Is there any other line of work that you could get away with this and still keep your job? Can you imagine posting online an edited video where you stab a co-worker with a sword, through their neck, and still be able to go to work the next day? Seriously. If you worked for a private company do you honestly think that Human Resources would let you continue to work for them? Would they possibly face criminal charges as well for obviously threatening a co-worker? Why in the world then do we tolerate such absurdly disgusting and reprehensible behavior from a sitting member of Congress?
I ask this sincerely. Why does Paul Gosar still have his job today? When Gosar repeatedly fraternizes with avowed white nationalists, that was not enough. When he publicly stated that George Soros worked with the Nazis in his youth that was not a bridge too far. I mean congresspeople have been saying stupid, uninformed and inflammatory garbage forever, right? You know it must be even worse when six of your nine siblings take ads out against you but Gosar's blood red district does not care. But shouldn't we? I understand that Alexandria Ocasio Cortez is not everyone's favorite congressional flavor. Those on the Republican side of the aisle use her very effectively as a foil. Many use her to boost their own lack of ability or accomplishments. Just being against the lib boogey-woman can actually launch and build a career on the side of politics where you do not have to actually legislate to keep your job. Many on the more "moderate" side of the left also may not be inviting Ocasio-Cortez over for Thanksgiving. This is probably because they consider her too woke and dragging the country off of some damn socialist cliff because she is radical enough to believe that the poor should have someone fighting for them too.
Whatever your disagreement is with the New York Congresswoman, do you honestly think she should die? Do you honestly think that she deserves to have Paul Gosar impale her through her throat with a Katana? Is that where your politics are? Must anyone with the temerity to disagree with you be put to death? Because that really is not the guiding principle of this country. So do not wrap the flag around you and pretend to be a patriot while openly cheering when one member of Congress threatens to kill another. No matter how much you might revile Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, please try to remember that your revulsion is political, not personal. You do not actually know her. You do not actually know her family, her friends or her life. She is someone's daughter. I want you to seriously think about this for a second.
Please, do not tell me about politics supposedly being tribal. That is merely a verbal representation. We do not actually live in tribes and behave as such. Politics are supposed to be about an exchange of ideas and compromise. Go ahead and look it up. That is how we were founded. That is the entire foundation of our government. While we are at it, stop splitting the bill. There is not reprehensible behavior on both sides that is even remotely equal. I do not recall Nancy Pelosi tweeting out an edited Hentai video with her stabbing Ted Cruz to death. I may be naà ¯ve but I think that if this did happen on the dem side that they would do something about it. The dems after all jettisoned Al Franken for taking a picture years before he was ever elected, when he was still a comedian by trade.
Lastly, please do not whine about cancel culture, a made-up political controversy. Do I want Paul Gosar canceled? Absolutely because he openly threatened another member of Congress. That is not on me however - it is on him. Or at least it should be. Shouldn't there be a higher standard for elected officials? How about any standards at all? I understand that his district elected him but that has zero relevance in light of reprehensible behavior such as this. Maybe next time they will not send to Congress an absurd caricature of a human being. This country is so divided that many fear the old days of reasonable disagreement are irrecoverable. This is the permanent damage Donald Trump wrought in our body politic. If you think that is unfair just remember who the Republican presidential candidate was before Trump. Mitt Romney, the poster child for genial disagreement. Prior to that it was John McCain, who famously would not let a follower accuse his opponent of not being born in this country or for being a Muslim. It used to be a battle of who had the better ideas and who could sell them to the public more effectively. Now it is a race to the bottom with Twitter trolls who think that effective governing is reposting fantasy videos of them murdering their political opponents. Paul Gosar should face Censure, removal from committee assignments and expulsion. Anything less sends the message that this violent behavior that would get you fired from a local Jack in the Box, is perfectly acceptable at the highest ends of our government. We have to do better than that.
