It has been said by me and many others that the election of 2020 was not a victory in the war for democracy, but merely a battle won in the ongoing struggle for it. As you know, Secretaries of State are responsible for carrying out and enforcing election procedures and laws. And while 2020 was considered by reputable authorities the most secure of any recent election, those people entrusted to do their job, are being threatened for it.
The woman I am personally supporting in Arizona’s primary for Governor, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, is a brilliant and courageous administrator who will do wonders for the state. I like to think she is the best out of a great bunch when it comes to potential candidates. But last year, as you may recall, protesters stood outside of her home threatening her at all hours of the night. CNN has the story of Secretaries of States nationwide under threat. But what is being done? As is apparent, not much.
John Keller, the head of the task force and principal deputy chief of the department's Public Integrity Section, told the National Association of Secretaries of State summer meeting in August that "there's recognition that in this last election cycle, there was a greater number of election related threats than this country has ever seen before," adding, "there's also a recognition that the response has been inadequate."
Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat who was Pennsylvania's secretary of state until February, received protection that began the week before the election last November, at the urging of her staff and state capitol police. But the threats against her ramped up significantly after she certified the election for Joe Biden later that month, as Trump and his allies attempted to make Pennsylvania the first major battleground for his election lies. Protests against Boockvar were announced on the right-wing social media website Parler.
"You crooked f**king b----. You're done," said one man who left Boockvar a voice mail that was shared with CNN.
I want to pause here and register a complaint about CNN’s choice of redaction. We obviously know what the redacted “f” word is, but the second word I redacted myself. You likely know what it is, as it is a perjorative towards women referencing a female dog. Thus it is a commonly used but still destructive word used to dehumanize. That CNN thinks the “f” word is more insulting than the “b” word speaks volumes about how backwards today’s society is.
The ‘f’ word is a gender non-targeting expletive. It applies to anyone and anything. I did not want to digress too much here, except to say that in CNN’s efforts to tell their story, they were also unconcerned with women being called a name that is mainly used to denigrate women. Which does not speak to what they believe in, as much as what they think will get backlash.
Thus without even realizing it, they subtly then reinforce the very attitudes they are clearly consciously trying to expose.
That is systemic misogyny.
But ok, back to the story.
“Bullet.” “That is a six letter word for you.” That is one of the many messages Colorado’s Secretary of State, Jena Griswold has received since the last election. And it is unlikely it is in reference to Steve McQueen fandom. Yet I thought that was bad. Then I kept reading. A horrifying and disgustingly specific email to Secretary Griswold, which are usually easily traceable, stated that the sender was “really jonzing to see your purple face after it’s been hanged.”
That last quote so disturbed me, so motivated me to write this piece, and help bring to justice the sender of the threat, that I did not even want to post it.
But for context, and to communicate the seriousness of the situation, I felt I had to.
For her part, Secretary Griswold says she takes these threats very seriously. I would guess so. But while Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, has been also affected by the cult of Trump, the majority of victims in the CNN piece have been female Secretaries of States. I know enough about Trumpists and their MOs to be hard-pressed to think that was not a part of the impetus for their rage.
Misogyny is part and parcel a key element of the Trump brand. Vacuous men with stunted emotional growth often feel threatened by powerful and accomplished women. It is wholly offensive to them to think they should have to take orders from minorities or females. It often makes them violent.
Now my concern is obviously violence against these public servants. But in a larger sense, I would be remiss not to connect the nonchalance of the response to these threats to the similar nonchalance I see in dealing with the insurrectionists.
There are simply far too many extremists who feel empowered by the system, or their privilege, or a combination of factors that protect aggrieved males who if not stopped, can be expected to escalate. Yet we are told things like, “move on” and “heal.” Well of course I want to heal.
But as this story shows, and even the most basic of common sense tells me, there is a key step we are overlooking as a nation in order to allow us to heal:
We must stop allowing the injuries in the first place.
-ROC
I am weak, dealing with a stretch of fatigue I have been unable to pinpoint. We continue to monitor for cancer recurrence. This is the only living my health allows me to earn and I appreciate you. My newsletter is unaffected. Sign up here to subscribe! It publishes every Wednesday and is full of original reporting, laughs, and fun!
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-ROC