Senator Chuck Grassley

Iowa’s top politicians are responding to this weekend’s events in Virginia.

Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann was the first to issue a statement Saturday via Twitter. Kaufmann said the “racism and bigotry on display in Charlottesville is stupid, shameful and destructive.”

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was next, saying what “white nationalists” were doing in Charlottesville was “homegrown terrorism.” Iowa Senator Joni Ernst also called it “terrorism” that was “fueled by racist hatred” that “has no place in our society.”

Governor Kim Reynolds said her prayers are with the victims and she condemed “ugly, vile, racist hate.”

By early this morning, all but one member of Iowa’s congressional delegation had tweeted on the situation. Congressman Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Iowa City, said on Saturday that the “vile hatred displayed by white supremacists in Charlotesville is unacceptable and unAmerican.” Congressman David Young, a Republican from Van Meter, tweeted on Sunday from Israel, where he’s on a congressional trip. Young condemned the “hatred” on display in Charlottesville and tweeted a few Bible verses. Congressman Rod Blum, a Republican from Dubuque, posted a message on Facebook. Blum quoted Gandi and said there was no place in a “civil society” for “racist supremacy groups.” Republican Congressman Steve King of Kiron has not Tweeted since July 27th and has not issued a statement on Charlottesville.

The Iowa Democratic Party’s chairman released a written statement Sunday, denounncing the “senseless acts by white supremacists and neo-nazis in Charlottesville.”

Here are the tweets, in the order they appeared on Twitter:

@kaufmanngop: The racism & bigotry on display in Charlottesville is stupid, shameful and destructive. These charlatans led by David Duke sicken me.

@chuckgrassley: What ” WhiteNatjonalist” are doing in Charlottesville is homegrown terrorism that can’t be tolerated anymore that what Any extremist does

@joniernst: The violence in #Charlottesville that is fueled by racist hatred has no place in our society. (1/2)
@joniernst: We are one nation, under God, and indivisible. We cannot stand for this terrorism. (2/2)

@IAgovernor: We must forcefully condemn ugly, vile, racist hate. My prayers are with the victims of these despicable acts #Charlottesville

@daveloebsack: The vile hatred displayed by white supremacists in #Charlottesville is unacceptable & un-American. I mourn the loss of those who were killed

@RepDavidYoung: It is just after 2:00 am here in Israel where I am wrapping up my travels and meetings and will begin my journey home to Iowa tomorrow
@RepDavidYoung: From a land that has seen the pain and deep divisions hatred has caused throughout history
@RepDavidYoung: I wanted to acknowledge and condemn the hate and pain we have seen this weekend at home.
@RepDavidYoung: Political discourse is something we can pride ourselves on in America – but hate is disgusting and must be condemned to the core
@RepDavidYoung: “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.”
@RepDavidYoung: “Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.”
@RepDavidYoung: “But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness.”
@RepDavidYoung: “They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.” – 1 John 2:9-11

@RepRodBlum: My thoughts on Charlottesville: (from Facebook)

This weekend’s events in Charlottesville have saddened Karen, Sophie and me to our core. Violence is never the answer, and this terrorist act must be dealt with justly and swiftly.

There is no place for a cowardly act like this or racist supremacy groups in civil society. Just two months ago my colleagues were playing baseball when a would-be assassin opened fire and nearly killed my good friend Congressman Steve Scalise over political differences, and now a young peaceful protestor has lost her life. This must end, we must come together as Americans first, and forget the labels we assign ourselves over politics. My prayers go out to Heather Heyer’s family, Lt. H. Jay Cullen’s family and Berke M.M. Bates’s family – and everyone affected by this senseless tragedy. Thank God for our Law Enforcement who are there to protect and serve all of us.
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. – Gandhi