For quite some time, there’s been a pattern among Democrats and liberal media in utilizing violent language and imagery against their opponents. Recently, Texas Democratic House candidate Jolanda Jones exemplified this when she made a throat-slitting gesture while on CNN’s “Outfront.” This happened as she dismissed Michelle Obama’s well-known phrase, “When they go low, we go high.”
“If you punch me in the face, I’m not just going to retaliate. I’m going to, you know, go for the neck,” Jones stated, completing the gesture. She added, “We can keep exchanging blows, but we need to hit back hard enough to ensure they don’t come back.” It’s a bit unsettling, perhaps, how these sentiments come across.
Jones responded to inquiries from Fox News Digital by clarifying that she didn’t mean her words literally. Her comments surfaced amid reports about other Democratic figures, such as Maine state senator Graham Platner and Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones, who have previously made violent statements about their Republican counterparts.
Looking back, some elected Democrats have a history of provocative language aimed at their rivals. For instance, in 2018, California Representative Maxine Waters urged her supporters at a rally to confront members of the Trump administration aggressively. “If you see anyone in the Cabinet at a restaurant, make a scene and tell them they are not welcome anymore,” she advised.
There’s a consistent theme of violent rhetoric directed at former President Trump. In 2020, New York Senator Chuck Schumer warned Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh that they would “pay a price” for their decisions regarding abortion.
In another case from 2023, New York State Representative Dan Goldman called Trump “destructive to our democracy” and suggested he needed to be “eliminated,” but later apologized, describing his language as “inappropriate.” Even President Biden, during his presidency, made strong comments about Trump—stating privately to donors that it was time to “put Trump under scrutiny.” These incidents can feel a bit contradictory, right?
Outside of politics, mainstream media figures have also stirred up controversy with inflammatory remarks. In 2013, MSNBC anchor Martin Bashir called Sarah Palin derogatory names and suggested a disturbing act in response to her comments about national debt. He resigned shortly afterward. Then, there’s Nicole Wallace from MSNBC, who, in 2018, remarked on-air about her frustrations with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, insinuating violent thoughts about her.
The violent language doesn’t stop there; it has seeped into Hollywood as well. Madonna once claimed she thought about blowing up the White House during the 2017 Women’s March. She later said her words had been misconstrued, insisting she was speaking about love and change.
In a notable incident, comedian Kathy Griffin posed with a replica of Trump’s severed head, leading to significant backlash and scrutiny from the Secret Service. Griffin maintained her actions fell under her First Amendment rights.
Overall, it seems this trend of incendiary speech isn’t just limited to one area; it’s a multifaceted issue spreading across politics, media, and entertainment.
