There’s a difference between a maniac and a stone cold killer. The Alexandria attack was no mere ‘crime of opportunity’.
Hodgkinson didn’t just want to vent against some random politician.
Nor did he want to kill a generic Republican.
He had preferred targets. Their names were on a list.
But the existence of the list, confirmed by “multiple sources” to the Daily Caller, indicates the attack was a pre-planned political assassination rather than a random act of rage.
The handwritten list on notepad paper was found in the shooter’s pocket, sources told the Daily Caller. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the investigation.
The names on the list included Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala.; Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C.; and Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., the DC reported. All three are members of the House Freedom Caucus, which is a bloc of conservative House members. It is not known how many other names may have been on Hodgkinson’s list. Brooks and Duncan were at the practice. –Read More
Fox News added three more names to that list — Scot DesJarlais (R-TN), Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
It is tempting to write him off as just some maladjusted psycho.
Because then he’s a one-off. Not someone of whom we need to ask the hard ‘why’ questions.
But the fact that he had a list, and that people ON that list were present at the scene of his attempted massacre shows a level of planning suggesting rational (albeit malevolent) intent.
Which means there may be others whose politics has radicalized them, too.
And with the endless dehumanizing of Republicans as sexist, racist, evil monsters who want to hurt the poor to make themselves rich, that’s a problem. Because they label our side ‘Nazi’ indiscriminately.
Pair that with the sharp rise in social acceptability of violence against ‘Nazis’ – everything from sucker punching that guy on Inauguration day, to ‘By Any Means Necessary’ and ‘Antifa’ movements, to #huntRepublican hashtags, and we have a dangerously volatile mix.
We ask ourselves how ‘respectable’ Germany could go from being a genteel, educated nation — to a bloodthirsty killer of minorities under Hitler. PART of that process was the dehumanization of opponents.
(Remember back when Clashdaily reported on This story? Does it seem ‘newsworthy’ now?)
As long as Republicans continue characterized as ‘evil people’ rather than ‘wrong on the issues’ this trend is likely to continue.
Want to push back against the culture? Want to hear others who share that goal? Good. Start here — you can thank us later.
