A number of President Trump’s administration officials have been harassed as they sought to eat out or even relax in the comfort of their own homes, and one prominent Democrat says that’s a good thing.
Homeland Secretary Kirstjen Nielson recently faced protests as she sought to eat out at a Mexican restaurant, and hecklers later protested in front of her home as well. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was thrown out of a Red Hen location in Virginia when the owner refused to serve her based on the fact that she works for President Trump. Stephen Miller, one of the president’s senior advisers, was called a racist as he sought to get a bite to eat at a local eatery.
There is the very real possibility that these incidents will not only become more common, but also more violent in nature as Democrat Congresswoman Maxine Waters calls on supporters to continually harass any member of the president’s administration any time one of these members sets foot in public.
The congresswoman makes no apologies for her position. She tells her supporters clearly that the goal is to make life so difficult for anyone who serves in the president’s cabinet that they will have to resign. She clearly tells her supporters to harass people who work for the president wherever they can be found, be it gas stations, shopping malls or local restaurants. However, as President Trump accurately replied in a recent tweet, it would behoove the congresswoman and those who agree with her to be careful what they wish for.
Promoting violence against individuals based on their affiliation with a particular politician is sure to end badly for everyone involved; what is more, it works both ways. If it’s alright for far-left protestors to harass members of President Trump’s cabinet, then it also becomes alright for conservative protestors to harass Democrats they strongly dislike, including former President Barack Obama, members of his cabinet and even Democratic members of Congress. Verbal harassment can easily escalate into physical violence, as was the case when left-wing activist James Hodgkinson shot Republican Congressman Steve Scalise and others as they practiced for an upcoming baseball game.
Thankfully, there is a great deal of pushback against Maxine Waters’ point of view, as both Republicans and Democrats alike have made it clear that calling for harassment against government officials is completely unacceptable. Senator Jeff Flake, who has clashed with the president on an ongoing basis, recently stated that no one deserves to be harassed based on their political beliefs. Senator John McCain’s daughter Meghan McCain went one step further and called Congresswoman Waters’ statements absolutely insane and extremely dangerous. Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi attempted to blame the president for the comments, but still clearly noted that they were totally unacceptable. Democratic Senators Chris Van Hollen and Cory Booker said in a statement that political disagreements should only be expressed in a civil manner.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ call to harass people who work for President Trump marks a new low that cannot be allowed to slip by unnoticed. Verbal harassment is sure to become physical at some point in time, leading to loss of life on both sides of the political spectrum. This “call to arms” won’t remain limited to people who were directly appointed to their positions by the current president.
Someone has already left a burned, decapitated animal on the front porch of a DHS staff member, and the DHS has officially stated that there is a heightened threat against anyone who happens to work for the department. Empowering people to act with vitriol and hatred against others based on political beliefs is a recipe for disaster.
Congresswoman Waters, as well as her supporters, would do well to remember that freedom of speech, association and belief are cornerstone principles of United States law. Each citizen is entitled to his or her point of view and should have the right to express and even work toward goals related to their viewpoints without fear of public humiliation, harassment or physical violence.
~ Liberty Planet
