WHCD shooting highlights danger of reckless political rhetoric
by Scott Walker · The Washington TimesOPINION:
We can disagree on issues, but anyone who agrees with the guy who brought a firearm to the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner is evil.
This is not a matter of right or left. It’s about right or wrong. Violence is wrong.
Yet look at the deranged responses to news that the president, first lady, vice president and others had to be evacuated from last weekend’s event. The owner of Minocqua Brewing Co. posted this repulsive statement on social media: “Well, we almost got #freebeerday. Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship, or they faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle. We’ll never know. Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens.”
The vulgar post seemed to summarize the insane response from so many on the left: Either they hoped that someone would take out President Trump, or they thought it was a fake assassination attempt to muster support for him and his efforts to fund the Secret Service or his new ballroom.
Many like the owner of Minocqua Brewing Co. seemed to make both tragic points.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time we have seen this kind of outrageous response. Last spring, even after two failed attempts to assassinate Mr. Trump, former FBI Director James B. Comey posted and then deleted an Instagram image that read, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk,” next to a photo of seashells spelling out “8647” on the sand.
In slang, “86” means “remove,” and “47” refers to the 47th president. During an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, Mr. Comey claimed not to have been aware of the violent connotation.
In a normal society, people, including political opponents, would be horrified when others considered violence against elected officials or candidates. In 2014, I said someone should be fired when a man scaled the fence of the White House and entered the doors on the north side before being stopped inside the structure.
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Sure, I disagreed with President Obama on many issues, but no leader of our country should ever have to fear for their physical safety or that of their family.
In 2011, when a gunman shot former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed several others in Arizona, I flew the flags at half-staff, observed a moment of silence at my Cabinet meeting and issued a statement that read: “Our prayers continue to be with Rep. Giffords and those injured as well as the families of Judge Roll and others who were killed. The horrific events in Arizona should cause all to pause and examine how we treat others, not just in politics, but in life.”
We also reached out to each member of Congress from my state and offered them security protection from the Wisconsin State Patrol.
A month later, some 100,000 protesters filled the capital square in Madison, Wisconsin. Many of them had signs comparing me to Adolf Hitler and the late Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, with images showing how they had gotten rid of those men, who would go on to get rid of me too.
Other signs had images of me in what looked like the crosshairs of a gun. Ironically, I had denounced images used to say that Democrats such as Ms. Giffords were being targeted in their reelection efforts.
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No one on the left spoke out about the images used against me. In fact, people such as Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, actually announced their solidarity with the protesters.
People have a right to speak out; that is for sure. Still, we all also have a responsibility to ensure that our rhetoric does not motivate people to take violent acts against public officials — or anyone else.
In 2017, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise was shot, along with several others, during a practice for the Congressional Baseball Game. The Virginia attorney general, a Democrat, said the shooting was “an act of terrorism” that was “fueled by rage against Republican legislators.”
The gunman wrote: “Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.” He demanded the legal removal of Mr. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for “treason.”
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Sadly, this type of rhetoric seems to motivate people into thinking their violence is some kind of political bravery.
In 2020, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer spoke at a rally, where he warned Supreme Court Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh that they would “pay a price” and “not know what hit you” if they ruled against his point of view.
The comments received a rare rebuke from Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. as being “dangerous.”
Sadly, Mr. Roberts’ words were prophetic, as a 26-year-old man was later arrested near the home of Justice Kavanaugh while armed with a gun, knife and tactical gear in a plot to kill the judge. He later pleaded guilty and is in federal prison.
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The responses to the assassination last year of Charlie Kirk — who was listening respectfully to people who disagreed with him at the time of his murder — paint a tragic picture of how violent and patently false the rhetoric from so many on the left has become.
We must remember: It’s not about right or left. It’s about right or wrong. Violence is wrong.
• Scott Walker is a columnist for The Washington Times. He was the 45th governor of Wisconsin and launched a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He lives in Milwaukee and is the proud owner of a 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King. He can be reached at swalker@washingtontimes.com.