Editors at Issues and Insights ponder the larger meaning of a Virginia political controversy.
After it came to light that Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Virginia’s attorney general, had fantasized about killing a political opponent and his children, some were surprised that other Democrats didn’t condemn him.
No one should have been surprised. Because what Jones said is a widely shared belief among Democrats these days.
According to National Review, which broke the explosive Jones story, he told a colleague that “the only way public policy changes is when policymakers feel pain themselves, like the pain that parents feel when they watch their children die from gun violence.” He was referring to a specific Republican state lawmaker and his family.
The reaction among fellow Democrats? Crickets.
If you think that’s scary, consider this:
Over the weekend, the Skeptic Research Center released results of a poll of 3,000 adults asking whether they agreed or disagreed with the statement: “violence is often necessary to create social change.” (Note the similarity between the question and what Jones said.)
What did the poll find? Nearly half of young, liberal, well-educated adults – in other words, the mainstream of the Democratic party these days – condone political violence.
Of “very liberal” respondents, for example, 44% agreed that “violence is often necessary to create social change.” Among Gen Z liberals, the number rose to 49%.
And 40% of those with an advanced degree college condoned political violence, compared with 26% of those with a bachelor’s and 23% of high school graduates.
We’re talking millions upon millions of Democrats who’ve been radicalized to believe that burning buildings, terrorizing neighbors, and killing opponents are reasonable acts.
This adds still more evidence to the pile about the violent tendencies of “peace and love” leftists who now control the Democratic party – something we have been tracking at I&I for years.
