(IVN) A bomb scare rocked the nation Wednesday, as several Democratic Party leaders and CNN received packages containing explosive devices, including the Obamas and the Clintons.
Here on IVN I've been following the escalation of partisan political violence on both sides as the midterm election this year draws near.
I reported on the menacing activity, death threats, doxxings, and the mailing of what appeared to be ricin powder to President Trump, the Secretary of Defense, and a campaign office of Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas. In that same article, I linked to an op ed published by Sen. Rand Paul's wife pleading with Democratic leaders to tone down the rhetoric so that political tensions don't boil over into violence.
I was quite frankly baffled by Hillary Clinton's comments on the heels of this wave of threats against Republicans, instructing Democrats not to maintain civility in their interaction with Republicans if Democrats don't win the House or Senate this November, which seemed alarmingly like a threatening ultimatum.
And after Donald Trump traveled to Montana last week and praised Rep. Greg Gianforte for physically assaulting a reporter on tape the night before a special election last year (for which he was criminally charged), I condemned his remarks and demanded better political leadership than the two party system's most visible leaders recklessly stoking the conflict and stirring up trouble.
Today some of the most militant partisans on either side are not going to let reality stand between them and their partisan propaganda about anything that happens and makes headlines.
Many on the right were quick to say this must be a "false flag" attack by a Democratic Party sympathizer to ignite an electoral backlash against Republicans, even though that's just what they want to be true, not what they know to be true. Many on the left were quick to blame Donald Trump's rhetoric for the bomb packages, conveniently ignoring that the rhetoric coming from the other side is just as bad.
Here's a good rule of thumb:
The next time you hear about someone violently hurting someone else in the news, whether it's a rampage shooting or a bombing, and authorities have yet to determine or report who is responsible––
If you find yourself hoping that the one responsible is a fringe member of the group you hate (Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives, Muslims, immigrants, white men, whatever it is), then you are a profoundly brokenhearted individual.
Having that kind of reaction proves your hard and broken heart is badly warping the way you think. You're probably insufferable for the people who have to live or work with you. If that's where you're at you should probably take a break from politics altogether. It's not making you any better and you're not adding anything good to it.