Guy Ciarrocchi: Why won’t Democrats condemn violence?

Here is the tragic reality: Democrats refuse to condemn violence by private citizens. Democrats won’t condemn violence by left-wing activists. Democrats won’t even condemn threats of murder by Democratic politicians.

The destruction, the carnage, the threats and the violence happen repeatedly, right in front of our eyes, from coast to coast. Not isolated incidents. Multiple, repeated incidents. Directed at innocent people, law enforcement officers, a 31-year-old political leader — and even a President of the United States. 

Have we all become indifferent to it?

Burning police cars. Burning and looting stores.Taking over college campuses. Blocking Jewish students from college dorms. Shutting-down parts of our cities. Burning American flags. Tearing-down statues.Throwing bottles at police officers. Attacking and doxing ICE agents. 

The silence from the Democrats has been deafening. 

Before you allow yourself to think; “But all sides do it,” STOP.

First, not “all sides” repeatedly commit these types of violence as a part of their tactics or in the name of their party or cause. Second, conservatives do not riot for days, across the nation, every time they’re upset, there’s a court case, an anniversary of an event, or a newly enacted law or regulation. And, most importantly, when some self-described conservative is mentally unstable or genuinely evil and commits an act of violence, Republicans trip-over themselves to condemn the act, offer prayers for the victims, and advocate swift, harsh justice against the perpetrator.

After President Trump was shot, from Butler to Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, businesses did not  lock down or board up their buildings. After Charlie Kirk was assassinated on a college campus — for his work and for his views — there was no fear of rioting at the university, or on universities across the nation, especially those with Turning Point USA chapters.

Instead, students and adults prayed.

Neither Republicans nor conservatives, nor MAGA or MAHA, are perfect or without sins. And being a knucklehead or a villain knows no party labels.

But occasional acts of violence in the name of conservatism are rightly condemned.

Condemning violence did not used to be partisan, or based on one’s ideology. Americans knew violence was wrong and against our moral and civic codes. (And, yes, our Judeo-Christian heritage.)

The last five years have been like no other time in our history. There has been ongoing violence directed at innocent people — at Republicans, at conservatives, and at anyone who stands in the way of the Left’s outlook on society — and even at symbols of America and Western Civilization.

The assassination of the CEO of United Healthcare. The attempted assassination of President Trump. The assassination of Charlie Kirk.

The only thing worse has been the explanations, the justifications — even, the arguments defending the violence.

“This shooting is tragic; however…” Or. “His murder was horrible, but we have to understand…”

And on the heels of all of that, we are watching and listening as the Democratic nominee for Attorney General of Virginia — their would-be chief law enforcement officer — said some of the most vile, vicious, and frightening things that any American politician has said.

The nominee for Attorney General (Jay Jones) — then a member of the Virginia State House — texted a fellow Member and fantasized about putting “2 bullets” in the head of the Virginia Speaker of the House. When challenged, Jones repeated it. And he went further in his depravity, arguing that it might be an effective political strategy to kill the Speaker’s children, to bring suffering to his wife — to get the Speaker to change his policies.

Stunningly, every county Virginia Democratic Party organization and their two U.S. Senators are standing by that nominee, as is their nominee for Governor.

How did we get here? Why won’t Democrats from Hakeem Jeffries to Nancy Pelosi, from Chuck Schumer to AOC, and from Obama, Biden and Harris to Josh Shapiro just speak out, loudly, clearly and repeatedly? Is winning that important?

No political rhetoric or nuance, no “all sides need to tone down the rhetoric.” Say it, without references to Trump. And none of this morally vacant “it’s wrong, but…”

Murder is wrong! Violence is wrong! In the United States of America — in a civilized society, with free speech and elections as our hallmark and as our foundation — we never, ever threaten a political, corporate or any other type of opponent. We do not destroy property. We do not riot. And we never, ever kill our adversaries. And we never, ever threaten the family of our political adversaries.

Why. Won’t. They. Say. That?!?

The most notable exception—sadly, often the only one—has been Senator John Fetterman. Without any “but,” “however” or “you have to understand…” Fetterman’s reward for speaking common sense and decency has been to be threatened with a primary challenge. Perhaps the most damning example of the modern Democratic Party. 

We keep waiting for leadership. We keep waiting for decency.  We keep waiting for goodwill.

At some point, aren’t we left with the frightening reality that many Democrats find violence acceptable?

Americans should take note of the violence, and of who is silent or absent in the face of the violence. Or who seeks to explain the violence.

The sad reality is that sometimes people will do evil things.

The sadder reality today is that one of our two major parties has been taken over by people who are so morally weak, so thirsty for power or so angry at their adversaries that they tolerate, if not encourage, violence.

Make condemning violence nonpartisan again.

Guy Ciarrocchi writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. A Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation, you can follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.