Violence Begets Violence

It should go without saying that we are truly blessed that there were no casualties in this week’s string of letter bombs.

The various staffs of the USPS, US Secret Service, and other personnel who are vigilant in screening the mail sent to prominent public figures, along with no small part of ineptitude (I hope) of the would-be assassin(s), are the heroes in this story.

As I said, it should go without saying. Already, the talking heads on both sides have made this so partisan so quickly it’s sickening. Some on the right calling this a false-flag effort by the Democrats; others on the left leveling blame at inciting language from President Trump.

What disturbs me is how tone-deaf people on the left are in this arena. For years, any violent and demeaning rhetoric has come, almost exclusively, from the left.

There many more, but the most vivid memories of examples are the treatment of President Ford, Reagan, and Bush. Except for Phil Hartman portraying President Clinton as an addict of Big Macs, Democrat presidents have been left alone. Plus, when Gabby Giffords was shot in Arizona, Sarah Palin was blamed.

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have called on the president to apologize for his hateful, violent speech.

Of course, they did.

President Trump has said some nasty things about some people. But nowhere has he levied threats against any of them. He’s calling people and news organizations names.

The thing is if people who possess megaphones reaching a broad audience repeatedly call for aggressive, intimidating tactics, why is there a shock that people follow through on those actions?

Think words don’t matter?

The following two lists, with a couple of exceptions, of threats and attacks against conservatives are taken from the news in the past several months ~ like from July to today.

If you find any democrats or members of the media condemning these remarks, please let me know in the comments.

Threats

• New York Times publishes a fictional story on Trump assassination (hours before news of the letter bombs broke)
• Kathy Griffin holding a decapitated head of Donald Trump

• Madonna wishing she could blow up the White House
• Johnny Depp suggesting he becomes an assassin to take out Trump
• Maxine Waters, in a rabble-rousing speech and again later in a TV interview, said, “Let’s make sure we show up wherever we have to show up. And if you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out, and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.”

• Don Lemon who shrugged off the mob accosting Ted Cruz and his wife in a restaurant? “It comes with the territory,” he said. “This is what he signed up for,” he claimed.
• Nancy Pelosi condoning such harassment calling it collateral damage
• Eric Holder saying “when they go low, kick them.”
• Hillary Clinton saying there can be no civility with the other side
• In a Shakespeare play in New York, liberals publicly reenacted yet another assassination of President Trump
• V.P. candidate Tim Kaine called for fighting in the streets
• Former President Barack Obama praised the black-masked pro-Syrian protesters’ “level of engagement” and declared through his spokesman that this is “exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake.”
• Philippe Reines says harassment of McConnell and his wife “is fine.”
• New York Man Charged With Threatening Two Senators Over Kavanaugh Support
• TN Restaurant owner’s life threatened for renting space to GOP’s Marsha Blackburn
• Professor calls for harassing Republicans at restaurants, sticking ‘fingers in their salads’
• A person claimed ricin was in a letter sent to Senator Collins home
• Gov. Cuomo (D-NY) Blames GOP for Antifa Attack on Manhattan Club
• DFL Employee Calls for Republicans to be Beheaded
• Anti-Trump Protester Threatens to Rape Conservative Reporter
• CNN says mobs have “constitutional right” to chase Republicans out of restaurants
• Raw Story’s Editor: Steve Scalise ‘Accomplice’ to His Attempted Murder
• Leftist Teacher Tweets: “So Who’s Gonna Take One For the Team and Kill Kavanaugh?”
• Antifa Takes Over Portland, Harasses Old Man for Disobeying
• Sen. Cory Gardner claims wife received a beheading video over Kavanaugh vote.
• CNN’s Chris Cuomo justifies and encourages violence against Trump supporters
• Democrat protester harasses a GOP rep. “Shame on your Mexican wife!”
• ‘Hang Trump’ Shirt Peddled on Facebook
• Gory Trump Throat-Cutting Art Decorates Portland Gallery
• Former Clinton WH Staffer: It’s ‘Tempting’ to Beat up Rand Paul
• Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) menaced outside a restaurant. “We know where you live!”
• Resistance Makes Rape Threat to Susan Collins Staffer over Kavanaugh Vote
• Threats of Rape and Strangling’ Force Writer Into Hiding After Anti-Abortion Tweet
• Broadway Star Carole Cook on Trump: ‘Where’s John Wilkes Booth When you Need Him?”
• Denver Post Runs Letter to Editor Suggesting Trump Should Be Executed

Actual Violence

• June 2017 — Republican lawmakers attacked by a nut with a rifle, Rep Steve Scalise gravely wounded
• Left-wing comedian gets physical with Trump supporter at Hooters
• The professional agitators at Berkeley didn’t stop with setting things on fire.
• Conservative speakers prevented from speeches on several college campuses throughout the country
• Trump headquarters in North Carolina was firebombed during the primary
• Republican candidate Shane Mekeland punched in Minnesota restaurant
• Republican State Rep. Sarah Anderson assaulted in Minnesota
• Antifa Smash Windows, Deface Doors of Metropolitan Republican Club in Manhattan
• A truck with ‘Trump 2020’ bumper stickers was left at a bar overnight. Someone set it on fire.
• Susan Rice’s Republican Son Assaulted at Pro-Kavanaugh Event
• Kavanaugh Protesters Accost an Elderly Trump Supporter
• Ricin and a threatening letter sent to Trump
• Two hospitalized after exposure to a powdery substance at Cruz’s Houston campaign office
• GOP Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD) assaulted by protesters
• Video: Leftist protester kicks a pro-life woman
• Vandals Hit IL GOP Headquarters With ‘RAPE’ Graffiti
• Republican Senators doxxed by Democrat Congressional intern
• Ted Cruz and Wife harassed out of DC restaurant
• Arsonists hit Albany County GOP Headquarters in Laramie, WY
• Infowars reported harassed by Antifa in Portland
• FL: Vandals throw dead fish on Lee Co. Republican headquarters
• Trump supporter’s car has all four tires slashed in Philly.
• Left-wing terrorists Antifa follow and harass Candace Owens
• Anarchy Breaks Out in Portland, With the Mayor’s Blessing
• Man arrested for threatening Rep. Steve Scalise
• Woman charged with trying to hit man with her car over Trump sticker
• KY: Fayette County GOP headquarters vandalized
• Trump supporter punched in Hollywood
• Trump Hater Attacks California GOP House Candidate with a Switchblade

War on US Journalists

The number of US journalists President Trump has targeted or jailed: 0

The number of US journalists President Obama has targeted or imprisoned: at least 4:

• James Rosen
• Sharyl Attkisson
• Audrey Hudson
• James Risen
• Several AP reporters, and editors

In Sum

Fights only happen between two or more people, meaning it takes both sides to escalate the situation.

Protests are righteous when a people or group is oppressed by another group or government.

Is our current situation the result of these two causes? Or is our case brought upon by one group calling upon people to perpetrate acts of violence on those they disagree with?

These two questions are mutually exclusive. Either it is, or it isn’t.

Your thoughts?

Originally published at manneymadhouse.com on October 26, 2018.