Rep. Paul Broun is condemning a constituent who asked about assassinating President Obama at a town hall event in Oglethorpe County, Ga., last week. The man asked, "Who is going to shoot Obama?" Broun apparently failed to address the man's comment, instead deflecting because he didn't want to dignify the comment with a response. Uh huh.
We're wondering why he issued the statement only after the incident was reported by the Athens Banner-Herald. He called the constituent's comments "abhorrent." What is actually abhorrent is Broun's failure to address the issue immediately, especially in this political climate. Gabrielle Giffords, anyone? Suggesting violence against anyone, let alone the president of the United States, is unacceptable and needs to be immediately addressed, not days later. Broun's camp claims that there is no video of the incident. Um, OK.
"I deeply regret that this incident happened," Broun said in a statement. "I condemn all statements — made in sincerity or jest — that threaten or suggest the use of violence against the president of the United States or any other public official. Such rhetoric cannot and will not be tolerated."
Conservative Republicans aren't going to be satisfied until another act of violence occurs. Free speech works in both directions, and you can check someone for being outrageous, malicious or violent. Forgoing decency in order to cultivate and gain votes from extremists will only have negative consequences for everyone.
Read more at Yahoo.
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