A Minnesota legislator and her husband murdered in their home. Another legislator and his wife shot multiple times. A United States Senator wrestled to the floor and handcuffed in a Los Angeles federal building. Public service is an honorable profession; it also is an increasingly dangerous one, especially when some elected leaders, rather than condemning attacks, “egg on” confrontations with incendiary comments. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, constitutionally third in line to the presidency, suggested publicly that California Governor Gavin Newsom should be “tarred and feathered” for opposing Donald Trump’s ordering of the California National Guard, in contravention of the authority of a governor in his/her home state. Utah Senator Mike Lee made light of the murder of the Minnesota legislator on social media, blaming “Marxist” views simply because she was a Democrat. And few Senators have expressed concern about Senator Alex Padilla’s treatment by FBI and security personnel although Speaker Johnson suggested that Padilla should be censured.
Of course, the Speaker has no jurisdiction over Senate actions; he needs to mind his own chamber, but retribution seems to be popular in the House. Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) filed a resolution to expel Representative LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) for involvement in a scuffle with ICE officers in Newark, and William Timmons (R-SC) followed up with a resolution to censure her and launch an ethics investigation. Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA) filed a resolution to strip McIver and two other New Jersey Democrats of their committee assignments.
Some of this can be attributed to political theatre, but lives, democracy, and the rule of law are at stake. Regardless of political persuasion, elected officials should be united in their abhorrence of violence against any other public servant. An election tenders specific authorities to the electee, but they still are human. I often had to remind my constituents that election didn’t endow me with any special talents or give me eyes in the back of my head. Election meant I had to work harder and smarter on behalf of more than 100,000 residents of Mason District, but I had to shop for groceries, do laundry, and take care of my family, just like anyone else. I rarely worried about my personal safety, but I did heed public safety tips when in a crowd or on stage.
When hearing about attacks against public officials, mass shootings at schools or worship, vehicles ramming street markets and festivals, we lament the violence, wonder why it wasn’t prevented, and look to place blame on mental health or lax security or immigrants or whatever, and how polarized America is. Too often, it’s the fault of all those other people, not us or me. And too many of our top elected officials – President, Vice President, Speaker, many Members of Congress – by their comments or lack of same, augment the polarization, appealing to their base, I guess, rather than the American people as a whole. They need to be reminded that they are elected to serve all of the people, not just those who voted for them. The pendulum can swing back toward the center, but it will take work, time, respect, and stepping up, by everyone.