In Steve Daines’ recent campaign ads, he and his spokesmen decry “the liberal mob,” who is supposedly responsible for recent rioting, looting and property destruction. Daines and his minions don’t differentiate between the lawless individuals who regularly infiltrate many legitimate public protests and then commit these acts. Daines and his supporters simply equate these bad elements with anyone who disagrees with them, including legitimate Black Lives Matter protesters, progressive and Democratic political figures, mothers and families, retired persons, veterans and anyone else Daines needs to trample in his frantic campaign.
Daines nor any of his high-minded spokespersons ever decry the very real threat of right-wing hate groups, para-military militia groups, anti-government extremists, racist groups and neo-Nazis that have openly threatened law-abiding citizens for decades. Some actively advocate overthrow of the federal government, have threatened or physically harmed federal employees, bombed federal offices, destroyed public property and incited their supporters to commit such crimes. Consider recent arrests of planned kidnappers of the governors in Michigan and Virginia. One can imagine how those actions might have ended. So where are Steve Daines and his supporters in denouncing these right-wing extremists? Listen! Their absolute silence is deafening.
Dale Becker
Polson