Yet another post inspired by a Facebook comment. So . . . I’ve put up a couple of articles about the whole Greg Gianforte mess, in which comments are made that now the pro-Trump right is trying to justify the behavior of the newest Republican member of Congress. The violence and vulgarity of the Trump campaign is now spawning further violence and vulgarity. Rush Limbaugh calls Gianforte “manly and brutish.” Laura Ingraham says that the reporter should have been manly enough to fight back. And on and on. What vile, nauseating balderdash!
So one of my readers says, “If this is due to Trump–how do you explain this?” And he posts a link to a 2010 video in which NC Congressman Bob Etheridge reacts very, very badly to a high school student stopping him on the street in DC and asking him what he thinks about the Obama agenda. He shoves the teenager away, then grabs his wrist and won’t let it go in spite of the student’s repeated requests that he do so, and keeps saying, “Who are you? I need to know who you are.” At one point he sort of starts to begin to put the student in a headlock, although he obviously doesn’t know what he’s doing and quickly lets go. It’s an appalling incident. (The next video is of Etheridge apologizing quite contritely, at least seemingly so–I don’t know his heart. of course.)
Here’s the thing: No one, not even the most virulent of anti-Trumpers, is saying that all violence of every stripe got its start when Donald Trump burst on the scene. What is being said, by commentators across the political spectrum, is that the atmosphere swirling around Republican politics these days is at least somewhat of a reflection of that in the White House. Saying, “Yes, but, what about so-and-so?” is meaningless. You might as well say, “The caning of Republican Senator Charles Sumner by Representative Preston Brooks proves that Donald Trump is not the source of the tolerance for violence we are now seeing in our political discourse.” (The caning occurred in 1856.) Honestly,folks! Let’ have a little reasoned discourse ourselves!
And then you should read this excellent article from a new discovery of mine, Mona Charen, who is just a total jewel.