Warren Love apologizes for poor choice of words

State Rep. Warren Love issued the following statement regarding his recent Facebook post about the act of vandalism that took place at the Springfield National Cemetery:

“I am deeply sorry for the extremely poor choice of words I used to convey my frustration with the act of vandalism that took place at the Springfield National Cemetery. Where I am from the expression I used simply means we should prosecute the offender to the fullest extent of the law, but I understand how what I wrote offended those who saw it as advocating for violence. I do not in any way support violent or hateful acts toward the perpetrator of the crime. I apologize for using inappropriate and offensive language to convey these thoughts and ask for the forgiveness of my colleagues, constituents, and all Missourians.”

Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson released the following statement regarding the recent social media post from State Representative Warren Love: Representative Warren Love’s recent social media post is unacceptable and inexcusable. Regardless of the context or situation, no elected official should call for violence against anyone. I agree with Governor Greitens that Representative Love must face the consequences for his actions.

As President of the Missouri Senate, I will continue to hold the Senate to a high standard of conduct. Ultimately, it will be up to the members of the Missouri House of Representatives to decide if any disciplinary action should be taken. I hope they will follow the Senate’s lead and help ensure a return to civility in political discourse.

Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson is calling for the immediate resignation of Missouri State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal after posting on social media her hope for the assassination of the President of the United States.

“It is a total disgrace for the Senator to call for the assassination of the President or any elected official. I believe she should immediately resign from her position, as this is conduct not befitting of a State Senator or a Missourian,” said Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson. “I will not sit idly by and let this kind of behavior transpire in our state, especially from members of our government. As a veteran of the armed forces, I was personally offended that a person elected to represent Missourians would call for the assassination of our Commander-in-Chief,” Lieutenant Governor Parson said.

On Tuesday, Rep. Love returned a call to the Sun from where he was working in the hayfield.

He said the country is getting calloused. He said he was at Weaubleau Friday working along the highway, “Trying to brush up all those yard signs for that Hundred Mile Yard Sale. Over there east of Weaubleau is a cross in the ditch. Kenny, somebody put that cross up there as a memorial to somebody who died in a car wreck. To me, that is as hallowed an sacred ground as it can be.  Even MoDOT doesn’t mess with them things. Anytime you see an object of remembrance, that was put up by somebody that loved somebody or put up by somebody that had high respect for somebody. I don’t know. We’ve just lost sight of that. I don’t know what our country is coming to.

The Senator that said that about the President, I visited with her. In her culture and her environment, she’s getting high fives for what she said. They hate Trump. Here I am just an old country boy and I made a statement. I went to the events in Osceola Saturday and everybody is telling me they’ve got my back.

We don’t really understand each other nearly as good as we need to try to. Obama was president for eight years. Now we’ve got Trump. Well, the pendulum swings.

I believe this: When Obama is history and Trump is history, I have to have faith that my grandchildren are still going to have a great big wonderful USA to live in. I hope they do anyway.

We’ve got to quit this bickering saying I’ve got you doing this and you’ve got you doing this. Somewhere along the line we’re going to have to have a come to Jesus meeting and try to understand each other’s culture better.

Do you have any questions for me?

Q. Who did you say this to?

I said it on Facebook. I saw the Springfield News Leader article. It was a legitimate news article. You can Google it and find it. It was put out on a Wednesday. I was in the Governor’s office three weeks earlier. And gave them a heads up of some lady down there was trying to find a Confederate monument. She sure enough found one right there in that National Cemetery. I copied the article out of the Springfield newspaper. I took it to the Governor and to our Lieutenant Governor. I spoke to the Governor’s staff, however, I only shoved it under Parson’s door. I also printed what the penalty was for vandalizing a cemetery. The best I can tell vandalizing a cemetery in Missouri is just a misdemeanor. Remember back in February of so, they vandalized a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis. Our Governor Greitens and even our Vice President gathered together to put the stones back up.

The monument in Springfield was a statue of General Sterling Price. Right across the sidewalk is one of General Nathaniel Lyon. I’d have done the same thing if it had been a Union General.