Republican supporters have suddenly become indignantly self-righteously outraged by what they claim to be a lack of civility from the left.
There is a certain sense of irony with a heavy dose of hypocrisy that is apparently completely lost upon the anti-PC crowd who are now decrying the death of civility.
So, let’s get this straight.
The people who not only elected but also make every excuse possible for President Donald “Grab ’em by the pussy” Trump are suddenly pretending to be worried about decorum and civility. Are they for one second actually expecting to be taken so much as even remotely seriously?
Many even go so far as to claim that those on the left are actually the ones responsible for fomenting division and fuelling violence.
Meanwhile, let us quote some infamous, easily verified samples from their esteemed leader, who clearly demonstrates an unmistakable and unwavering concern and commitment for maintaining the highest level of civility during his rallies.
“Knock the crap out of him, would you? I promise you, I will pay your legal fees.”
“I’d like to punch him in the face.”
“Maybe he should have been roughed up.”
“I don’t know if I’ll do the fighting myself or if other people will.”
“In the good old days this doesn’t happen because they used to treat them very, very rough.”
“I’ll beat the crap out of you.”
“Part of the problem is no one wants to hurt each other anymore.”
“I could stand in the middle of (New York’s) Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters.”
Yeah. Sure thing there, so-called defenders of civility. Those direct quotes sure sound like the compassionate kinds of empathetic declarations that a man who embodies and holds dear decency and decorum would espouse.
Yet despite all of these disturbing statements, and plenty more, U.S. press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders can still — with a straight face and without so much as batting an eye no less — stare down journalists and respond, “The president in no way, form, or fashion has ever promoted or encouraged violence.”
The same person, who treats with contemptuous disdain members of the media during just about every White House press briefing, claims to treat reporters with respect after she was kicked out of a restaurant that did not wish to serve a complicit enabler of the duplicitous administration.
Staunch Republican supporters not only apparently find all of the administration’s double standards perfectly palatable but also quite defendable.
They have no problem siding with a baker’s right to discriminate and deny service to anyone they disagree with, but then have the audacity to become egregiously offended by a restaurant owner’s decision not to serve a mouthpiece for arguably the most deceitful and manipulative administration in U.S. history.
These are often the same individuals who feign righteous fury over holiday coffee cups, an imaginary war on Christmas, and peacefully protesting football players who take a knee during the national anthem, while at the same time they snidely dismiss as emotionally fragile snowflakes people who express concerns about issues that actually matter, such as for example human rights, growing income inequality, and the environment.
The president is apparently granted carte blanche to voice whatever depravity comes to his mind without facing so much as a modicum — not even the faintest whisper — of criticism from his core base.
But the moment a comedian makes a joke — well then! That’s just one step too far.
This debacle might all be happening south of the border, but even we Canadians — despite our reputation for politeness — are not impervious to the downward spiral that seems to be occurring in political discourse.
Civil discussion is a two-way street.
Anyone who without so much as a second of reflection contemptuously hurls condescending insults or threats around cannot in good faith turn around and bemoan the erosion of civility while expecting to be taken seriously.
