Anti-Matter

Yesterday, there was an exchange on Fox between one of their hosts Greg Gutfeld and Jessica Tarlov, their resident liberal.  They were, of course, discussing the shooting, when Ms. Tarlov brought up Melissa Hortman, the Democratic former Speaker of the House in Minnesota who was recently shot to death, along with her husband.  And another Democratic lawmaker in the state and his wife were shot, though were able to survive.  Part of the conversation went --

Gutfeld: “We don’t need more info. Why is this only happening on the left?”

Tarlov: “What about Melissa Hortman?”

Gutfeld: “I never heard of her 'til she died.”

Tarlov: “Does it matter?”

Gutfeld: “Don’t play that bullshit.”

I don't attribute all MAGOP qualities to whatever Greg Gutfield says.  I do, however, recognize that he is a host on what is generally considered MAGOP state television.  So, even if Gutfield's words are his own, they make a close fit with what else is heard on Fox, as well as among MAGOP officials.  So, at worst, they are companion pieces.

First, in response to Mr. Gutfield, yes, of course it matters.  Most anyone with a reasonable sensibility knows it matters.  Just because you don't know somehow who is killed -- especially someone prominent in politics -- it matters that they were killed.  The world does not create a bubble around Greg Gutfield and anything outside it doesn't matter.  But that is close to MAGOP doctrine.

And second -- Greg Gutfield may not have heard of Melissa Hortman because she was killed, along with her husband, but they heard of Melissa Hortman in Minnesota before she was shot because she was former Speaker of the House. And much of Minnesota had heard of State Senator John Hoffman who was also shot.  In fact, 5.8 million people live in Minnesota. That's a lot of people.  Obviously, not all of them had heard of Melissa Hortman before she was shot and killed.  But if only a mere 25% did, that's still 1.5 million Minnesotans.  That's a lot of people.

Except that doesn't matter.  What matters is not that "Greg Gutfield" had heard of Melissa Hortman -- and John Hoffman, as well as Mark Hortman and Yvette Hoffman.  What matters is that the killer did.

And the only "bullshit" is Gutfeld's answer.

And that's actually pretty easy to prove.

Without looking it up, I've love for Greg Gutfeld to answer if he knows who the Speaker of the House in Red state Arkansas is? And in Alabama? What about Mississippi? And South Carolina, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Florida or Texas.  Right, me neither.

God forbid if any of them was killed, thankfully they haven't been, nor do I expect them too.  But even though Gutfeld doesn't know any of them at all, would it be "bullshit" for him to be horrified and sickened by their deaths, should it ever occur, as political representatives?  Killing them to shut down political views the murderer doesn't like, whether he or almost all of us don't know who they are?  Right, me, too.

And it doesn't even matter if they're political figures.  Of course their deaths would matter.  But it's another level, an attack on democracy and the democratic process why their deaths would matter -- deeply.  Even if Greg Gutfeld doesn't know about them.

But to Mr. Gutfeld, it's just "bullshit" when bringing up two Democratic politicians being shot, one of them killed.  Because he doesn't know them.  

Well, freaking "bully" for him.

And their conversation went further, not surprisingly.  That's when Greg Gutfeld went on an angry rant about not wanting his Democratic opponent to try to make this a "both sides" argument.  And the thing is...he's incredibly lucky that she didn't.  Because the reality is, if it was a both sides argument, it would be heavily weighted to significantly more on the far right being the shooter.  And not just on the far right, but shooters who specifically made it known that they were Trump supporters.

As I noted yesterday --

The man who attempted to assassinate Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro shooting up the governor’s mansion was a Trump supporter.

The man who tried to kidnap Nancy Pelosi and almost beat her husband Paul Pelosi to death was a Trump supporter.

The man convicted of shooting up the homes of four Democratic officials in New Mexico in 2022 was a Trump supporter.

The men who were convicted of trying to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were Trump supporters.

The man who killed the son of Obama-appointed Judge Esther Salas was a Trump supporter.

The Insurrectionists who built a hangman’s noose for VP Mike Pence were Trump supporters.

The man who sent pipe bombs to the homes of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Hilary Clinton in 2018 was a Trump supporter.

And of course, the man who killed Minnesota former Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and husband, and wounded state lawmaker Mark Hoffman and his wife was a Trump supporter.

And then there are the mass murders by those on the far right.  The mass murders at the Tree of Life Synagogue.  The mass murders at Emmanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina.

And the shooting of Democratic Rep. Gaby Giffords that killed an aide in 2011.

And that list that ABC News put together of 54 cases where the perpetrator invoked Trump "in connection with violence, threats and alleged assaults.  An article written in response to Trump saying that he deserved “no blame” for divisions in America.  In fact, an article written in 2020!!  It's hard to imagine that list today, five years later.

And I suspect that Greg Gutfeld didn't know any of those people who were killed or merely attacked lucky enough to survive.  So, to him, all those people are all "bullshit." 

And to so many comments from those MAGOPs in public office and on TV and posting on social media, it appears that that all those Democratic deaths are "bullshit."  Because so many keep insisting there's no political violence from the right.

And that isn't "bullshit."  That's delusion, denial, madness.  That's ignoring reality because it's not only inconvenient, but because it show their party, the party of Greg Gutfeld, the party lead by convicted felon Trump -- with dementia -- has been leading the way in political violence for years.  Because one of the tenets of fascism is the use of violence.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski openly said at a Town Hall that so many of her party's colleagues were afraid to vote against their party leader Trump because of threats from their own party.  

​Really.  Don't take my word for it.  Here --

From Reuters -- "Republican U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski disclosed this week that the threat of political retaliation from President Donald Trump is real enough to make her anxious about speaking out about his tariffs, executive orders and cuts to federal agencies.

"'We are all afraid,' Murkowski told a summit of nonprofit and tribal leaders in her native Alaska.

"It's quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before," the 67-year-old lawmaker added. "And I'll tell you, I am oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that's not right."

That's not Democrats.  That's today's MAGOP.  And yes, she's referring to "political retaliation."  But given that long list above of killers who made clear they were Trump supporters, it doesn't even take a small step to grasp that a fear that's so gripping to MAGOP politicians isn't just about the political life.  Fearing for your political life is troubling, but it doesn't create immobilizing fear.  Just for "speaking out."  And anyone who doubts this -- just know that Lisa Murkowski previously went against her party and lost her primary race...but then ran in the same election as a write-in.  And won!!  (Despite voters having to write in "Murkowski" correctly.)  So, Lisa Murkowski is not someone who has the slightest fear of retaliation that might cause her to lose an election.  Just for "speaking out."  It's the fear of losing something else, far greater and more dangerous, that she's talking about that terrifies her and her MAGOP colleagues to inaction.

And that's not fear from Democrats.  That's today's MAGOP.  "The threat of political retaliation from President Donald Trump."  The threat of Insurrectionists who gathered in mass in Washington, D.C. at the calling of Trump, caused the death of five police, and stormed the U.S. Capitol.  And built a hangman's noose for VP Mike Pence -- because he went against Trump.

And the only "bullshit" is that the Greg Gutfelds of the world and all other MAGOP officials are too cowardly and craven and fascist today to defend democracy.

And no, it is not hate speech to call a fascist a "fascist."  It's describing reality.  And if anyone doesn't think it is, then you don't know what fascism is.  (Here.)  And if anyone on the far right doesn't like being called a fascist -- I understand, but then stop supporting fascists, stop enabling fascists, stop passing fascist bills, and stop being a fascist.

And stop realizing that when politicians are killed, whether you know them or not, it's not "bullshit."  It's an assault on democracy.

And the only "bullshit" is that the Greg Gutfelds of the world, the Mike Johnsons, and all other MAGOP officials are too cowardly and craven and fascist today to push back, to merely even "speak out" when the White House (as it did yesterday) threatens to have the Justice Department attack Democrats, liberals, and Democratic organizations for supposed "hate speech" -- and in failing to push back, to even "speak out," fail to defend democracy against open fascism and blunt attacks on free speech.

And no, it is not hate speech to call a fascist a "fascist."  It's describing reality.  And if anyone on the far right doesn't like being called a fascist -- I understand, but then stop supporting fascists, stop enabling fascists, stop passing fascist bills, and stop being a fascist.

And stop realizing that when politicians are killed, whether you know them or not, it's not "bullshit."  It's an assault on democracy.

And it's past time that all Democrats in Congress -- and notably leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries -- push back even more loudly and aggressively.

Because it does matter.