Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 01:55 pm
Apparently the idea of Republican politicians abandoning any civility in politics is catching on as the modus operandi of Republican supporters. As a reminder, civility is about more than just being polite, although being polite is a mandatory first step toward being civil. It is really about disagreeing without being disrespectful, listening past one’s preconceptions, and being courteous while staying present even with those with whom one has deep-seated and fierce disagreements. Anyone remotely cognizant of American politics can attest to the horror that has become the total and complete lack of civility among Republicans; particularly since Americans first elected an African American man as their President.
It is bad enough that Republicans cannot bring it upon themselves to be civil in Congress and state legislatures, but even worse that they are taking their lack of civility on the campaign trail. To make matters worse, since they are uncivil themselves, they have embraced inciting their supporters to replicate their chosen form of discourtesy and rudeness, and are encouraging violence targeting protesters and the press. The first name that comes to mind is Donald Trump, and the rude piece of work is one of the leading Republican barbarians, but the GOP establishment’s favorite son takes a very close second.
At a rally in Virginia, Republican presidential candidate and sitting U.S. Senator Marco Rubio mocked two protesters as they were being assaulted by his supporters and “egged them on.” All this occurred while his supporters were roughing up two men, tearing up their signs, seizing and throwing away a prop, and causing one man to double over. Besides making jokes about the assault as it was happening, Rubio turned, mid speech, to watch his supporters attacking one protester and told the 3,500 at the gathering “Looks like a lot of fun back there!”
A civil human being, much less a sitting Senator, would have immediately condemned the violence and urged their supporters to be civil and peaceful; but Rubio made jokes, mocked the victims, and urged the attackers on. Donald Trump would have been impressed at Rubio’s, and his supporters’ lack of civility and violence towards protesters; something Trump has called for, incited, and praised his acolytes for throughout the primaries.
Speaking of Trump, Rubio made a Trump joke about his “tacky suits” and said the assaulted protester was “The valedictorian of Trump U!” while his supporters ripped up the protesters’ signs and threw them out. The protesters’ big sin that Rubio believed warranted being assaulted was holding up a sign calling Rubio “an empty suit.” The Virginia assault was very similar to the scene at a Rubio rally in New Hampshire earlier this month. At that gathering, Rubio’s supporters attacked a protester dressed as a robot; likely referring to Rubio’s tendency to give scripted, robotic replies to questions over and over again.
It is very telling that despite a large media presence for Rubio’s rally in Virginia, and the media’s practice of publicizing every instance of violence and incitement at Trump rallies, there were no reports, videos, or photos of the uncivilized treatment of a non-supporter; likely because Rubio is the establishment’s hope to scuttle Trump’s run for the nomination and eventual candidacy. Main stream media knows they are owned by Republicans and dare not file a report that may be perceived as negative.
The lack of civility at campaign rallies may be reserved for Republicans, but as Democrats and liberals have witnessed there has been no dearth of untoward nastiness on the Democratic side. Although not resorting to violence or assault, anyone either not endorsing Democrat Bernie Sanders or reporting about an endorsement for his Democratic opponent has been assailed mercilessly as corrupt and inherently evil. It is not all Sanders’ supporters by any stretch of the imagination, but it reveals that no small number of so-called Democrats can be mean-spirited and uncivil toward other Democrats.
This violence and assaults occurring at Republican candidates’ gatherings, no matter if it is inside or out, did not start with Donald Trump or robot Rubio or during the 2016 race. During the 2012 primaries there were several reports of Republican thugs assaulting protesters outside of candidate rallies; such as Rand Paul supporters knocking a MoveOn member to the curb and stomping on her head. Rand Paul supporters also tried to interrupt the Republican debate in North Carolina last month because their hero boycotted the debate and was not on stage.
Republicans have carefully conditioned a base of neo-con supporters that hew to the “might makes right” mindset and instead of the current crop of candidates dong everything in their power to stop the rancor and violence, Republicans are embracing their supporters’ actions. One really is not surprised that Donald Trump encourages violence and assaults toward protesters; he was closely-affiliated with big-time wrestling (WWE) and inducted into the organization’s hall of fame. It is also what his supporters have come to expect and revere as a trait of a “real badass American.”
Now, a sitting United States Senator and candidate for the Republican presidential nomination is trying to be one of those “real badass Americans.” It is telling that Marco Rubio thinks, and tells 3,500 supporters, that watching peaceful protesters get assaulted “looks like a lot of fun.” It appears now that violence towards protesters, and the press, is a Republican Party trait and should humiliate any American that any sense of comity on the Republican side has been wholly abandoned. Worse than that, Rubio and Trump are inciting violence and making jokes about American citizens getting “roughed up.” It is the new normal in conservative politics and a sign that Republicans who claim to be devout Christians have no use or interest in America being a Christian or living in a civilized society.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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