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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
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 OPINION 
21

Trouble With Authority Marks Area of Census Taker's Murder

But Ky. hanging NOT on Glenn Beck: blogger

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(Newser) – The area of Kentucky where a US Census worker was found Sept. 12 hanged and with “fed” scrawled across his chest “has a difficult relationship with government,” a supposedly knowledgeable local blogs for the Boar’s Head Tavern. “I’m not surprised some unstable person hit back,” TommyMertonHead writes. “This is an area where it wouldn’t be too hard to find 50 people living off the Federal government and 50 people across the creek ready to shoot any DEA agent that stops to use the phone.”

The murder of Bill Sparkman, 51, has drawn plenty of attention from media both left and right. But, TommyMertonHead finishes, “What it’s NOT is about Glenn Beck, etc. I assure you that few people of the sort who would kill a census worker are concerned with Mr. Beck. They are probably more concerned with why their cousin is in prison or why they aren’t getting paid for running dope any more.”

Census worker Bill Sparkman was found hanged near Hoskins Cemetery near Manchester, Ky.
Census worker Bill Sparkman was found hanged near Hoskins Cemetery near Manchester, Ky.   (AP Photo)
In this undated 2008 photo, Bill Sparkman speaks to a 7th grade class.
In this undated 2008 photo, Bill Sparkman speaks to a 7th grade class.   (AP Photo)
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21 comments
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rajanKazhmin
Sep 24, 09 8:57 PM CDT
Get off my lawn! Reply
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-2
IN RESPONSE:
BeatBlaster
Sep 25, 09 9:01 AM CDT
wtf is the matter with you? the guy was doing his job; a job that in no way threatens anyone.
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0
Shannonals
Sep 24, 09 9:06 PM CDT
Regardless of how an individual feels about the government, killing an innocent bystander performing his assigned tasks should not be tolerate. Reply
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+17
IN RESPONSE:
Reader64481089
Sep 24, 09 9:22 PM CDT
I feel the same but many years ago in Eastern Kentucky I had chance to be introduced to a local family who by trade were Moonshiners and also raised a fair bit of weed on the side. Moonshine was 10 bucks a gallon and pure, not some poison that would blind you and the smoke was homegrown but rivaled the Colombian that was popular in the late 60's early 70's. This family lived on a hill (small mountain top actually) and they had only one road into their farm which they controlled at the tip of a gun barrel. At the gate at the bottom of that hill lay a burned out car with what was left of a Gov license plate, it was a Revenue Agent who was trespassing without a warrant and yes, when taken to court they beat the charges with a local jury....the car was left as a warning. Last I heard some 30 something years ago the old man died but his two sons carried on the family traditions, you do NOT enter those areas unless invited and even then watch how you act and sure as hell do not have a Gov ID...We are talking Deliverance meets Jason in some areas, they are that way and always have been
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+2
yoeydude
Sep 24, 09 9:18 PM CDT
members of film crews doing documentaries on American rural life in the Appalachians have been shot and killed ,in areas like this .... only to then have the murderers arrested by cousins , judged and juried by other relatives and found innocent ,... cause they should'nt a been afilmin' us ....... now thats family values anyone remember Deliverance ? Reply
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