Auburn mayor’s vile social media posts show he’s just as bad as Donald Trump
Imagine an elected official who likes to get on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to say awful and outrageous things. Consider what it would feel like to see this leader constantly undermine the dignity and respect of his office by offending voters with nasty and mean-spirited online meme attacks.
No, we’re not talking about President Donald Trump. We’re talking about Auburn Mayor Bill Kirby.
Kirby has landed in hot water over his caustic anti-Trump posts on Facebook. For example, he posted a meme comparing Trump supporters to Ku Klux Klan members. According to The Sacramento Bee: “The image depicted a hooded KKK member and included the text: ‘Good news for Trump supporters is that most of them already have masks,’ a reference to an increasing number of state and federal guidelines recommending the general public wear face coverings to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which causes the deadly disease known as COVID-19.”
“True,” wrote Kirby in a comment on the image.
In a previous post, Kirby wished that President Trump, along with evangelical Christians who insist on going to church despite stay-at-home orders, would get the coronavirus.
“That right wing corona virus denier Boris Johnson just got hospitalized,” wrote Kirby, according to the Auburn Journal. “Guess which 2 should be next!!!! And god bless all those evangelicals going to church in large groups…. There is no cure for stupid…. But they all vote for Trump anyway so it is ok….”
Kirby, who says he’s a conservative and “not a Democrat,” shrugged off calls to apologize. He defended himself by saying he made the post on his own Facebook page and they don’t reflect on his city leadership.
“(Facebook) is not a city site. It’s a personal site,” Kirby told the Auburn Journal. “This has nothing to do with my job. I reposted it.”
Nonetheless, people outraged by Kirby’s remarks called for him to step down, and a Roseville church that recently drew criticism for holding services despite a statewide stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic promised a recall campaign.
“I live in Auburn, California and I’m utterly appalled by his unadulterated hatred for President Trump and those who voted for him,” commented one Auburn resident on a Facebook post about the mayor’s comments. “I intend to do all that I can to get this sick man out of office.”
Her personal Facebook page featured pro-Trump memes mocking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and urging Americans to “build the wall” and “stand with Trump.”
Let’s be clear: Mayor Kirby’s social media posts were vile and stupid. He should do the right thing by apologizing and, if he can’t do that, he should resign from the Auburn City Council. Late Monday, he took a good first step by announcing that he will “hand the gavel” to another city councilperson at the next meeting and no longer serve as mayor.
Kirby’s lack of judgment, and his inability to control his temper, do a grave disservice to his constituents. Even Democratic voters should find his behavior reprehensible.
Yet Kirby’s pro-Trump critics should also reflect on why it’s wrong for Kirby to behave like an unhinged toddler on social media but fine for President Trump to do so. Trump’s fans seem to love his constant and cruel Twitter attacks on government officials, activists, reporters, immigrants and others. Now they want to impeach Kirby for similar behavior.
In fact, the most painful and embarrassing fact that soon-to-be ex-mayor Kirby must confront today is the degree to which he now resembles the president he claims to despise.