Violence is the Answer?

The night before the special election, as the news broke of Gianforte losing his temper, a friend posted a report on social media by rawstory.com, titled ‘Reporter decked by Montana candidate Greg Gianforte was just hauled off in an ambulance.’ The very first comment was “pretty sure this is a fake article!,” immediately followed by “I believe they will say anything at this point.” The first commenter did eventually allow that this report was ‘partly true.’

Other comments included “too bad he didn’t break more than his glasses,” “more media bull****,” “just another twisted article,” “they get paid good money by Democrats to start fights and disrupt elections,” “he’s lucky all he got was a couple bruises.”

But the one that got to me was posted by a sweet, older lady who attends the same church I do. She said, “to (sic) bad he did not break both his arms.” My response was, “Are you serious? Violence is the answer to questions? All Gianforte had to do was ask his security to remove the reporter. Would you like to get body slammed and have your glasses broken simply for asking questions? Physically assaulting another is against the law. I thought you were for law and order? I thought you were Christian? I’m saddened to hear you think this way.”

Another local woman responded to that with, “I guess Christian or not...we all aren’t perfect.” I answered with, “I didn’t ask her to be perfect or for anyone else to be perfect. But you know the Bible and Jesus and God have not endorsed violence as a reaction to questions. In fact, I believe the Bible says to turn the other cheek, as well as to forgive seventy times seven.”

To that, I got this, “... Who do you think you are??? How dare you to think you have a right to chastise ANYONE and question their Christianity. I am sure (name)...nor I promote and support violence but that reporter was in no way innocently asking a question...he was a frigging liberal IDIOT bully pushing buttons and got exactly what he asked for. If anyone gets in my face and is rude and obnoxious I wouldn’t give them several chances like Gianforte did...once, then wham!”

Wow. My answer to that diatribe follows: “Might does not make right. Beating up others is not the way to settle differences of opinion. All you are doing is supporting people being bullies.    What happened to your support of law and order? What Gianforte did was absolutely against the law, and certainly wasn’t orderly. He has been cited for assault. He himself has apologized and stated what he did was wrong. I listened to the audio of that assault, and there was zero time between Gianforte’s request that the reporter speak to someone else and the assault. The man lost his temper and lashed out. That is not acceptable.”

So, finally to answer who I think I am, I am an American citizen. As such, I’m entitled to many rights, one of which is the right to express my opinion. I’m also obliged to follow the laws of this country, just as Gianforte is. If I were to lose my temper and body slam someone, whether they be a “frigging liberal idiot bully” or not, I expect I’d be charged with a crime. I would not expect to be elected to represent a state.

The many people expressing their opinions that the reporter got what he deserved, or that more violence should have been used, thinking this represents a “Montana value,” make me ashamed for them. I’m also ashamed for those who claim these sentiments somehow don’t diminish their Christianity in any way. I’m sure to be more careful in the future to point out that while I’ve been a resident of Montana for the past 46 years, I am not a native Montanan.