Dana Milbank on larger GOP embrace of violent rhetoric: “These are open invitations to the violent and the unstable to take matters into their own hands.”
Washington, DC – Texas and Washington provide two of the lastest examples of Republicans “open invitations to the violent and the unstable to take matters into their own hands,” as the the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank writes in his latest column.
In a Newsweek op-ed published this week, Texas Republican Party Chairman Matt Rinaldi calls on Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) to follow the lead of extremist Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and tack even further in a dangerous, nativist direction – in the process, provoking even more potentially violence directed at immigrants.
Titled, “Arizona Will Declare Invasion in January; Texas Should Today,” Rinaldi’s op-ed epitomizes the type of dangerous “invasion” messaging that Republicans and right wing media are advancing – despite the proven deadly consequences of doing so. The op-ed makes clear he is not speaking in mere hyperbole but argues that refugees and asylum seekers constitute an invasion that must be repelled through war powers. Building on his language of a war against migrants, Rinaldi concludes:
“Our Founding Fathers enshrined states’ right to defend themselves in the Constitution. Kari Lake and Arizona Republicans are ready to fight. Texas Republicans are too.”
Meanwhile, Joe Kent, whose campaign has extensive ties to violent white nationalists, became the Republican nominee for Washington’s Third Congressional District this week.
Last month, AP reported that Kent’s campaign had paid a member of the white nationalist gang, the Proud Boys $11,000 for for “consulting.” The report also found that Kent is close with prominent n christan nationalist Joey Gibson and did outreach to leading white nationalist Nick Fuentes to promote his campaign. Kent has also promoted the deadly white nationalist conspiracy theory about ‘migrant invasions’ and ‘white replacement,’ tweeting: “The left is supporting an invasion of illegal immigrants to replace American voters & under cut working class jobs.”
As Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank reflects, focusing on the larger Republican “hysteria” and “invitation to violence” on display this week following the raid on Mar-a-Lago:
“We know that violent speech, particularly when so many are already feeling desperate and on edge, leads to violent acts. We have been here before.
…These are open invitations to the violent and the unstable to take matters into their own hands.”
According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Deputy Director for America’s Voice:
“Republicans continue to revert to extremism, threats of violence and intimidation instead of common sense solutions to move the nation forward. Their embrace and mainstreaming of white nationalist falsehoods, such as ‘invasion’ and ‘replacement,’ foster a climate that has proven to be dangerous and deadly. The message from Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi and the nomination of Joe Kent in Washington are prime examples of how Republican figures are inciting their followers to, as Dana Milbank says, ‘take matters into their own hands.’
We only have to point to Buffalo, El Paso, Pittsburgh, or Charlottesville – not to mention, January 6th – to show why these fears about the consequences of irresponsible and reckless rhetoric are not hyperbole.”
Read the recent op-ed from Texas-based Campaigns Director for America’s Voice Mario Carrillo in the Austin American-Statesman highlighting how “GOP campaigns on the rhetoric that led to El Paso carnage”.
