Democratic staffer is pulled off the campaign trail for safety
Allen West and Joe Miller: Thugs of a Feather
The Joe Miller arrest of a reporter by his private militia on the campaign trail is rightfully garnering national headlines. Meanwhile, down in Florida, he-man GOP tea party House candidate Allen West is acting every bit as thuggish, perhaps more so.
Video out today shows Allen West in a public park urging his supporters to eject a Democratic videographer. His supporters, some wearing patches identifying themselves as gang members of a South Florida coalition of motorcycle clubs associated with the Outlaws, surround the tracker at West's urging and violently force him out of the public park.
Here's the report from the local NBC affiliate:
And here's the video from the tracker's camera as he was bullied out of the public park:
Comparing the West video to the Joe Miller video reveals striking similarities in behavior and mindset. Here's the Joe Miller video showing his goon squad dealing with some reporters in a public school hallway as the handcuff incident was unfolding:
First, we have conservative candidates for public office utilizing socialized public spaces and arrogantly treating the public areas as private property.
Next we have thuggish goon squads serving as security details for these candidates. The goons are well practiced in their thuggery - in fact, the tactics are reminiscent of high school bullies, so these jerks have been practicing ever since before they dropped out. They are just walking in the park or innocently moving down the hall and "Oh noes!!" someone touched them! The goons are simply defending themselves against agressive individuals who are attacking them as they walk casually along in a large intimidating group.
The goons have been sicced on victims who are simply and legally doing their jobs. The bullies are unleashed to suppress the free exchange of information and ideas. This un-American suppression of political speech borders on terrorism.
The candidates who control these violent cretins are quick to defend them - "I was never more amazed by how members of the Outlaws guarded me," says Allen West. Joe Miller is still making shit up about "irrational bloggers" to justify the false imprisonment of a reporter. Maybe I can update this story when his story stabilizes.
The Democratic staffer who took the Allen West video above has been removed from the campaign trail for his own safety. For those of you who didn't watch, at the end of the video, the thugs have forced the staffer away from the West event in a public park and back to the staffer's car in the parking lot. One of the assailants is seen and heard using a cel phone to run the tag of the victim and obtain name and address information - very easy to access for those who rule through intimidation and fear, and reminiscent of the rightwing online bullies who seek out and publish personal information - "Gee, that's a nice house you have there. And a nice family. And a nice life. Sure would be a shame if anything happened to it..."
It's not just in Alaska and Florida either. In Texas, Republicans are joking about shooting Democratic candidates. "Man up" has become the new emasculating rallying cry(also embraced by Allen West.) Paladino seeks to dehumanize teh gay even as youth suicides increase. A Georgia lawmaker defends "shoot to kill" as a valid immigration solution. Dog whistles for violence continue under the radar.
We cannot stand down now. It is imperative that we beat these thugs at the polls. When they lose, they will be pissed. If they win, they will be in charge.
Ron Klein is essentially tied with Allen West. Alan Grayson is running neck and neck with Daniel Webster.Joe Garcia can beat David Rivera. It's all gonna come down to GOTV. So...
NOTHING is over until WE decide it is. Let's get going...
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(update - edited title for clarity; update 2 - fixed typo in title)