In Monday I spoke with a Republican member of Indiana’s legislature who opposes President Donald Trump’s push for the state to redraw its congressional map to gain two GOP seats and help the party hold its House majority in next year’s midterm elections. Trump, with support from Indiana’s Republican governor, Mike Braun, has vowed to back primary challengers against members of the GOP who are, for now, blocking the redistricting plan. The lawmaker I spoke with asked that I not publish his name. He isn’t worried about Trump’s political wrath; he doesn’t plan to run for reelection. His fear of speaking out is much more personal: “I’d rather my house not get firebombed,” he told me by phone.
Such a worry is not as far-fetched as it might sound—not in an America that has seen an eruption of political violence over the past few years, and not in Indiana over the past few weeks. Republicans in the state have faced a wave of “swatting” incidents, in which a false call to emergency services draws a police response, for not endorsing the redistricting plan. (Braun said he and his family have also received threats.)
Trump’s political wrath bleeds down to the foreboding anyway. The only distinction is distance.
Regressives crave violence because they refuse to accept the notion of being better than before.
But Trump said the violence is coming from the radical left antifaz. Why would they be afraid of violence, when it’s just the peaceful Conservatives that are upset at them? Doesn’t that just mean they might receive a strongly worded letter or two in the mail? Or find a few people carrying signs outside their office? What’s the big deal?
( /s…obviously )
They’ve been entirely fine stoking (or actively ignoring the stoking) of political violence against the left, brown people, non-Christians, LGBT+, the poor, the physically and mentally handicapped, the homeless, immigrants, scientists, teachers, librarians, and public servants. And when the violence even looks like it’s turning their way their way, they don’t stand up and fight back, they slink off hoping it’ll pass them by while they make way for ever more extremists to take their place.
I hope all these opportunistic cowards follow Robespierre, overtaken and eaten by the things they promoted.
Well said. Please keep writing.
Braun’s a POS!
