Monday, September 28, 2009

Sparkman case update: Kentucky-bound

FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- Stopped here and hopped on the computer in a motel lobby, to file a quick report on my progress en route to Clay County, Ky., and give you an update on the latest headlines surrounding the murder of Bill Sparkman.

First, speculation about the motive for the killing of Sparkman, a 51-year-old part-time Census worker, continues. Roger Hedgecock's WorldNetDaily column:
Last week, Sparkman's death became fodder for more attacks on "right-wing violence." Bloggers wanted to "send the body to Glenn Beck," and a Time magazine piece speculated that Sparkman was a victim of the culture of another McCain-voting Southern state
Now it looks more like Sparkman was yet another victim of illegal drug operations on national forest land, and possibly also a victim of our still open border with Mexico.
Mexicans? In Clay County, Kentucky? Is there a "Little Tijuana" neighborhood down in Manchester? I expect to be there before suppertime, so we'll wait and see about that angle. The case is making headlines as far away as Scotland, where Andrew Purcell of the Herald writes:
The death is fuelling speculation he was killed simply because he worked for the federal government – now the target of a wave of hate from extreme right-wingers. . . .
Dave Breyer, of the regional FBI field office in Louisville, sought to play down assumptions a violent dislike of bureaucratic interference could have motivated the killer.
"I think to give this impression he was strung up because he was a federal employee is giving a bad impression to the nation," he said. . . .
Carl Greene, a reporter at [the Corbin, Ky.] Times-Tribune, said it was just as likely Sparkman stumbled upon a drug operation. "The mountain people grow a lot of marijuana," he said. "There are methamphetamine labs there. The place has gotten a reputation. It is an area where the law is sometimes ignored."
Ah, so according to Purcell, the killers are either (a) right-wing extremists or (b) dope gangs. And then there's Dan Riehl's theory, but no need to go into that just now. The main reason I want to see Clay County for myself is summed up by this Associated Press article in the Louisville Courier-Journal:
Positive news stories about Clay County don't come often.
When it comes to national news, the rural county about 170 miles southeast of Louisville seems to be a magnet for negative headlines. And to some local residents, the recent discovery of the body of U.S. census worker Bill Sparkman is just the latest blemish. . . .
"It makes us all seem like idiots that do anything they can do to make money," said Freda Collins, 41, of the Burning Springs community near Manchester. "You feel embarrassed for one thing. You get to the point where you don't want to tell anyone where you're from because of the stereotypes. But what can you do?"
Indeed. Well, I'm coming down there to report facts, not stereotypes. Assuming that Clay County is not entirely populated by moonshiners, meth cookers, Mexicans, marijuana growers and militia extremists, I hope to provide a more balanced perspective on this rural community.

Ask yourself this: How many murders happen in Washington, D.C., every year? So how come this one murder -- because it happened in Appalachia -- has generated such lurid speculation?

Hang on, Freda Collins. Just another 390 miles to go today, and I should be there by nightfall. As for the rest of y'all -- hit the tip jar.

I can scavenge pretty well when I have to. They serve a free continental breakfast here at this motel, and everybody evidently assumes I'm a guest, even though I just pulled off the I-79 exit and walked in the door. But professional journalism savvy like that will only get me so far . . . hit the tip jar.

OK, a quick trip to the men's room, refill my coffee and grab another donut from the continental breakfast buffet, and then I'm back on the road.

UPDATE: 9:55 a.m.: Just got off the phone with Trooper First Class Don Trosper of the Kentucky State Police, official spokesman for the investigation. Asked if he had any concern over Internet chatter about the Sparkman case, Trooper Trosper said: "It's just speculation and rumors. . . . We concern ourselves with facts."

31 comments:

  1. Ask yourself this: How many murders happen in Washington, D.C., every year? So how come this one murder -- because it happened in Appalachia -- has generated such lurid speculation?

    Because a census worker was found hung naked and duct taped from a tree with Fed scrawled on his chest in black marker?

    It fits a few sterotypes well, so it is drawing attention from those who want to justify their prejudices and those who want to use it to justify their prejudices of a biased press.

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  2. "How many murders happen in Washington, D.C., every year? So how come this one murder -- because it happened in Appalachia -- has generated such lurid speculation?"

    Hmmm - because the liberal media is DESPERATE for something they can point to to "prove that FOX is dangerous"?

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  3. While we're at it with the conspiracy theories, I wonder why nobody suggested that it could be a left wing extremist trying to make it look like a right wing murder. hmmmm.

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  4. But the murdered anti-abortion protester in Owosso, Michigan, whose murderer stated he killed him to shut him up, deserved to die because as we've been told these anti-Obama people "need to shut up."

    The stark difference in the press coverage in these two stories tells one a lot about the quality of journalism in the US.

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  5. Be careful driving on I-64 near Don Surber's town of Poca.

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  6. When that Gov. Sanford story started to break--I made the comment on some blogs that there was more to it than hiking the Apalachian Trail and that something strange was going on in his office. I was not sure where it was going, I was not sure who was acting strange or why, but things were not adding up. A few commentators at conservative blog sites did not want to hear that and told me not to speculate. Well I did not speculate, I just said that Governor Sanford's story does not add up. Even if the reason for his departure was completely legitimate, the way his staff was acting seemed bizare. And I was right.

    This story has enough strange facts to suggest it is not a typical murder. Where it is going and who killed Spellman? Hell if I know. What we need is actual reporters to check it out and find out what is going on.

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  7. Thank you very much for what you're doing. Regarding the reference to Little Tijuanas'. They are cropping up everywhere. In Austin TX there's a particular part of town that has degenerated beyond belief in the last ten years, and yes you could definitely call it Little (or not so little) Tijuana.
    Having lived here all of my life, it amazes me to hear no english spoken there, see spanish billboards, and hear about the nightly muggings, rapes, assaults, and various other degenerate crimes that seem to occur there rather frequently.
    Could that possibly have anything to do with the fact that 90 percent of the people living here are Illegal aliens??? The work mostly in the construction, sevice, and fast food industry. In fact it's now common place to repeat your order at the drive-thru, several times just to ensure the right info was understood.
    This infestation is completely nauseating.
    But Shhhhh! Don't say anything or you'll be called a racist.
    Help!!!

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  8. Although Kentucky voted Republician, this particular county votes democrat. This is the most current map I found. http://www.usatoday.com/news/vote2000/cbc/map.htm
    Perhaps the liberals need to re-examine their conspiracy theory.

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  9. Why can't we have rightwing extremist dope gangs? Hell, Afghan opium raises a pretty penny for the jihad. We need something to offset Soros's checkbook.

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  10. the word "fed" written on the mans chest is still just a rumor ... It has not been confirmed by police ...

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  11. what has been confirmed is that he was not hanging in the air when found ... his body was in contact with the ground ...

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  12. What about that middle aged blogger with a pony tail who was found naked in a Bangkok hotel room with a wi-fi laptop on his lap, a half inflated tire tube around his neck, and a cryptic blog entry that only said: "Raaaaacist"

    Huh? What about that?

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  13. "Ask yourself this: How many murders happen in Washington, D.C., every year? So how come this one murder -- because it happened in Appalachia -- has generated such lurid speculation?"

    How come? oh, maybe because this guy was hung and had "fed" scrawled on his chest...but I get it: this rhetorical question of yours is intended to raise questions about your delusional "media bias" conspiracy theories. Nice try! Unfortunately equating these two instances is amatuerish at best.
    But don't let that stop you from playing the "media bias" card like Jesse Jackson plays the race card. Seems like you both love red herrings, even if it makes you into what you hate the most....

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  14. Stacy, be careful out there. I hope you're packing. Don't be too dressed up -- try to look like one of the residents of the area. Put a Confederate flag sticker on your bumper!

    Next time take some backup with you, one or two good ole boys who are big, strong and mean!

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  15. My money is still on him wandering up on a meth lab or a grow farm or a shine still unannounced and uninvited. The Sparkman clans (and there are more than one!) RUN that county, If another Sparkman killed him, that person will never see the inside of a jailhouse, but he might just get to see the wrong end of a shotgun up close and personal. Think Chicago mob with Steve Earle's "copperhead road" mixed in.

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  16. imitalian1963, I think it was probably a Right-winger trying to make it look like a Left-winger trying to make it look like a Right-winger.

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  17. What? No love for the latest video swirling about the liberal blogs? Too afraid to confront the reality of it?

    Will you just allow it to fester and spread without a single comment?

    I predict that is what you will do. Like Palin you never confront anything that you have no defense for.

    Stacy = Coward.

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  18. "I hope you're packing."

    Just not a .40 semi-auto. Those things jam. ;)

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  19. "Because a census worker was found hung naked and duct taped from a tree with Fed scrawled on his chest in black marker?"

    Not actually the case. He was workng as a census worker on a part time basis, bot not when he was found dead.

    It's also very premature to say he was murdered. The police say they have not ruled out anything yet, including accident or suicide.

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  20. I never heard of any meth labs when I lived there but, twenty-five years ago I had never heard of meth labs period. Pot farms are a whole different story. The stories I could tell! I wouldn't think there would be a whole lot of Mexicans in the area but I heard through the grapevine that my ex-sister-in-law teaches english as a second language so anything is possible.

    I said yesterday that these are the nicest people in the world but they do not like people who don't know how to mind their own business. Tread lightly.

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  21. "No love for the latest video swirling about the liberal blogs? Too afraid to confront the reality of it?"


    What are you blubbering on about now?

    This is textbook lefty behavior. Just keep making accusations and then move on to making more accusations, regardless of whether any of them have any basis in fact.

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  22. "Mexicans? In Clay County, Kentucky? Is there a "Little Tijuana" neighborhood down in Manchester?"


    Dude, there are "Little Tijuana" neighborhoods in northern NJ and NY. I live near one.

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  23. Just to clear up something,

    The Ghost said...

    the word "fed" written on the mans chest is still just a rumor ... It has not been confirmed by police ...
    Mon Sep 28, 12:03:00 PM

    Jim Trosper the Clay County coroner has confirmed he was found with the word "Fed" written on his chest with what he believes to be a felt tip pen.

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  24. I am worried about McCain. If he was in Fairmont W.VA. @ 9:30 this morning he should be in London KY by now.

    You think he was waylayed by a lefty blogger trying to supress the truth?

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  25. "I hope you're packing. Don't be too dressed up -- try to look like one of the residents of the area. "

    Won't help. He Glock-wrists.

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  26. " He was working as a census worker on a part time basis, bot not when he was found dead."

    Brilliant. I am a part time census worker, and I can tell you that we are excused from work whenever we are dead.

    This is as sorry a bunch of heartless, opportunistic know-nothings as ever stole a continental breakfast without a twinge of conscience. Except, of course, for the link you provided to the vilest man on the Internet, who sees "Eagle Scout" and "Teacher" in the obituary of a murdered, innocent man and instantly thinks "Pedophile."

    You should only know how incredibly hard census employees work, how meticulous they are, how they are sworn to protect personal information so help them God.

    You find census information from a hundred years ago to be fabulous when you're researching your wonderful geneologies. But using this harmless and necessary, contitutionally mandated arm of the Federal government as a political football suits you, so have at it.

    Enjoy the drama and have fun speculating over my murdered fellow census worker, just as you enjoy your stolen doughnuts. Your descendants won't need us to tell them who you are.You announce who you are loud and clear.

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  27. Anonymous, I think you're right about McCain being waylaid by a Lefty blogger. Perhaps the Lefty blogger hit McCain over the head with his purse. Or maybe forced him to read Lefty's blog until he lapsed into a deep coma from sheer boredom. Anything is possible.

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  28. ".. the link you provided to the vilest man on the Internet, who sees "Eagle Scout" and "Teacher" in the obituary of a murdered, innocent man and instantly thinks "Pedophile.""




    Hold yer horses, pard. It has not been established yet that anyone was murdered here.

    And your indignance would be less amusing if all the lefty blogs had not instantly jumped to the conclusion that this man was killed by "right-wing extremists", that favorite bugaboo of you people. If you can engage in rank speculaton based on nothing, so can other people.

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  29. Hey, anonymous 12:16:00: how about amending it to "...the link you provided to the vilest man on the Internet, who sees 'Eagle Scout' and 'Teacher' in the obituary of a [recently deceased man who, as of this moment, has not been accused of any crime and whose death has not, as of this moment, been ruled a suicide] and instantly thinks 'Pedophile....'"

    Is that kinder and gentler and more accurate for you? Fairer and more balanced? Have the horses been held to your satisfaction? Is his death not so icky for you? Darn, because you still seem heartless to me.

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  30. What was this man's background?
    An adult dedicated to boyscouts,found naked,unmarried.

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  31. Add brainless to heartless. So any former Eagle Scout should expect to have his motives questioned by anonymous and the other ghouls enjoying this death. Wish to help children or lead your son's Boy Scout troop? Anonymous thinks there must be something wrong with you; not having any altruistic leanings him/herself, anonymous can't imagine why anyone else would.

    Here is an article written about Mr. Sparkman, and his inspiring struggle to gain a degree in teaching as he was fighting cancer. He was the sports editor for a newspaper, started tutoring his son in math, and eventually became a teacher: http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/profile_16

    Is that "manly" enough for you, anonymous? Or do you want to go back to enjoying your prurient details?

    The only confirmed details we have come from the coroner, who said that the word "FED" was scrawled on Mr. Sparkman's chest with magic marker.

    That's no suicide. That's no accident. That's murder. Anonymous can giggle all s/he wants; s/he's outed him/herself as just another shameless nothing, emptier than the hole of a stolen doughnut.

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