Fear and Lothing in the Beltway

What separates the United States of America and other western countries from oppressive third world dictatorships is the ability to engage in civil discourse.  For a long time, there have been fundamental disagreements between the left and right about how to best solve the country’s problems and these disagreements will likely continue for the foreseeable future. But we have always prided ourselves on the ability to engage in robust debate without getting violent.  This is not the case in Cuba where opponents of the oppressive Castro regime can be thrown in prison simply for expressing their discontent with the Supreme leader.     

 

It’s safe to say that civil discourse in the United States of America has never been so uncivil.  There are plenty of examples of this; whether it’s Madonna talking about how she has thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House or Kathy Griffin holding a bloody decapitated head that was supposed to be President Trump’s.  It is sad to see that personal attacks and insults have replaced genuine policy-based debate, which is important to the health of a democracy.

 

Tragedy struck in the beltway early this morning as Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) was shot in the hip while practicing with other Republican congressmen for the Bipartisan Congressional baseball game, an annual charity event scheduled for tomorrow night.  Scalise is the first sitting member of Congress to be shot since Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was badly injured in a Tucson, Arizona shooting in early 2011.  The most recent reports suggest that Scalise is in critical condition.   Fortunately, Capitol Police were at the ball field to protect Rep. Scalise, who is the House Majority Whip.  These heroic men and women in blue sprung into action to subdue the gunman and prevent further bloodshed.  According to Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), “If they (the Capitol Police) hadn’t been there, this would have been a massacre.”   David Bailey and Krystal Griner, two members of Scalise’s police detail were also shot as were Matt Mika, a lobbyist, and Zack Barth, an aide to Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX).  The gunman, who was shot after a lengthy shootout with the police, has been identified as 66-year old James Hodgkinson.  Hodgkinson, who later died from his injuries, was a Bernie Sanders supporter who had made numerous posts on his Facebook page criticizing the President and Congressional Republicans.  One of the posts reads, “Trump is a Traitor.  Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy.  It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.”  Reps. Ron Desantis (R-FL) and Jeff Duncan (R-SC) claim that a man they believed to be the shooter asked them if it was Republicans or Democrats playing on the field.  The FBI has said it is too early to determine the motive of the shooter but it seems pretty obvious to me.    

 

It is heartening to see that folks on both sides of the aisle have temporarily put their differences aside and offered their prayers and/or sympathy to the victims of the shooting, including Scalise.  Both Speaker Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi gave nice speeches on the House floor this afternoon.  Sadly, not everyone has responded to the event with such grace and humility.  Some fringe leftists have posted outrageous statements on social media following this morning’s attack.  Earlier today, Turning Point USA founder and conservative activist Charlie Kirk posted a statement from Professor John Griffin on his Twitter account which read “They (House Republicans) should be lined up and shot.  That’s not hyperbole; blood is on their hands.”  Griffin posted that statement on his Facebook page shortly after the Republican-led house passed the American Health Care Act; their plan to repeal and replace Obama Care.  Perhaps Griffin is the one who actually has blood on his hands.  Responding to Kirk’s tweet, the Young Democratic Socialists at the University of Georgia said “This is absolutely outrageous!  House Republicans should NOT be shot!  They should be guillotined.”  But that would create a problem for militant leftists; as they would be unable to exploit the tragedy to demand more gun control.  Also, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) received an e-mail after this morning’s shooting with the subject line “one down, 216 to go.”  The text of the e-mail read “Did you NOT expect this?  When you take away ordinary peoples very lives in order to pay off the wealthiest among us, your own lives are forfeit.  Certainly, your souls and morality were lost long before.  Good riddance.”  I think it is actually the person who sent that e-mail who has lost their soul and morality.      

 

As much as I may disagree vehemently with Democrats and even some Republicans, it is important to remember that violence is never the answer. I am not naïve enough to believe that the pause in partisan bickering that took place today is going to last. But I sure hope that the violence that took place this morning is not going to be the new normal.