John Hinderaker:
James Hodgkinson, who shot up the Republican baseball team in Virginia this morning, was a Bernie Sanders volunteer and enthusiastic advocate of the Democratic Party line. In 2011, he appeared on local television in St. Louis at an Occupy protest, denouncing the “one percent.”
We talked about Hodgkinson on the Power Line Live broadcast this evening. I think it is fair to blame the Democratic Party for his violence–recognizing, of course, that the primary blame always rests with the criminal–because the Democrats have deliberately created a crazed climate of hate in order to fire up their base. Which is to say, people like James Hodgkinson.
Has a single Democratic office-holder denounced, or even distanced himself from, the many acts of violence that have been committed in the name of liberalism over the past nine months? To my knowledge, no. In my opinion, leaders of the Democratic Party need to take a long look in the mirror. They have welcomed street violence as a useful part of their “Resistance” movement. Now we are seeing the tragic consequences.
R. Maddow had the nerve to lie live on the air about her show being one of the shooters favorite.
She slid into twist mode, “We didn’t find evidence he ever sent anything to this show or tried to contact us at all.”
During the re-air of her program at 12 a.m. ET, however, the segment did not air.
Should she be investigated for collusion?
And if she opposes such an investigation, should she be investigated for obstruction of justice?
The genesis of all this is Trump’s “hateful rhetoric”. This is all in the minds of liberals and began with Trump citing FBI data for his border and immigration policies. This was transformed into “hating immigrants” and “hating Mexicans” by the left. It only grows worse from there.
Trump’s “hateful rhetoric” now justifies violence against him and anyone that supports him. A blow against a Republican is a blow against racism, homophobia, Islamiphobia, misogyny… all the evils that plague society. But, the only evidence of these wrongs are in the words of liberals as there is no physical manifestation of it. In fact, this is used as a justification to act just like what the liberals proclaim to oppose; violent racists intolerant of anything contrary to their ideology.
Hodgkinson is but the latest example, but more will follow. Even if the left, including the media, executed a 180 right now and not just ceased their hateful, violent rhetoric but denounced and refuted it, the violence will continue as weak minds have already been warped.
It’s up to the left to end the violence. It’s up to us to defend ourselves against it.
I recall Donald Trump blowing air from one end or the other about “the Second Amendment people” having a solution for Hillary Clinton’s possible Supreme Court appointments. Here’s a video from August, 2016, in case it’s so long ago that you’ve forgotten:
Donald Trump Suggests ‘Second Amendment People’ Could Act Against Hillary Clinton
Anyone who helped set the tone with such irresponsible, idiotic rhetoric hinting at the acceptability for political violence shares in blame. Personally, I blame the right far more than the left for creating the current atmosphere. Anyone who listened closely to Trump’s populace campaign rallies knows why.
How many video clips would it take to convince Trump cultists of the truth of this? No number of them would ever lead them to see the light.
Donald Trump on protester: ‘I’d like to punch him in the face’
This kind of crap feeds anger that sets the stage for violence. It doesn’t feed it only on one side or the other. Neither side has a monopoly on stupidity, or mental instability, or the ability to point a firearm and kill people.
How many people applauded the armed take-over of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon? Can we get a show of hands?
@Greg:
You idiot, that had NOTHING to do with an election, it had to do with unelected officials that have been pricks since before Reagan. Do a bit of research you dope. Start with the Sagebrush wars.
Those protestors at Trump rallies went there to pick a fight, just like your FGM and honor killing loving antifa freaks who haunt free speech and anti shariah law rallies. Why do you lefties hate women and little girls?
Democrats are not responsible for Hodgkinson’s murderous rage.
The irresponsible rhetoric on the right has carried an undercurrent of threatened violence since the beginning of the Obama administration. Donald Trump is an obvious example. The man put anger, intolerance, ignorance, lies, and divisiveness in harness to pull his campaign wagon. Do you think that hasn’t had an effect on the situation in general? Do you think building up that sort of dark energy on one side has no effect on reactionary people on the other?
I didn’t say it did. It had to do with an attitude. Namely, that if you aren’t getting your way, you can pick up guns, defy the laws of the land, wave around our flag, and have like-minded people think you’re doing something not just acceptable, but admirable. Hodgkinson probably thought he was on some sort of mission, too, that somehow justified his actions. He was just another nut case whose homicidal lunacy unfolded in a political costume. Angry blather about “Second Amendment solutions” isn’t heard exclusively by loons of one particular political persuasion.
I’ll take the insult as an indicator that an element of truth has been recognized in what has just been said.