SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich was one of three speakers on Tuesday night who gave a presentation on the dangers of extremism in the Inland Northwest.
Knezovich spoke at length about the dangers of foreign and domestic terrorism, resulting from extremist rhetoric from both the left and the right.
"There is no party line to hate," he said.
Much of the conversation revolved around Rep. Matt Shea (R-Spokane Valley), who has been repeatedly tied to violent rhetoric and associated with groups that promote extremist activity.
Knezovich was preceded by former state Sen. John Smith, who discussed his personal journey away from "Christian dominionism," an ideology Smith says he was brought up in and that encourages a radical Christian takeover of social institutions.
The other speaker was Jay Pounder, a former close associate of Shea who provided media text and email conversations he had with Shea that included violent speech.
All three men said they felt compelled to protect their Christianity, conservatism and community by speaking out against hateful rhetoric.
"[It's] absolutely contrary to Christianity, to the Republican values that I believe in and to the America that I love," Smith said.
"I do support a two-state system," said Pounder, referring to movement to have eastern Washington separate from the west and form its own state. "But not like this."
"There was no way that I could sit back and watch what this individual is doing to our community," Knezovich said. "And the worst part is, doing it in the name of God."
"I'm glad that we have a sheriff, that we have law enforcement that still maintains that rule of law and that innocence until proven guilty," Smith said. "But as private citizens, I think we have a responsibility to stand up and say this is wrong."
"Because [Shea] ascribes to this theology, because he works with these individuals, because he associates with [them], that's a deep concern that he continues to represent the people of eastern Washington," Pounder said.
The speakers argued that unless people work to fight against the spread of extremist rhetoric, it could result in more violence such as the country and the Inland Northwest has seen in the past.
KREM reached out to Shea for comment but he has not responded.