Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Black Bear Story Update

Something is strange in Denmark...or in the case of the Back Bear Story, Western Carolina University. According to Bill Studenc with Public Affairs at the college, this incident is being handled by Campus Police, though the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Secret Service have been advised of the situation.

Chief Tom Johnson has a few leads he is following in the case, but no other details are being released.

1. A Black Bear was shot in the head.

2. Bear was adorned with Obama Campaign posters, and left on the quad of a major campus.

Shouldn't this be handled by SOME REAL POLICE? Where is the FBI? Where is the Secret Service?

Could it be, that the University is more worried about its image than getting to the bottom of a very serious threat, a very serious example of hate speech? Or instead, is this section of North Carolina so Republican that they consider it a harmless prank? OH GEE...A bear cub shot in the head and left here with Obama Posters...that is SO CUTE, boys will be boys! The Secret Service and FBI should be all over this case. Instead, how much evidence was destroyed by just having the Department of Wildlife show up to simple get rid of a dead animal.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Before you dismiss all of us at Western Carolina University, where I am employed, here's the latest from our Chancellor:

This was an outrageous, despicable act that does not exemplify the type of discourse all of us have the right to expect in a civil and enlightened society. This type of behavior is simply inappropriate.

We are treating it as a very serious matter, and university police are working in complete cooperation with state and federal authorities, including the State Bureau of Investigation and the Secret Service. We ask that anyone who has any information about the person or persons responsible for this act contact Tom Johnson, the University’s Chief of Police, at (828) 227-7301.


Second piece of news, the word on campus is that this incident is being protested by students. At least one McCain supporter was visible.

Last piece of evidence. Cullowhee has been featured even in Salon.com as one of those places where the Obama-Biden campaign has been extremely active. See link There hasn't been a presidential campaign active in this part of the NC since the 70's. There is an Obama-Biden Office just around the corner, and the local base, which features leaders of the local African-American communtiy. If anything, this incident could be a measure of how anxious a certain demographic is and how good the Obama ground game is in this parts. Expect Jackson county, were WCU is, to go for Obama.

Royce Penstinger said...

Let's see....

1. Several LOCALS are not at all happy that Obama openned up his office in the closed gas station just down the street from the college.

2. Despite numerous requests, the college has refused to release the photographs taken at the scene of this crime.

3. Cooperating with state and federal law enforcement, including Secret Service...NOT EXACTLY true now is it. Tell me I am wrong, but I do believe the word your own Bill Studenc put out, was that Secret Service was notified, but that the college is handling this, and has those various agencies standing by only if NEEDED.

That about cover it? If so, sounds like a COVER UP TO ME, but YMMV. If the campus is going to be transparent, release the crime scene photographs and let OUTSIDE SOURCES investigate this.