It is arguably the most disheartening aspect of the “Age of Rage.” Almost immediately after the shooting of Minnesota politicians and their spouses, the press, pundits, and politicians leaped to capitalize on the tragedy by blaming the other side for political violence. There is a sick, almost hopeful, quality to the commentary as political pundits hope that they win this round of the assassination sweepstakes with a criminal associated with the other party. Initial reports fueled such speculation on both sides. Some are now saying that Boelter suffered from “MAGA disease” while others are claiming that he is a “far left” goon. Still others insist that he is “a far right, MAGA, left wing loon,”
Both sides found just enough to weaponize the shootings. Vance Luther Boelter has connections to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who reappointed him to a state board. He is also someone who reportedly voted for Trump and opposed the abortion movement.
As we have discussed, there is a rise in political violence in this country. From January 6th to attempted assassinations of both President Donald Trump and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, there is a radicalization that is occurring within our society. It is the license of rage that I discuss in my book where unhinged individuals believe that any means are now justified to counter a political threat.
The fact is that rage rhetoric has been common on both sides of the political spectrum for years. Politicians continue to fan these flames, including many who insist that democracy is about to die in this country, or call Trump the new Hitler. Leaders on both sides have called their opponents “traitors” and threats to the nation.
The fact is that we still know little about Boelter. He had “No Kings” literature in his car but that does not mean that he was motivated by those protests. We still do not know what is contained in a reported manifesto left by the shooter.
The only thing that is likely is that Boelter is another unstable loner who took his anger out on others. There are reports that he was in difficult financial straits and suffered a series of setbacks. He was the CEO of an international NGO called the Red Lion Group, which appears to have run out of funding. There are reports that he was holding a variety of odd jobs to sustain himself.
The fact is that we have a significant number of people who are mentally unstable or delusional. Anger in their lives is easily translated into a lethal obsession for public officials or public figures, particularly when leaders call on people to resist opponents labeled as traitors or tyrants.
The rush to claim Boelter as a devotee of the left or right only shows how these critics are engaging in the very rage rhetoric that they are supposedly condemning.
We should know the actual facts soon, including the contents of this manifesto. So here is a novel idea: perhaps we should wait for those facts rather than engage in this frenzy of recrimination and rage.
Neither a MAGA nor a far lefty…..how about just prisoner?
Prof. Turley established this internet blog and as such, has the right to decide what he chooses to bring to our attention, his readers, who should understand we may agree or disagree, point out historical events he could have included but time and space limitations make that impossible —- so…Go buy his Book!
Everyman posted: When Orange Dumbbell’s assassination attempts occurred, I said they were wrong and entirely unacceptable.
Question: to use Everyman’s version of political speech: What did you say when the Black Marxist Buffoon justified the mass murder of five Dallas police officers at a Black Liars & Marxists event they were assigned to protect?
Did you say it was wrong and entirely unacceptable for the Black Marxist Buffoon to attend their funeral service and pronouncing that the murders were understandable due to “systemic police racism”???
I’m guessing you weren’t the least bit offended at how outrageously offensive it was for the Black Marxist Buffoon to say that to the faces of their wives, children, other family members and fellow police officers at that funeral.
You Democrat “everyman” cheap fake American.
Professor Turley’s Democrat political roots are on full display when he picks the events he chooses for the beginning of political violence and moving forward. He starts with January 6th. Not the attempted mass murder of Republican congressmen at a baseball practice years earlier. Not the mass murder of 5 Dallas police officers by a BLM/Marxist Democrat years earlier. Not the coordinated nationwide election season anarchy of 570+ “mostly peaceful riots” months earlier.
And certainly not the days long assault on the White House a few weeks earlier by Democrat street thugs that sent over 50 Secret Service to hospital with wounds from the fighting where they were hit with Molotov Cocktails, missiles, etc intended to kill them.
No, Professor Turley gives us this starting event instead: As we have discussed, there is a rise in political violence in this country. From January 6th to attempted assassinations of both President Donald Trump and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, there is a radicalization that is occurring within our society.
It is apparent by the unhinged response to the Presidency and the unhinged response to Law Enforcement that even if the opened every professional sports stadium to hold the number of Mentally Ill in this country we would need 20X more!!!!!!! Look no farther than the recent videos of Senator Cory Booker and Congressman Jeffries for the poster children of psychosis!!!!!
The Trump Era has been a violent clash between people who have never heard of the Separation of Powers, and those whose education included learning that the US Constitution prohibits the three branches of government from assuming the powers of another branch, thus creating large gray zones of overlapping powers that require often-painful compromise rather than imperial edicts.
In the Age of Trump 2, delight in destroying one’s enemies is surging. Rationality went stale and compromise has gone rancid.
*. Boelter’s hat was a signal to apprehend, a surrender.
He looks like a White Guy, Why are White people so Anti-Mankind?
Vladimir Putin,
Bibi Netanyahu,
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
…
Vance Luther Boelter
God must be asking himself, Why?
That is, if there is a God.
They’re all very pasty looking. Perhaps a trip to the Beach for some natural Vitamin-D would help.
But is seen to be more than skin deep. Maybe it’s the deeper fact that they are Godless.
Last year, ant Northeastern University, approximately 250 people tried to stop and intimidate Jewish students from using facilities on campus. Northeastern University has a student body of over 30, 000 students. 250 people represent 30,000? I don’t think so.
SO just one in 350 Million shoot you; a very low number- RIGHT? You are still shot!! Bob -your post doesn’t make sense. How many times do the 250 students stop the Jewish? So if the 250 stop the Jewish people 100 times YOU then get another number! WOW BOB!
Plus many more factors BOB!!
Yes it does. The news media is trying to make you think this is some kind of ground swell. BULL! A vast majority of Americans do not support this antisemitism . You can say what you want. The MSM as usual is full of crap.
It is both. Yes a majority do not support antisemitism but there are pockets (like schools) that are full of it. Say 250 students out of 30,000 stop 100 students per day from going to class BUT they do it 100 times that is 10,000 incidences. BTW – a lot of the media is TRYING TO DOWNPLAY IT! SEEMS like BOB is too!
What if it were 1000? Is that okay? 3000?
Was any other ethnic or religious group targeted by hundreds of their fellow students, and singled out for harassment, intimidation, and in some instances even assault? Either at Northeastern or any of the many other universities where that occurred?
And how does it make any sense to single out Jewish students for victimization in response to an incident in which their religion was the target of a brutal mass murder overseas? The Jews didn’t perpetrate October 7, it was perpetrated against them. How does it make any sense to react to that massacre by being furious at the victims rather than the perps? Perhaps it makes sense if the antisemitic students are like sharks who got a taste of blood, which sent them into a feeding frenzy.
Breaking: Boelter is in custody.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/minnesota/news/vance-boelter-taken-into-custody-minnesota-lawmaker-shootings-sources/
Which shows that CBS is good for something…
Professor – the MSM is actually not bad when it comes to breaking news. They have the institutional reach to be able to report it in a timely fashion, and they haven’t yet had time to spin it so it tends to be more factually-based than opinion based.
*. The dems are bailing from their destroyed party. They’re signing up as independents. Don’t be fooled. They’re taking their treason and under a new banner hoping to spew.
@Anonymous
I think it’s exactly what they are doing, hoping people are stupid enough to vote for them if they lie about ‘being out of sync’ with the DNC. Expect more of this, and don’t believe a word of it.
It’s the party equivalent of progressives moving to red states to ‘flip’ them. They are not ‘Independents’. They *are* shameless.
Any update on the motive for shooting the surviving pair or for list?
Get to the root of the protests by asking if the conservatives and democrats dissolve into civil war, armed, deadly as graveyard dead, would the undocumented and non citizens join the fight and on which side? Would the undocumented and non citizens retreat until the first or second round or even retreat into Mexico and then come back to launch a further assault for their chosen side?
Let’s stop the baby play. As the sheriff said, I’m not playing?
Opine among yourselves.
^^^ It’s a national security question. Put your big pants on.