The man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the Minnesota House held deeply religious and politically conservative views, telling a congregation in Africa two years ago that the U.S. was in a “bad place” where most churches didn’t oppose abortion.

The man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the Minnesota House held deeply religious and politically conservative views, telling a congregation in Africa two years ago that the U.S. was in a “bad place” where most churches didn’t oppose abortion.

Vance Luther Boelter, 57, was at the center of a massive multistate manhunt on Sunday, a day after authorities say he impersonated a police officer and gunned down former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home outside Minneapolis. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz described the shooting as “a politically motivated assassination.”

Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were shot earlier by the same gunman at their home nearby but survived.

Friends and former colleagues interviewed by The Associated Press described Boelter as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and went to campaign rallies for Donald Trump. Records show Boelter registered to vote as a Republican while living in Oklahoma in 2004 before moving to Minnesota where voters don’t list party affiliation.

  • @givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17•20 hours ago

    This has never happened in America before.

    Yes it has…

    If you think this is the first time a movement of Christians has stripped rights away thru a political movement, it makes me think you’re not aware of how long this fight has been going on.

    Like, from the first colonies, expansion into new colonies, the revolution, the civil war…

    At almost every major turning point of our country’s history, fighting off Christian extremists has been one of the few constants. They spent a couple decades working behind the scenes with both parties, but just because it was less visible for a while doesn’t mean it stopped and especially doesn’t erase our past.

    Like…

    You’re not wrong that it’s bad now, and I’m glad you realize that.

    But people need to understand history to understand how to fight today.

    • @PunkRockSportsFanEnglish
      -1•9 hours ago

      Point of order: When have women in America have had less rights than their mothers before?

      • @givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4•9 hours ago

        You realize women could hold bank accounts in America for most of the countries existence…

        Right?

        Then they weren’t, and then in the 1970s they were allowed again.

        Same goes for owning land.

        But if you want someone to explain stuff, you might want to ask nicely, it sounds like you want an argument. I don’t have time for that.

        • @PunkRockSportsFanEnglish
          -1•9 hours ago

          Point of order: why are you asking me to ask nicely when I literally asked according to Robert’s rules?

            • @PunkRockSportsFanEnglish
              -2•8 hours ago

              The chair acknowledges Alexander the dead

              It’s a commonly used standardized way to hold parliamentary / meeting/ round table discussions where the goal is to move the group agenda forward and not descend into chaos.

              It’s been around almost 200 years, forgive my assumption that it was widely known here.

              I yield my remaining time.