Divisive talk must stop
The political rhetoric needs to be dialed back at once or we are going to be witnessing a real tragedy in the near future.
Yesterday, possible explosive devices were sent to former President Obama and Hillary Clinton. Pipe bombs were also sent to CNN’s headquarters in New York as well as the residence of George Soros.
Thankfully, no one has been injured.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared, “We will not allow these terrorist thugs to change the way we live our lives.”
First lady Melania Trump condemned “all forms of threats and violence” and, in a statement, thanked “law enforcement for their heroic efforts.”
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted that these “cowardly acts are unacceptable and won’t be tolerated.”
President Trump added, “I agree wholeheartedly!” and retweeted a tweet from Vice President Pence that read, “We condemn the attempted attacks against fmr Pres Obama, the Clintons, @CNN & others. These cowardly actions are despicable & have no place in this Country. Grateful for swift response of @SecretService, @FBI & local law enforcement. Those responsible will be brought to justice.”
Agreeing wholeheartedly and across party lines that sending explosives is bad and the perpetrator must be caught is simply not enough. Those on all sides of the political spectrum must calm the rhetoric and call upon those they can influence to stop mob behavior, quit bullying each other and embrace decency in their day-to-day lives.
Only last year, a gunman tried to assassinate Republican congressmen at a baseball field, badly injuring Rep. Steve Scalise. This summer, a man was indicted for threatening to kill Republican Rep. Diane Black and the daughters of GOP congressman Jason Lewis were threatened. Sen. Rand Paul’s family was also threatened.
The threats are not restricted to politicians. This summer, Brandon Ziobrowski of Cambridge allegedly threatened Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. ICE had been loudly condemned by many politicians, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Last April, Robert Chain was arrested by the FBI after threatening to shoot employees of The Boston Globe. A reporter for the Guardian asked a question of a Republican congressman last year — and received a physical assault in reply.
Just last month, California GOP congressional candidate Rudy Peters was attacked with a switchblade. According to witnesses, the attacker was shouting profanity-laced remarks about Trump and the GOP. A Republican Party office in Wyoming was set ablaze in what authorities suspect was arson. In Dallas, a driver rammed his truck into a local Fox affiliate.
That is only a partial list. The bottom line is that we need civility and it must start with political leaders. Talk of getting in people’s faces and disturbing them at restaurants or wherever they are is toxic and destructive and has no place in politics.
Likewise the media must stop stoking the flames of division. Propagating claims of racism and labelling people as Nazis is a surefire way to incite violence.
Yesterday, Trump said, “In these times we have to unify. We have to come together and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America.”
The president called those words a “very bipartisan statement.”