Brain Fertilizer

I don't really want to be alarmist, but this item should be extremely disturbing to Democrats.

HIGH SCHOOL ATTACK: KERRY TAUNTS TIED TO FIGHT Wed Nov 10 2004 09:55:52 ET

Three high school students face charges for using a bat to beat another student who taunted them about being John Kerry supporters days after the contentious election.

The 17-year-old Apple Valley victim was assaulted Thursday in a Minnesota Zoo parking lot near Apple Valley's School of Environmental Studies, better known as the zoo school. Chad McKay, also 17, stood over the victim attempting to protect him.

"It's a good thing to see young people interested and excited about politics," said Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. "It's obviously very disturbing to see this kind of violence over it."

The SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS reported in morning editions: The argument began earlier in the day Thursday with a discussion about candidates the minors had supported for president, Backstrom said. The two victims supported President Bush.

"We were sitting in the computer room at school, and there was kind of a political debate," said Chad McKay of Arden Hills. "Some people said only gay people vote for Bush." Chad said the victim said "only gay people would vote for Kerry because he supports gay marriage."

Backstrom said the victims then "called the other guys some names."

Chad said later in the afternoon when he and the victim were walking to their cars they heard their three senior classmates yelling at them, according to the police report.

Chad got to his car, but the three 17-year-olds attacked the victim, he said, hitting him in face, including with a baseball bat and kicking him. One boy had a padlock wrapped around his finger, Chad said.

Democrats are not responsible for it, no. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying this is a reflection of the Democrat Party at all.

However, the rhetoric of many liberal writers, celebrities, and spokespeople is vile and hateful enough to encourage this sort of thing. The Democrat Party constitutes the main outward expression of liberal thought, and represents the main channel of expression for liberals in this country. Even more specifically, Democrats actively sought to reduce the channels for liberal expression by attempting to block the Green Party from getting on the ballot in several states. When people lack avenues for political expression, they often turn to violence.

The Republicans handled the issue horribly in the 90s, and I think that resulted in right-wing violence, particularly Timothy McVeigh. President Clinton was wrong to blame that event directly on Right-Wing Talk Radio, but in a very real sense, there was an indirect responsibility.

Kids like this turn into adults who burn swastikas into lawns and fire bullets through windows and otherwise attempt to intimidate voters to win elections. How the Democrat Party Leadership responds to this will be telling. How the Democrat Party as a whole works to reduce the accumulated resentment and to provide safe channels to express anger and release pressure will make a huge difference in preventing Left-Wing violence and terrorism over the next four years.

If you think I'm being overwrought or over-reacting, just call me Cassandra.