There’s a report out today on Bob Mercer’s web site that State Representative Steve Hickey is resigning. Apparently I got it last night, but I go to bed too early.
House Caucus,
Effective September 1, Representative Hickey is resigning from the Legislature due to his desire to pursue an education opportunity in Scottland (UK) and for health reasons. His explanation will follow:
For a combination of reasons briefly mentioned here, I am resigning my position as State Representative, District 9, effective September 1, 2015. On Sunday, I announced my plans to our church and wanted you to hear it from me personally as soon as possible.
More significant to our family and close friends, after twenty one years, I’m shifting into a Pastor Emeritus-type role at our church here in Sioux Falls. Kristen and I are selling our home in District 9. Beginning September 7 we will be living most of the time near the University of Aberdeen in Scotland as I work toward a PhD in Christian Ethics in the Modern World, or more precisely, the topic of Bonhoeffer and the Surveillance State.
My interest and involvement in Bonhoeffer studies goes back twenty-five years when I studied for a couple years under a leading Bonhoeffer scholar and this is an opportunity extended to very few. For years I’ve been a member of the International Bonhoeffer Society and through my involvement there, in March of 2014, I was encouraged to apply for a scholarship at the University of Aberdeen. Though I did not get that scholarship, the door opened and those who know what it takes to get into a PhD program are aware this isn’t something I’m doing on a whim.
Considering the path I am on toward a lung transplant this window of time to slow down and prepare for the next chapter of our lives makes lots of sense to us. My long-term plan is to teach and write and it is our intention to finish out our lives in South Dakota upon completion of my PhD. My son plans to return to South Dakota when he finishes seminary next spring and my daughters plan is to begin law school at USD in 2016. South Dakota will remain our home long-term and I plan to continue to follow and be involved in South Dakota politics and issues even in my physical absence.
My kids would be quick to tell you one of our family values is “Hickeys cross finish lines.” However the timing of the academic opportunities available to me require that I not finish my third term in the State House. My hope is those in my district understand there are vocational, personal and health reasons preventing a citizen legislator from completing a term. In any case, it has been a high honor to serve people from every political persuasion in my district and the rest of our state and thank them for the trust they have placed in me.
Sincerely, Rep. Steve Hickey
Please wish Representative Hickey well as he continues his pulmonary battle & this education opportunity.
Thanks, Leader Gosch
As a fervent critic of Mr. Hickey as a Christian, theologian, and politician on this website, I must say: I TOLD YOU SO.
This guy is a flake. He lied about facts. He defamed SD state employees. He claimed to know that a commenter here did not have Christ in his heart. He first claimed that I could not rely on what Christ failed to do, then later claimed to know what God meant.
Hopefully he will develop a more rational mind while pursuing this PhD.
Unlike his lack of compassion for failed & flawed people like Bosworth, I wish & pray for the best of mental, physical, and legal health to Mr. Hickey.
“[Steve Hickey] is a flake… I wish & pray for the best of mental, physical, and legal health to Mr. Hickey.”
Do you pray to Satan? Does Satan bless flakes?
I have had my issues with much of Hickey’s liberal agenda, but I wish him well and hope he can make a very positive impact in his new endeavors.
Does Scotland have an extradition treaty with the US?
Wow, what a wonderful opportunity to delve deeper into one of the last centuries greatest thinkers, go live at the home of golf (OK, maybe not a big deal for Hickey but I’d love it), eat haggis (the only bad thing is it served with turnips which I pray doesn’t even touch the haggis), and drink Scotch. Some people have all the luck.
Best wishes to the Hickey family on this exciting endeavor.
This is exciting for him. Hoping he will come back with a lot of ideas
I wish him well for the transplant, they are never easy or fun
I like turnips, but what is haggis ?
You don’t want to know, trust me.
I have a can of “Premium Quality Haggis with Lamb” from “The Caledonian Kitchen” here beforef me.
Net Wt. 14.5 oz (408 g). Ingredients: Water, Lamb, Hydrated Pin Oats, Beef Liver, Refined Beef Suet, Onion Powder, Onions, Salt, Kitchen Bouquet (Caramen, vegetable base, Water, Carrots, Onions, Parsnips, Turnips, Salt, Parsley, Spices, Sodium Benzoate [less than .1% to preserve freshness] and Sulfiting agents), Spices. It says the container holds “about 4 servings” with 330 calories per serving, 190 calories from fat.
It’s been on the bookshelf here in my office for about a year while my wife Susan’s brother Steve and I try to summon the courage to eat it — preferably with “neeps and tatties?”. (Suppose to also be great with scrambled eggs.)
Troy, maybe you should come out and dare to share it with us for breakfast someday (There’s a mens room right down the hall in case we have to… well whatever…). It’s a thoroughly dangerous looking can of grub. 🙂
Mr. Flemming, as you well know and have heard me say over blood sausages, only eat fresh haggis.
Revvy and I have had more than one opportunity to both clash and mutually agree over the years. I wish him and his family the best.. Godspeed.
Bill,
Deal. Save it for me and we’ll eat it then. I’ve never had it from a can. My only experience was “fresh” or home-made. Unlike Spam, which I have developed a taste for in certain settings and with the right condiments (jalapeño mustard), haggis is good the first time you taste it (maybe only if you like lamb and liver) even though you are wondering what is all in it. I last ate it over 22 years ago in a Baltimore pub near the old baseball park. Looking at some pictures today, it didn’t look like they show it but more like corned beef hash scooped on the plate. Maybe I had an imposter version but it went great after a baseball game. I ate gyro’s before the game. I guess people in baltimore like lamb as I just realized I ate lamb coming and going to the game.
Okay, Troy let us know when you’re coming out and we’ll summon the Braveheart muses. I’ve heard you either love Haggis or hate it straight off. But brother Steve is a huge Spam fan. (Might be his favorite meat.) So we should be okay, because I’ll eat just about anything (except ludefisk. 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haggis
Christian ethics? I hope he learns some kind of ethics. Resign and avoid prosecution….prosecution…not persecution……maybe someday he will have the courage and grace not to spread his form of ethics from any public forum!