There’s been some commentary, some public worry, about right wing violence perpetrated on Election Day, and I’m not sure I approve of that commentary. What I think should be said, and communicated very, very clearly, is this:
To anyone who thinks Election Day means you get to go out and commit mayhem for free, this is what will happen:
Local police, who are sworn to their duty to keep the public peace, will descend upon anyone committing political violence, and then one of two things will happen to those who think committing political violence is cool.
- They’ll arrest your ass, or
- They’ll shoot you dead.
Doubt that? Look up and remember what’s happened recently to Boogaloo Boys and white supremacists who thought they could get away with mayhem and murder. The police tried to arrest them, and then shot them dead.
For those of you who are merely arrested, you’ll then go through the court system, and no doubt end up spending lots of years doing hard time in a state penitentiary. Judges will not be lenient, because political violence is never tolerated in the United States. PERIOD.
And, while it’ll never happen, I’d be in favor of a law that stated that all such convicts would be subject to having their citizenship stripped, and being deported to Russia. Or Iran. Either works for me.
For all that police reputations have suffered over the last few years, I remain confident that those who are not explicit racists will step up and do their jobs when called upon.
And, if they’re insufficient to the job, there’s always the National Guard.
I do not expect any violence on Election Day, and in the days afterward the only violence will be to the patience of judges and voters, but if there are incidents, those who think they’ll effect some sort of political change through violence will run into the hard fist of law enforcement. And they won’t like it.
