As you may know, Barack Obama appeared in Battle Creek, MI last Sunday. Today I received this email from a friend, who wondered if it was "for real", and looking for some factual info/debunking.
As my friend noted, the letter is poorly written and purports to know what Senator Obama is thinking, without giving any evidence. In addition, the writer is supposedly a cop who was at the event, but the email at the bottom is for a "trainer" associated with a SWAT team oriented website.
Here's the text of the email:
Subject: obama in Battle Creek
>
>As many of you know, I have several friends in law enforcement here in town.
>This was written by some one in the MI state police that worked at the local
>rally when Obama came to town. It's worth taking the time to read it
>
>Please pass this along to everyone that you have on your e-mail list because
>this is just the beginning if this arrogant, egotistical, super liberal,
>president wannabe gets into office....
>
>
>To all,
>
>I have read all of the emails from not only some of the MTOA board members,
>but from other Law Enforcement & Military personnel about Barack Obama's
>rudeness and what seems to be disgust for basically anyone in uniform.
>Well, it's my turn to add to the list of emailers and here it is:
>
>So members of the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department, MSP, and other local
>agencies inside Calhoun County are working with Secret Service in the
>security of Mr. Obama. Mr. Obama's bus arrives in Battle Creek and pulls
>into the stadium area. Before Mr. Obama exits the bus, he has the Secret
>Service get off and tell all Law Enforcement personnel in uniform that they
>now have to stand behind the bus so Mr. Obama is not seen with anyone in a
>Law Enforcement uniform before he gets off or while in the public view. So,
>everyone from MSP, Sheriff's Dept., and other agencies looks at each other
>for a brief second, goes and stands behind the bus out of sight so Mr. Obama
>does not have to see, or been seen with, what to him is 'undesirables' since
>he refuses to been seen or even acknowledge Military or Law Enforcement.
>
>At a time of war and terrorism in our world, this presidental candidate who
>is being protected by various branches of the military & law enforcement at
>the tax payers expense, refuses to acknowledge, be seen with, have in his
>photographed background, any type of Military or Law Enforcement in uniform.
>
>But this is not in the media or headlines in the news. Why? I wonder what
>the story or media frenzy would be if it was muslims, blacks, whites, jews,
>or any other race, gender, religon, and/or occupation, that Mr. Obama
>refuses to be seen with or have around him.
>
>Why would Law Enforcement branches make this up? Law Enforcement
>traditionally has had more funding under Democrats.
>
>Just food for thought leading up to November 4th.
>
>Jason Kern
>Michigan Tactical Officer's Association
>Executive Board Member
>Training Committee
>jason.kern@mtoa.org
>www.mtoa.org
I am surprised at the speed with which this crap appeared. I have looked but cannot find anything about this particular smear; it may be too fresh to have come to the attention of the debunkers yet.
I sent the message and headers to Fight the Smears. Has anyone seen this one yet, or have any knowledge about where it originated, or any idea what incident they could be embellishing and distorting? Any Michigan kossacks at the event who might know anything about this?
It seems like they never run out of lies, or people willing to spread them.
Update: I sent an email to Mr. Kern to see what he has to say. No reply as of yet.
Update: Jason Kern's reply:
[happy camper],
Let me give you some background of this email.
I sent it out to my close co-workers and to the Michigan Tactical Officer's Association Board Members only. From there, it was sent all over this earth without my knowledge. I do NOT work for the Michigan State Police. I work for another agency. The MTOA nor myself make a habit of sending out emails like this. It was basically sent to my friends and one of them sent it out to someone else who sent it out to someone else and so on.
I also WAS NOT THERE. I had spoken with Law Enforcement personnel that their agency was involved with Mr. Obama's security prior to sending it out. My message starts at the "To all" section. I did not go on the ranting portion calling Mr. Obama names either.
If I offended you, I apologize. That is all the information I have on the visit to Battle Creek.
Jason Kern