Ilhan Omar’s District Director, Kendal Killian, berated police officers via Twitter, Thursday evening.
In addition to calling police officers “insecure babies,” “scardy-cats [sic]” and “cowards,” Killian criticized America’s appreciation for veterans and said that supporting law enforcement is “an attempt to maintain white supremacy.” He also dismissed reports about recent violence against first responders, railed against America’s response to 9/11 and appeared to criticize what he called “rural cultural identity.”
The Omar staffer’s remarks came via a 22 tweet thread which began with a question: “are cops the heroes they claim to be? Do heroes cry over fast food?” Killian’s jab about fast food appears to be a reference to cops raising concerns about receiving poisoned or tampered with food at drive throughs and similar establishments.
He then moved to comment on “hero-worship rhetoric regarding police” which he says emerged in the wake of 9/11. “This ‘blue lives’ imagery was an overt reflexive white reaction, an attempt to maintain white supremacy,” he said.
He also made further statements, seen below, that dismiss appreciation for veterans as “military genuflecting” and “war cheerleading.”
Military genuflecting (particularly at stadiums) was a multi-million dollar paid advertising campaign; dramatic performances connecting flag/anthem to veterans. When Kaepernick kneeled protesting racism and police brutality, it was twisted into an offense against veterans. 3/
— Kendal Killian (@KendalKillian) June 18, 2020
Killian then seemed to criticize, or at least cast skepticism on, efforts to employ veterans who return from war. “Employment for returning veterans was a convenient cause across the political spectrum that poll-tested through the roof” he said, remarking on former service members who gain employment with police departments.
He then spoke against police unions. According to the Omar staffer, police unions are xenophobic racists with a “gun fetish.”
Most police unions today embrace a rural cultural identity, including support of gun rights. As the nation has polarized culturally, police have chosen their white identity, gun fetish, and xenophobia over the best interest of the cities they are paid to keep safe. 10/
— Kendal Killian (@KendalKillian) June 18, 2020
“The police rank and file are now overtly pro-gun & anti-immigrant,” he added.
He then claimed that cops get their news from “obscure internet echo chambers” that overstate the degree to which law enforcement agents are murdered by criminals. (RELATED: These Are The Police Officers Shot During The Riots)
Killian also said that the cops who worked to protect President Donald Trump in October 2019 after riots broke out during his rally in Minneapolis merly “used the opportunity to live out their juvenile Warrior [sic] fantasies.”
Omar’s District Director signed off his thread by saying that he stands against authoritarianism and concluding that “[cops] are cowards.”
I would say it’s because real heroes don’t act like insecure babies. Whining rarely endears respect.
What do you call a whining bully? When they are actually the aggressors and have all the power?
They are cowards. 22/22
— Kendal Killian (@KendalKillian) June 18, 2020
It appears that Killian’s tirade was well received by apparent Omar supporters. “Thanks for sharing Kendal. I wanted to comment to show support,” one Twitter user wrote. “Powerful thread” remarked another.
However not everybody approved of the Omar staffer’s statements. Howard root is a Minnesota-based CEO and author who quipped that he’s “glad [Killian] found a job where his arrogance and ignorance can peacefully coexist.”
Kyle Hooten
Kyle Hooten is Managing Editor of Alpha News. His coverage of Minneapolis has been featured on television shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and in print media outlets like the Wall Street Journal.
