Enough already.
The use of violent rhetoric has steadily increased in recent months; threats and aggressive imagery have become all too common in our communities, congressional offices and on the campaign trail. The objective is to win by demonizing the opposition.
For America's sake, it simply must stop.
The latest horrible example of that incendiary rhetoric was an ad run by Eric Greitens, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate.
Greitens was governor from January 2017 until he resigned June 1, 2018, when allegations arose that he engaged in an extramarital affair in which the woman said he physically abused and threatened her. His resignation was part of a plea deal to drop a felony charge that alleged misuse of a charity donor list to raise funds for his gubernatorial campaign.
Since his resignation, he also has been accused by his ex-wife of abusing her and her son. Greitens has denied any wrongdoing.
Now, the former governor seeks to return to office and is one of 21 GOP candidates seeking the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.
In his latest campaign ad, Greitens is seen packing a shotgun as he and a SWAT-style team armed with assault rifles storm a home in search of "RINOS," or Republicans in Name Only.
In a hushed tone as the ad begins, Greitens lays out the mission: "The RINO feeds on corruption and is marked by the stripes of cowardice." Then, he and a heavily armed SWAT-style team crashes through the door and detonate flash bangs in the home's living room.
The smoke clears, and Greitens proclaims: "Join the MAGA crew. Get a RINO hunting permit. There's no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn't expire until we save our country."
If the ad were not bad enough, he then tweeted: "We are sick and tired of the Republicans in Name Only surrendering to Joe Biden & the radical Left. Order your RINO Hunting Permit today!"
It's not the first time Greitens has pulled out the "big guns" to sell his candidacy while brandishing a weapon. In 2016, the gubernatorial candidate fired a Gatling-style machine gun into a lake under the auspices of taking back Missouri from those with differing views.
But the world has substantially changed in those six years, Mr. Greitens.
We live in a much more polarized society where we seemed to be defined more by our differences than our similarities. Incendiary rhetoric has created a climate where we are more inclined to shout down or strike down those with whom we disagree rather than try to find a common ground.
The imagery Greitens has promoted and defended does nothing but drive the wedge deeper and push us farther apart as Missourians and as Americans.
The ad drew immediate outrage.
"This horrific ad -- suggesting that firearms should be used to hunt human beings with whom he disagrees – debases the right to keep and bear arms, dishonors law enforcement and the military, and is antithetical to conservative pro-life values," Eagle Forum President Kris Ullman said in a news release.
Greitens's response?
Those criticizing the ad are "snowflakes" who are just expressing "faux outrage."
"The idea behind it was very simple," Greitens told a Kansas City radio station. "We just wanted to demonstrate with a sense of humor and with a sense of fun that we are gonna take on RINOs."
Mr. Greitens, enough.
Apologize for the ad and take it down; it was insensitive and could potentially incite violence; the ad is unbefitting of someone who seeks to represent Missouri in the U.S. Senate.
If you can't do that, drop out of the race. We need a senator who is more inclined to build bridges rather than blow them up.
Missouri deserves better.
News Tribune