28 March 2017
Belittling a man for his height is morally repugnant
As can be seen in this photograph with six-foot-two President George H. W. Bush, Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton was not the tallest man to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy. Nor was he the tallest man to serve as an officer in the U.S. Navy (that distinction probably belongs to seven-foot-one David Robinson). How tall was/is he? Tall enough to serve his country.
But not tall enough for Montana Cowboy, who, in an angry and vituperative post, Secretary “Reefer Madness” Stapleton Brings Henchman to Intimidate Fitzpatrick at SB305 Hearing, ridiculed Stapleton’s short stature:
What later became a scene straight out of the Princess Bride, small man syndrome Stapleton (Vizzini) aided by his giant lackey Derek (Fezzik) began yelling at SB 305 Sponsor Steve Fitzpatrick, “YOU did this. This is all your fault!” Inconceivable! Now get him Derek and make it quick!
Fitzpatrick told him to get out of his face, since Fitzpatrick was seated at the time.
Next, Corey Stapleton, who ran on making the Secretary of State’s office less political, testified as an opponent to SB 305 and went on a very political rant at the tippy top of his itty-bitty lungs. He spouted conspiracy theories about ballots being stolen or fraudulently used. He said his office would be sued. He said he has only been in office for three months and doesn’t know how to do his job. Sounds like another businessman I know. (cough-cough, Mr. President).
That blackjacking violated Stapleton’s human rights. Nothing can justify it. Stapleton’s weird conflation of marijuana and mail ballots was short on logic, but attacking him for not being the tallest man in the room was short on decency.