By Kathleen McCann 
A Kansas state representative’s apology Thursday may not be enough to save his job. Although the request is rare, top House Democrats called for Representative Virgil Peck’s resignation Thursday over a comment he made Monday during a House committee meeting suggesting immigrants be shot by hunters from helicopters.
Today, local and national civil and human rights advocates held a press conference and brought 50 thousand petitions calling for State Rep. Virgil Peck to resign for his hateful remarks.
“Rep. Peck’s words were dangerous,” explained Lalo Muñoz from the Latino Informational Network of Kansas. “There is no place in our Kansas State Legislature for someone who uses offensive words to endanger and create fear in our communities.”
Peck made his comments during an appropriations committee discussion on how to control the overpopulation problem of feral swine in Kansas. When a fellow representative suggested the swine be shot by snipers in helicopters, Peck interjected, suggesting immigrants be dealt with in the same way. Peck laughed off his comment stating he was just speaking like a person from southeast Kansas.
Presente.org, a national online advocacy group that promotes the political empowerment of Latinos, coordinated a petition drive calling on Rep. Peck to resign from the Kansas State Legislature and for the state and national Republican Party to hold him accountable for his hateful rhetoric.
“Across the nation, we witness the continue dehumanization of Latinos and immigrants; as the fastest growing community in the nation, this intolerable phenomenon has great consequences,” expressed Joaquin Guerra, National Campaign Director for Presente.org. “It’s critical for elected officials to actively protect everyone in our communities —not to make certain segments targets.”
Peck was originally reluctant to apologize or answer questions about his conduct. It wasn’t until his comment gained widespread media attention that he issued this public apology: “I’m Virgil Peck, and on Monday, I made an inappropriate comment. For that, I’m sorry, and I apologize to anyone that I offended with my inappropriate comment. I’ll be more careful with my words in the future.”
Despite his apology, several Democratic lawmakers are calling for Peck’s resignation. House Minority Leader Rep. Paul Davis suggested Friday that, “we must call upon Rep. Peck to resign his seat in the House of Representatives and allow someone who will respect the proper role of a state representative to take his place.” He also added, “he’s betrayed his constituents…he has no comprehension of his conduct.”
State Rep. Louis Ruiz, the only Hispanic Democrat in the Kansas in the House, said the House should move to censure Peck, which would mean he be stripped of his House leadership position. Ruiz suggested Peck’s remark “cut like a dagger through the heart of Kansans” and said, “There can only be one resolution to this act of bigotry, racism and ignorance — censure of Representative Peck, because he will never resign and his leadership will not ask for it.”