 01/02/2016 12:53:10 PM PST by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin

WE MUST HAVE MORE IDIOT CONTROL LAWS !!!


4 posted on 01/02/2016 12:54:01 PM PST by Iron Munro (The wise have stores of choice food and oil but a foolish man devours all he has. Proverbs 21:20)
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To: Farmer Dean

This is exactly why whitey is buying guns at a record pace.


5 posted on 01/02/2016 12:56:55 PM PST by DownInFlames
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To: Kaslin

Yes the Marxists would love for you to bring rocks to a gunfight. Then get shot and Start riots for getting shot. Time to call out those who incite riots and charge them with such.


6 posted on 01/02/2016 12:58:48 PM PST by Vaquero ( Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: Kaslin

Simple solution for the police ... make this city a no-go zone. Don’t cooperate with their police either.


7 posted on 01/02/2016 12:59:19 PM PST by Lorianne
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To: Kaslin


Kenneth Stokes
8 posted on 01/02/2016 1:03:09 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Kaslin

What happened to real investigative journalism?

The author, Christine Rousselle, should have researched the applicable laws, bylaws, charter or constitution to determine what oath of office, if any, these councilmen are required to take.

The odds are that this black skinned goon has broken his oath of office by advocating street rioting and insurrection.

Also, he has no doubt broken more than a few laws by advocating violence and fomenting criminal action with intent to harm a law enforcement officer.


9 posted on 01/02/2016 1:04:59 PM PST by Iron Munro (The wise have stores of choice food and oil but a foolish man devours all he has. Proverbs 21:20)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Clearly, heart disease and diabetes are a greater threat to this guy than the police.


10 posted on 01/02/2016 1:07:09 PM PST by BookmanTheJanitor
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To: Kaslin

Obama Says “Argue With Neighbors, Get In Their Face”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCMDur9CDZ4

“If you want the next four years lookin’ like the last eight, then I’m not your candidate. But if you want real change...then I need you. I need you to go out and talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors...I want you to argue with them, get in their faces...you guys are the ones who can make the change.”
- Candidate Barack Obama to supporters September, 2008
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/08/obama_and_the_thugs.html

Obama: ‘If They Bring a Knife to the Fight, We Bring a Gun’
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/06/14/obama-if-they-bring-a-knife-to-the-fight-we-bring-a-gun/

Why Have There Been More Mass Shootings Under Obama than the Four Previous Presidents Combined?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3367943/posts


11 posted on 01/02/2016 1:09:18 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Kaslin

Stokes = black. There you go, it figures.


12 posted on 01/02/2016 1:10:09 PM PST by Logical me
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To: Kaslin

Obama Says “Argue With Neighbors, Get In Their Face”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCMDur9CDZ4

“If you want the next four years lookin’ like the last eight, then I’m not your candidate. But if you want real change...then I need you. I need you to go out and talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors...I want you to argue with them, get in their faces...you guys are the ones who can make the change.”
- Candidate Barack Obama to supporters September, 2008
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/08/obama_and_the_thugs.html

Obama: ‘If They Bring a Knife to the Fight, We Bring a Gun’
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/06/14/obama-if-they-bring-a-knife-to-the-fight-we-bring-a-gun/

Why Have There Been More Mass Shootings Under Obama than the Four Previous Presidents Combined?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3367943/posts

Confirmed: Gang Membership Up 40% Under Obama - Violent Attacks on Whites Up 18%
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3045740/posts

California Racial Attacks on the Increase (Black on Asian)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2519119/posts


13 posted on 01/02/2016 1:12:22 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Kaslin

Policemen urge citizens to throw rocks at racist councilman.


14 posted on 01/02/2016 1:12:50 PM PST by IronJack
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To: Kaslin

Kenneth Stokes is one of the biggest reasons I’m happy to live in Texas and not around Jackson, MS. Stokes is one of the stupidest people I’ve ever met. He gets re-elected because his constituency is dumber than he is.


15 posted on 01/02/2016 1:20:05 PM PST by MuttTheHoople (Yes, Liberals, I question your patriotism)
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To: Iron Munro

Of course he has violated any number of laws. However, he is a member of the protected class, to wit, an affirmative Action, so violation[s] of the law[s] does not apply. Hopefully , he will find himself between two gangs shooting it out.


16 posted on 01/02/2016 1:24:02 PM PST by sport
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To: Kaslin

Kenneth Stokes complained about Ambulances not coming to his district without a police escort.
http://www.ambulancedriverfiles.com/2010/09/22/jackson-ms-city-councilman-kenneth-stokes/


17 posted on 01/02/2016 1:26:52 PM PST by MuttTheHoople (Yes, Liberals, I question your patriotism)
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To: Kaslin

“Well, he can say dat...he be a brothah.” /sarc


18 posted on 01/02/2016 1:29:40 PM PST by Banjoguy
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To: MuttTheHoople

When I say Kenneth Stokes is an idiot, I apologize to idiots because they’re a whole lot brighter. It’s amazing he remembers how to breathe- has to keep repeating to himself “inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale....”


19 posted on 01/02/2016 1:32:31 PM PST by MuttTheHoople (Yes, Liberals, I question your patriotism)
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To: Kaslin

I am no attorney, but the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (no friend of any conservative viewpoint) held in Planned Parenthood v. American Coalition of Life Activists that:

“a true threat” is “a statement which, in the entire context and under all the circumstances, a reasonable person would foresee would be interpreted by those to whom the statement is communicated as a serious expression of intent to inflict bodily harm upon that person.”

“It is not necessary that the defendant intend to, or be able to carry out his threat; the only intent requirement for a true threat is that the defendant intentionally or knowingly communicate the threat.”

On this basis, the threats uttered by Mr. Stokes are outside the First Amendment and thus not protected.

Just my opinion; yours may differ.


20 posted on 01/02/2016 1:45:31 PM PST by Zman (Liberals: denying reality since Day One.)
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