Democrat Leaders Must Condemn Political Violence – Now

Democrat leaders have a problem on their hands: According to Axios, “Democrat members of Congress are facing a growing thrum of demands to break the rules, fight dirty – and not be afraid to get shot” in their efforts to oppose the Trump administration. As the leader of the nation’s largest Tea Party group, I can say from my own experience in dealing with grassroots activists angry with the actions of their political opponents that now is the time for Democrat leaders to stand up and squelch those demands – or live to regret it.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen disturbing scenes playing out all over the country: In Alvarado, Texas, “10 violent assailants equipped with tactical gear and weapons” attacked the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement facility on July 4; in McAllen, Texas, a man was shot and killed outside a Border Patrol facility after firing dozens of rounds at Border patrol and local police officers on July 7; and in Portland, Oregon protesters rioted at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility with fireworks and knives over a period of weeks.

All of this, supposedly, was done in protest of federal immigration policies.

What may be even more disturbing, however, is the deafening silence from Democrat Party leaders as these violent acts are carried out by those aligned with their cause.

It’s time for Democrats in positions of power to do what responsible leaders must do: Call for peace, condemn violence, and demand that activists reject lawlessness, no matter how passionately they may disagree with the Trump administration or its policies. Failing to do so is not just irresponsible – it’s dangerous.

I remember very clearly what it was like during the earliest days of the Tea Party movement. Americans were deeply frustrated, and they were angry about the direction the country was heading. They were concerned about the future their children would inherit. And they had every right to speak up, organize, and protest. But what we never allowed was violence. As leaders, we took it upon ourselves to ensure that people who were angry channeled that energy into constructive civic engagement, not chaos. We taught people how to hold signs, not Molotov cocktails.

We Tea Party activists became famous not only for our passionate defense of liberty and limited government, but also for our peaceful, orderly protests – where we picked up after ourselves. That wasn’t a coincidence. It was the result of leadership that emphasized respect for the rule of law and for our fellow Americans, even when we strongly disagreed with many of them.

Today, Democrat Party leaders are failing their movement in that regard. The far-left fringe of their grassroots base is increasingly resorting to intimidation, destruction of property, and even violence against law enforcement authorities. And far too many Democratic politicians are choosing to wink and nod, or worse, remain silent – perhaps because they fear losing support from their most radical activists.

That is not leadership. That is cowardice.

It’s also hypocrisy. Many of these same Democrat leaders spent years warning about the dangers of political violence. They claimed to stand for norms, for institutions, for the peaceful transfer of power and civil debate. But where are those voices now? Where are the calls for de-escalation, for restraint, for returning to the rule of law? Where is the firm condemnation of those who bring violence to the front doors of ICE facilities?

Democrat leaders cannot pretend they don’t have a role in this. Grassroots energy is not a faucet you can turn on and off. Once you start inciting rage, once you elevate rhetoric that suggests your political opponents are monsters, it’s only a matter of time before someone takes that rhetoric seriously and acts on it. That’s why responsible leadership matters so much. When emotions run hot, leaders must step in to cool them down, rather than fan the flames.

When the Tea Party was growing, I, along with other Tea Party leaders, made a conscious effort to insist on nonviolence, even when we were met with condescension and false accusations. We stayed the course because we believed in the American system. And because of that discipline, we helped change the political landscape peacefully and productively.

Now, it’s time for the leaders of the Democrat Party to show the same courage and discipline. They must look their grassroots activists in the eye and say, “Violence is wrong. Period. This is not who we are.” Until they do that, they will continue to bear a measure of responsibility for the lawlessness being carried out in their name.

America needs passionate debate. It needs dissent. It even needs protest. But it does not need mobs in the streets or riots outside federal buildings, and it most assuredly does not need people shooting at law enforcement authorities. It needs leaders with the moral clarity to say: enough.

For the sake of our republic, I hope they find the strength to say it. Before it’s too late.

Jenny Beth Martin is Honorary Chairman of Tea Party Patriots Action. 

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.