You're not supposed to
joke about assassinating the President.
I realize it's been two
days since Johnny Depp made his distasteful joke and in the ever
changing news and political cycles, that makes it old news. But over
eight years, I called out the hatred hurled at Pres. Obama. The
cruel, racist caricatures – I remember a Facebook image of Obama
with a noose around his neck. And there were people who called for
his assassination, as well. The severed head mentality aimed at Trump isn't cool either.
I could see wanting to
kill someone like Adolph Hitler. But Trump, no matter how bad he is or how much people dislike him (and I don't like him one bit) is not Hitler.
Do I think Trump is a
threat to a free press and civil liberties – basically democracy?
Do I think he does unconstitutional things every day of his life?
Yes. Do I think he colluded with Russia in rigging the election?
Probably, but so far that hasn't been proven.
No, I don't think he's a
good person and like anybody in America, I can criticize him all
night long because criticism and threats aren't the same thing. One
is “political speech,” which I learned in communication law class
at WSU, is the most Constitutionally protected speech. The other, the
courts recognize as “fighting words” – words that are
threatening or likely to incite violence.
I don't think Depp meant
his words to be threatening. I think it was stupid and reckless. But saying those words against Trump is just as bad as when people said that kind of thing against Obama. And
anytime somebody says something like that, it has to be looked into
by the Secret Service. In today's world, we don't know if words like
that will drive someone to do something terrible. Words are powerful.
It's a thin line between
Constitutionally protected hate speech and fighting words. I think
when people let emotions overrule reason, lose their filter, don't
put on the brakes, there's that danger of their words being a bridge
to violence.
But we never learn. After
the shooting that put GOP Congressman Steve Scalise in critical
condition, there was talk of the two sides, Democrat and Republican,
toning down the hostility and “coming together as Americans.”
That lasted about two days.
Last week, you had
Nebraska Democratic official Phil Montag saying, “I'm fucking glad
he was shot...I wish he was fucking dead.” He was rightfully fired. Sure, he apologized. The
whole “that's not me thing.” But it's just like when Republican
congressional candidate (now Montana Congressman) Greg Gianforte
apologized for beating up the reporter. Insisted he's not really like
that. BS. I think that's exactly who they are.
I knew all the
togetherness wouldn't last. I remember all the talk of Americans
uniting after 9-11. That didn't last. And if 9-11 couldn't change
people, I don't think anything will.
That doesn't mean we should stop trying.
