Member-only story
Govern by Threat
An explanation for GOP’s embrace of Violence
Scott Fairlamb owned a gym in New Jersey. His father used to work for the New Jersey State Police. His brother is a Secret Service agent who used to protect former first lady Michelle Obama.
Things took an unexpected turn for the Fairlambs on Jan. 6.
Scott Fairlamb asked a police officer if he was an American. Then he punched him in the face. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer.
Mr. Fairlamb was sentenced to 41 months in prison.
More than 1000 officers were attacked that day.
Violence became a necessary evil.
When you say Violence is Not Violence
Republicans have convinced the base that they are at war, and it is acceptable to think of their actions in militaristic terms. A battle to advance an ideological position.
Congressman Paul Gozar defended posting an anime video of him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez by saying it “depicts the symbolic nature of a battle between lawful and unlawful policies.”
In Virginia, Joshua Pratt, a conservative activist who campaigned for Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin, used the exact depiction to rally people against the democrats.
