Tossing matches
American public officials are unfortunately no strangers to unhinged threats by people who believe the appropriate response to their policies is thuggish language or violence. All Americans regardless of political persuasion should stand with school board members or election officials or public health officers menaced by thugs, and with Justice Brett Kavanaugh and other judges when they become targets of attempted violence.
Still, a threatening letter recently revealed by Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois is especially chilling for a number of reasons: It was sent to his home address, and threatened not only him but his wife and infant child with execution. That’s because Kinzinger was one of a handful of Republicans to vote in favor of Donald Trump’s impeachment and now serves on the Jan. 6 committee. For a base loyal to the sultanistic Trump and his version of irreality, these are unpardonable sins.
In the face of such abhorrent behavior, GOP leaders like Rep. Kevin McCarthy have at best offered lukewarm disapproval of political violence while still parroting the poisonous, root-cause lie that the election was stolen.
At worst, there’s Eric Greitens, the former Navy SEAL and Missouri governor who resigned in disgrace while battling multiple scandals and who is now running for Senate. This week, Greitens released an ad playing on the term “Republican in Name Only,” or RINO. As the candidate joins a team of men in tactical gear breaking down the door of what appears to be a suburban home, he extols viewers to go “RINO hunting” until “we save our country.” It pains us to amplify its message in any way, but there’s a point that must be made.
Greitens is not too gently exhorting his followers to kill policymakers who’ve shown insufficient fealty to the MAGA political movement. As increasing percentages of Americans, particularly Republicans and independents, say that political violence is sometimes acceptable, Greitens knows this is more than an electoral promotion. It’s a call to arms. Responsible Republicans — you’re out there, right? — must condemn him, and defund him.