Shaun Winkler, White Supremacist Idaho Sheriff Candidate, Hosts Cross Burning Event

Shaun Winkler, a white supremacist in Idaho running as a Republican for Bonner County sheriff, is defending his recent cross burning ceremony, after having invited members of the media to attend the event last week.

"Mainstream society looks at cross lighting as a symbol of hate, but it predates the Klan by hundreds of years," Winkler told the Bonner County Daily Bee. "We look at it more as a religious symbol."

Winkler went on to claim the ritual has Scottish roots dating back hundreds of years, but his status as a Ku Klux Klan imperial wizard and his candid admissions of racial and religious prejudice suggest that the decision to burn the cross may take inspiration from a more recent and ugly practice.

"Most people don't know that we don't just oppose the Jews and the Negroes," he said, according to the Daily Bee. "We also oppose sexual predators and drugs of any kind."

While Winkler has claimed that he wouldn't allow his personal beliefs to guide the way he would act as sheriff, his position on sexual predators is admittedly more severe.

The Associated Press reports:

He has framed his campaign around the message of cracking down on methamphetamine producers and sex offenders, telling people at a candidate forum this week he favors immediate hangings for those convicted of being sexual predators.

Winkler is one of the remaining members of a diminished, but still active, Aryan Nations presence in Idaho. Democratic state Rep. Cherie Buckner-Webb, the first black woman to serve in Idaho's state legislature, faced numerous racist attacks from the KKK and other white supremacist groups during her campaign.

Brenda Hammond of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force says Winkler's political presence is an embarrassment to the rest of the county.

"It shows the need for the human rights task force has not gone away," she told the Associated Press. "Many of us on the task force have really regretted Bonner County's reputation for harboring racism when the vast majority of us don't think like that."

Voters in Bonner County will head to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[NotBetterThanYou]

02:35 AM on 07/02/2012

"immediate hangings" is a disturbing euphemism

[NotBetterThanYou]

02:32 AM on 07/02/2012

Wait, does this guy want a nation where everyone looks like... him? Really?

Not exactly the beautiful face of racial superiority there, Winkler.

[John N Swegan]

11:14 AM on 06/02/2012

"Mainstream society looks at cross lighting as a symbol of hate, but it predates the Klan by hundreds of years"

Let's see, the Swastika has been around for THOUSANDS of years, does that make it acceptable to wear one everywhere you go? Go visit Germany and wearing one and see how quickly you are incarcerated.

Due to recent history, both cross burning and swastikas are associated with wrongful actions and are to be despised.

[mlfertig]

04:36 PM on 05/23/2012

"we don't just oppose the Jews and the Negroes," he (Winkler) said," "We also oppose sexual predators and drugs of any kind" Aww so being against predators and drugs is supposed tomake up for the anti-smetism, racism and Neo Nazi attachment.. IF "Boner" [sic] county elects this sicko the entire state of Idaho is in serious trouble

[D RidgeCO]

09:50 AM on 05/22/2012

It is sad but I see a lot of colleagues that I once viewed as reasonable Republicans that plainly are racist and don't even realize themselves the extent of their hatred. I think this comes from listening to talk radio every day while turning off the brain. When you hear them talk about welfare and foodstamps it really is code to attract other like minded people. One guy has been talking non stop about how Zimmerman is being railroaded and he had a right to defend himself. He has brought this up 20-30 times at work...The fact this guy could be endorsed by the GOP just highlights how extreme the party has become. This ain't your daddy's GOP.

[Melinda Gandy]

12:46 AM on 11/03/2012

Really? You honestly believe that 'talk radio' is the impetus for the sad state of affairs between races in this country?? While I admit that talk radio does have its roots in controversy - and the fault of this lies with both far-right & far-left groups - most exist simply to incite prejudiced views (i.e., not just about "race", but many varied aspects of society). I myself am a conservative who leans toward Libertarian views; and, yes, I do vote Republican. However, this does not make me completely insensitive to those whose ideals oppose mine. Hopefully I have taught my children to respect others regardless of the color of their skin. If one takes any situation into context, an intelligent decision/conclusion can be drawn. Know the truth and it shall set you free!

[Artemis34]

01:48 AM on 05/19/2012

Don't think Republicans are racist, sexist, or homophobic?  Ask them at the cross-burning!

[vidian6]

10:01 PM on 05/20/2012

LMAO, totally funny. Fanned!!!

[Artemis34]

11:56 PM on 05/22/2012

Oh, thank goodness! Someone gets my humor!

[dbrett480]

07:03 PM on 05/17/2012

Is Winkler a current law enforcement officer? Most states require law enforcement experience and certification to become a Sheriff.

[Tamas Marcuis]

08:26 PM on 05/16/2012

Formerly in Scotland the "Crann tara" or fiery cross was a symbolic declaration of war. It has not been used in Scotland for almost 200 years. The last time the name was used was for a Scottish news show in Gaelic. There is no link to America. It was probably taken out of an old novel by Sir Walter Scott, who's writings were quite popular in the southern American states before the American Civil War. People here in Scotland find the whole thing very embarrassing and distasteful.

[waldopepper]

12:19 AM on 05/16/2012

Amazing that the nominating committee for the state Republican party approved this man to represent the party. They either thing very highly of this man (for unknown reasons) or very little of the reputation of the GOP.

[waldopepper]

12:53 AM on 05/16/2012

They either THINK very highly

[Sh00Flys]

01:18 PM on 05/14/2012

One word.

Neanderthal.

Nuff said.

[bighun]

07:42 AM on 05/14/2012

when are a large segment of the white population just going to admit that this racist thing is goona tera the country up,and it;s time to finnally denounce it in public and put it to bed after 400yrs of this mindless stupid bs?the reasons whites must addr it are this,they are the ones who are in positions to enact racism on others,they have been doing this for quite some time,they are the only group who constantly reisist change,they are the slim majority in population,they control the media,the judicial and political systems etc and hold the majority of wealth.whites must speak out racism is outdated and dangerous to us all now,we must move forward to the new age we are 50yrs late as it is

[bighun]

07:35 AM on 05/14/2012

this is what they do this is how they get power,it only takes a high school diploma to be a cop. they gat a badge and a gun,that's how they do it all over the country.they need all law enforcement to be held to a higher standard,this is why we have all these problems. when they are caught breaking the law the they should be punished swiftly and without bias.we need higher education,higher pay,more diversity,and greater ovesight of all cops in the country.

[mommy dearest]

01:44 AM on 05/14/2012

Well since he looks at burning of the cross as more of a religious symbol. Then he should not mind if he is on it when they burn the next one.

[BilaalUSA]

11:30 PM on 05/13/2012

So then it's safe to assume that burning, uh, illuminating the flag at night for the world to see the power of democracy through the darkness of tyranny would fall under the same guise. Mr. Winkler is an Imperial Wizard and unlike the Scottish history lesson, the KKK admittedly burns the cross as a means of purification. Racist will all be purified in like manner in the bowels of Hell if they don't seek the illumination of equal justice here on earth.

[Bobbo662]

03:42 PM on 05/13/2012

He states that burning a cross is a Scotish ritual, well in Scotland, maybe, but here in America, burning a cross is a "racist ritual" that should be stopped.

[MJinCanada]

09:53 PM on 05/14/2012

In Scotland it was used to summon the clan members to war in case of attack. In fact, it was just a torch extinguished in animal blood to signify to mostly illiterate people that "This is serious, hurry up or we're toast." Scandinavian countries (which have a lot of cultural and marital links to Scotland) did the same thing for wars, forest fires and meetings of critical importance.

The American practice is from "Birth of a Nation" and other white supremist propaganda and is absolutely racist.