Ballots vs. Bullets

 

NEW: Colorado Secretary of State "extremely concerned" about pro-Trump violence

Jena Griswold received 64 death threats and 900+ threats of non-lethal abuse just within the first 3 weeks of filing the case to keep Trump off the state ballot. https://t.co/aEwbadUZtZ

— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) December 20, 2023

This follows a pattern that occurs around Trump, mostly because he encourages it. Trump's people do not respect the law because they have decided that supporting Trump is something higher than the law. What people who want to say that Trump has to be rejected at the ballot box don't understand is, Trump's insurrection started with undermining the importance of the ballot box. That pattern of violence and threats--includes poll workers and election officials.  

Trump has already established his people don't respect the ballot--he lost in 2020, and 1/6 was the result of that. There are two things I strongly suggest cause this. The first is the Tea Party and militia-based kayfabe that the 2nd Amendment is a remedy against one's own government in the event that it becomes "tyrannical" (which seems to include Trump receiving due process for indictments received at the determination of a grand jury).

Joe Walsh, not a Trump fan today, posted this in 2016--he was figuratively grabbing his musket. But a lot of that political tribe, let's just say, lack a grasp of the figurative. Republicans have been conditioned to believe that in some big cities, the dead vote. They think spooky hidden hands are running the Deep State. They feel threatened by Big Government. And so on. 

And they believe violence is part of their right to self-defense from all of that. Even if their fears are delusional.

The other thing I think is to blame is the "holy war" aspect of religion in the Trumpocene Era. Tim Alberta writes about how evangelical Christian identity has been consumed with political identity. I've written often about how the religious figures around Trump use words like "chosen" or "anointed" or "prophesy" that God wants Trump to win. For people of this mindset, thwarting Trump is tantamount to thwarting God (and for that shamelessness, I cannot think of a better reason for the separation of church and state, or a better reason pastors shouldn't endorse politicians from the pulpit). They're like a cult. 

Trump's fan club should not be able to wield terror as a weapon, and the threat of it is no reason to ignore our laws or let them get their way in the hope they will be satisfied. That would mean a breakdown of society from within. Trump, and his supporters who choose this route, need to learn we do not tolerate it.