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Posted on 06/08/2020 5:29:01 PM PDT by lightman
A Middletown councilman has apologized for posting a conservative political cartoon on his Facebook page Saturday that depicted the death of George Floyd and criticized Democratic policies.
The cartoon labeled “Defund Democrats,” from an extreme right-wing conservative site, featured one character as a black man pinned to the ground labeled “Black Communities Matter,” and another character labeled “decades of Democratic policies,” in a police uniform with his knee on the other character’s neck.
The Facebook page of Councilman Richard Kluskiewicz identified him as a Middletown Council member in his biography and all of his posts were visible to the public. He also posted a series of references against transgender people, including an altered photo posted Sunday of Gov. Tom Wolf and Health Secretary Rachel Levine in Nazi uniforms with a vulgar sexual reference to Levine.
His Facebook history in recent weeks showed posts and shareable graphics mocking Democrats, including one that called the party a “terrorist” organization. Within a minute of that post on May 22, he also posted a shareable graphic that said: “You know 200 yrs ago. People would storm these politicians houses and drag them out in the streets and that would be the end of it.” One of his Facebook friends said: “I’m with you Klu. If a couple were hung on the town square things would get better fast!” Another friend wrote, “You tell em Klu!”
The posts, specifically the cartoon referencing Floyd, prompted complaints by residents to other council members and Kluskiewicz on Monday removed all of his political or inflammatory Facebook page posts, as well as his designation as a councilman. Richard Kluskiewicz
Richard Kluskiewicz has served on the Middletown Council since October.
Kluskiewicz declined to comment to a PennLive reporter who reached him by phone Monday afternoon, instead deferring to an “apology” that he said he planned to post on Facebook soon.
About 30 minutes later, Kluskiewicz posted several paragraphs on his Facebook page that addressed solely the George Floyd political cartoon.
“As an elected official, I support ALL areas of our community, that I represent and it has come to my attention that a personal post that I shared, about national politics, was seen as offensive to some residents,” he wrote. “After reflecting on the post, I can understand, in light of this particular climate the image may have upset some people. So therefore, I would like to apologize for the image. The George Floyd situation is extremely rare in the grand scheme of how many police officers serve in the United States of America.”
The statement continued: “For Forty (40) years, the Democratic Party has represented the African American community at the National level and has done very little to help them. I am disturbed by this and that was the message I was trying to make. Despite my intentions to pass along that message, it obviously got lost in the imagery of the picture. So again, for that reason I would like to apologize to the public. I do stand behind my beliefs in terms of what is best for the Country and Middletown as a whole, in terms of representation. However, in the future, I will be more cognizant of the type of imagery I use to express my beliefs.”
PennLive called Kluskiewicz back to ask why the apology was focused only on the political cartoon and Kluskiewicz said “I only knew about one thing,” meaning that was the only post pointed out to him as offensive.
“I guess my issue initially, I was not holding myself accountable to a higher standard and I should have been,” he said upon additional questioning about the divisive political posts and transphobic posts. “On my behalf, I didn’t know about the other issues, not that it makes it right. I understand it could be offensive to some people.”
Prior to Kluskiewicz’s apology, other council members reached by PennLive said they found many of Kluskiewicz’s Facebook’s offensive and not reflective of the rest of council.
“I found all of it highly offensive,” said Council President Angela Lloyd. “As a councilperson, I thought it was inappropriate. I’m glad he took it down. Hate has no place in Middletown."
Lloyd said people have a right to free speech, but council members also have a duty to represent all residents. She said the post with the vulgar reference to Levine “disgusting.”
“You can’t post things like that,” she said. “I found it all to be offensive. When it comes to local politics, it shouldn’t be so divisive. Posting things that are so anti-Democratic is not helpful."
Lloyd said it was disheartening that his public apology did not address his posts beyond the George Floyd cartoon.
Fellow councilwoman Dawn Knull said while it may have been Kluskiewicz’s personal page, as an elected official, it was wrong.
“We’re all entitled to our opinions on the issues at hand,” she said. “But we’re elected to represent all residents, not just one party or one race or one sexuality. We are voted in by all of Middletown and we are elected to represent all of Middletown.”
Knull noted that Democrats likely voted for Kluskiewicz, who is registered as a Republican and that divisive party politics
“It’s not a Republic and Democratic thing,” she said. “We are a small borough of 9,000 residents that is made up of Democrats and Republicans and we should all be working for the betterment of the community.”
Kay Wealand, a Democrat who has lived in Middletown for 63 years, said she was embarrassed by the series of offensive posts, particularly the cartoon depiction of George Floyd, who died while in police custody May 25. A Minneapolis officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, while Floyd was lying prone on the ground and handcuffed.
“I’m just appalled by it,” she said of the cartoon. “We should be setting a good example to residents of the community.”
Wealand said most of the world has experienced an increased sensitivity to racial issues in the wake of Floyd’s death so she found it outrageous that Kluskiewicz would post something so inflammatory.
“What his political views are, that’s his political views,” she said. “But he’s a sitting council member and we don’t need those kind of posts.”
Wealand said she thought Kluskiewicz should resign. She is chair of Middletown’s Democratic club and said the club may stage a protest against Kluskiewicz.
The mayor of Middletown, Jim Curry, did not answer an email from PennLive and a phone call to him from PennLive was disconnected after the reporter identified herself. When PennLive called back, Curry did not pick up and his voicemail was full so a PennLive reporter could not leave a message.
Other council members could not be reached by PennLive by phone or email.
Lloyd and Knull said council likely would discuss the situation at a future council meeting. The next meeting was set for June 16.
Richard Kluskiewicz has served as a councilman since last October, when he was appointed to a vacancy. Soon after, he won a seat on council. He has served 30 years with the volunteer Middletown Fire Department, according to the Press and Journal.
Kluskiewicz’s entire apology post is listed below:
I would like to start this post by saying that the situation that unfolded, nationally, with George Floyd is extremely disheartening. The video of this man fighting for his life is wrong on so many levels. What happened to this man should never, ever happen in America. Period. Officer Chauvin was wrong for what he did and deserves whatever the consequences are for his actions. I believe that our country had been unified, in agreement, to what happened to Mr. Floyd. I, being on Borough Council, have attempted to hold the police in our community accountable for their actions. That being said, does not mean that I am against the Police, which could be farther from the truth.
As an elected official, I support ALL areas of our community, that I represent and it has come to my attention that a personal post that I shared, about national politics, was seen as offensive to some residents. After reflecting on the post, I can understand, in light of this particular climate the image may have upset some people. So therefore, I would like to apologize for the image. The George Floyd situation is extremely rare in the grand scheme of how many police officers serve in the United States of America.
For Forty (40) years, the Democratic Party has represented the African American community at the National level and has done very little to help them. I am disturbed by this and that was the message I was trying to make. Despite my intentions to pass along that message, it obviously got lost in the imagery of the picture. So again, for that reason I would like to apologize to the public. I do stand behind my beliefs in terms of what is best for the Country and Middletown as a whole, in terms of representation. However, in the future, I will be more cognizant of the type of imagery I use to express my beliefs.
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The Truth to them is like holy water or a crucifix to a vampire.
The cartoon labeled “Defund Democrats,” from an extreme right-wing conservative site, featured one character as a black man pinned to the ground labeled “Black Communities Matter,” and another character labeled “decades of Democratic policies,” in a police uniform with his knee on the other character’s neck.
The cartoon labeled “Defund Democrats,” from an extreme right-wing conservative site, featured one character as a black man pinned to the ground labeled “Black Communities Matter,” and another character labeled “decades of Democratic policies,” in a police uniform with his knee on the other character’s neck.
Its not just Right wing its EXTREME Right wing!
Good for him!
Truth is hate to people who hate truth.
fight fire with fire. The stakes have been upped.
Dude needs to post THIS. Enough already.
ENOUGH! Defund Facebook!
Has the left ever described the right as anything but extreme?
Of course not. To them the DU is mild and milquetoast, while Drudge is a flaming Nazi site.
(of course, nowadays it might be ...)
I do not agree with his apology.
He should never have apologized.
The metaphor of black communities being crushed under the knee of Democrat policies is actually an apt one.
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Yup.
The mislabeled “Great Society Act” destroyed the black family.
And LBJ was right in saying that its passage would “keep [them] voting for us for the next hundred years”.
But you must never, never, ever, criticize the Welfare Plantation.
Massah will have you whipped big time!
Yup.
The mislabeled “Great Society Act” destroyed the black family.
And LBJ was right in saying that its passage would “keep [them] voting for us for the next hundred years”.
But you must never, never, ever, criticize the Welfare Plantation.
Massah will have you whipped big time!
“Rachel” Levine is a GUY!!! Dressed like a girl, but is an UGLY MAN!
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