Following the first wave of bombs targeting Donald Trump’s political opponents, GOP House Majority Whip Steve Scalise condemned the act in strong terms.
“These attempted attacks that have been made are beyond criminal, they are acts of pure terror. Violence and terror have no place in our politics or anywhere else in our society,” Scalise tweeted Wednesday. “As a nation, we must agree that this is a dangerous path and it cannot become the new normal.”
Scalise’s profile has been elevated by his GOP colleagues in the last 24 hours due to the fact that he was the victim of a shooting targeting lawmakers at an Alexandria, Virginia, baseball field last year. But since Scalise’s thoughts are being given more weight because he survived an unhinged politically-driven attack, the question is, why hasn’t the Republican National Committee heeded his call for civility? The RNC released an ad earlier this month titled: “The Left: An Unhinged Mob.” It reprises quotes from people like Hillary Clinton and former Attorney General Eric Holder suggesting that Democrats need to fight fire with fire if they are to beat Donald Trump’s Republican party. But the main point of the ad is that U.S. citizens who lean left politically are a threat to society. The images the ad uses to buttress the argument are of protesters in Washington during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation battle chanting “Kavanaugh has got to go!” and “We believe survivors!”
The clear message is that Democratic citizens—not just officials—are dangerous to civil society and the country. It pushes the same corrosive theme that Trump has advanced this entire month of Democrats being “evil” and “arsonists” who are “too dangerous to govern.” And it clearly crosses the line from suggesting that Democratic ideals are bad for America to painting liberal and progressive activists as enemies of the people.
“Is this the quote-unquote mob?” a commentator asks at the end of the ad, over footage of protesters wielding “Believe Women” signs at the Supreme Court steps.
The ad has zero redeeming qualities. It is specifically intended to induce terror, which is exactly what Scalise condemned. There’s not a single hint of any GOP policy initiatives or governing goals—only the demonization of people who don’t hold conservative views and/or back Trump.
Given that some fringe member of society is now slinging bombs at anyone they deem an enemy of Republicanism, isn’t it time that the national Republican Party take down this despicable ad targeting U.S. citizens?
You can watch the vile ad below.