Mississippi state representative Karl Oliver is a moron. Thanks to him the stereotype of southern Republicans being slack jawed, racists remains alive and well. Oliver said that the people taking down monuments honoring confederate figures “should be lynched.”

A state representative from Winona who urged in a weekend Facebook post that those who support the removal of Confederate monuments be lynched has apologized.

Rep. Karl Oliver, R-Winona, wrote: “The destruction of these monuments, erected in the loving memory of our family and fellow Southern Americans, is both heinous and horrific. If the, and I use this term extremely loosely, “leadership” of Louisiana wishes to, in a Nazi-ish fashion, burn books or destroy historical monuments of OUR HISTORY, they should be LYNCHED! Let it be known, I will do all in my power to prevent this from happening in our State.”

This isn’t some failed attempt at making a clever remark off the cuff. He wrote this and posted in Facebook. It drew the condemnation of Republican leadership in Mississippi.

House Speaker Philip Gunn condemned Oliver’s post in an emailed statement Monday morning. The comments “do not reflect the views of the Republican Party, the leadership of the House of Representatives or the House as a whole,” Gunn said.

“Using the word ‘lynched’ is inappropriate and offensive,” Gunn continued. “We call on Rep. Oliver to apologize.”

Gov. Phil Bryant released a statement in an email: “Rep. Oliver’s language is unacceptable and has no place in civil discourse.”

Oliver later apologized for being a total numbskull after his state party leadership brought the hammer down on him.

“I, first and foremost, wish to extend this apology for any embarrassment I have caused to both my colleagues and fellow Mississippians,” Oliver said in a written response. “In an effort to express my passion for preserving all historical monuments, I acknowledge the word ‘lynched’ was wrong. I am very sorry. It is in no way, ever, an appropriate term. I deeply regret that I chose this word, and I do not condone the actions I referenced, nor do I believe them in my heart. I freely admit my choice of words was horribly wrong, and I humbly ask your forgiveness.”

I’m sure he deeply regrets getting in trouble.

People have different opinions on the removal of Confederate memorials. Personally it doesn’t bother me at all. Removing something meant to honor the Confederacy isn’t the same as erasing history. We shouldn’t be honoring people for taking up arms against their country and subsequently being defeated. Museums, textbooks, and the like are where these people should be remembered. Not somewhere that glorifies them.

The problem is that the left has book burning tendencies and once the memorials are removed they’ll move on to trying to obliterate something (everything) else that offends them.