Kansas City mayor faces backlash after accusing Missouri Gov of using racial ‘dog whistle’ while calling Super Bowl parade shooters ‘thugs’

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: In the wake of the tragic shooting incident at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade, tensions have escalated between Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Missouri Governor Mike Parson.

The dispute revolves around Governor Parson's use of the term "thugs" to describe the suspected shooters, which Mayor Lucas has labeled a racial "dog whistle".

Mayor Lucas denounces use of 'dog whistle'

The controversy unfolded during Mayor Lucas' appearance on the local radio show 'Up to Date' with host Steve Kraske on Friday, February 16.

Lucas expressed his disagreement with Governor Parson's characterization of the shooters as "thugs," accusing him of employing coded language to demonize Black individuals.

“We can’t let some thugs just take over and ruin what happened,” Parson had said following the shooting.

“I have respect for the governor. We get along well,” Lucas told Kraske. “I disagree strongly with how he would describe that situation. I certainly do think this was criminal activity. It was lawlessness, and I think that that’s troubling. But ‘thugs’ is a dog whistle in the most classic sense.”

“I’ve seen this dog whistle time and again. There’s this kind of giant conservative theory on social media now that the reason these mug shots haven’t been shown is because the purported defendants are Black, and if it were a White defendant we would have just shown them. That is absolutely preposterous. There are protections to juveniles,” he added.

The term "dog whistle," commonly used in politics, refers to coded language intended to resonate with specific audiences. Some argue that "thug" has been historically employed to stereotype and vilify Black individuals.

Gov Parson's comments

“You just got some absolutely, be careful what I say before I say something I’m gonna probably regret, but just a bunch of criminals, thugs out there, just killing people at an incident like that and attempting to kill all those people and created such chaos that people got hurt, being trampled,” Parson said in the Thursday interview.

The Governor's office remained silent in response to Mayor Lucas' accusations, heightening tensions surrounding the issue. During his own interview, Parson deflected questions regarding potential gun control measures, opting to highlight gun laws in Chicago instead.

“Chicago’s got the strictest gun laws in the nation and they lead the nation in homicides,” he said. “You got to have a real conversation about what is the root problem because, you know, their laws are not working by no means.”

Parson also avoided addressing a question regarding a previous Missouri House Republican vote on gun control. This vote involved an amendment that aimed to prohibit minors from openly carrying guns on public land without adult supervision.

“I don’t think there’s nothing in the world wrong with having these discussions of what happened with these minors,” he explained. “People are doing these kinds of crimes and I think it’s much more than a gun, I’ll be honest with you. Because I think we have allowed people to commit crimes with no accountability.”

The shooting incident, which claimed one life and injured 22 others, resulted in the charging of two juveniles with gun-related offenses and resisting arrest. The 16th Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri confirmed the charges on Thursday, February 15, announcing that the juveniles are currently detained in secure detention.

Despite the tragedy, at least 11 wounded children are expected to recover, with additional charges anticipated as the investigation progresses, the Kansas City Star reported.

Internet slams Mayor Lucas

Mayor Lucas' critique of Governor Parson's language sparked backlash on social media, with some accusing him of playing the race card and seeking attention.

"I’m sure Mayor Lucas would’ve been just as mad if these thugs were white. Give us a break. Lucas should be upset that these black teenagers opened fire on a crowd. BTW, the definition of 'thug': A violent, aggressive person, especially one who is a criminal," one posted on X.

"The mayor is telling on himself. He thinks thugs mean black people. He is the real racist," another offered.

"Can you believe it? Apparently, in Lucas' world, accurately describing criminals is now off-limits," someone else added.

"Mayor Quinton Lucas just wants attention!" another insisted.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.