Taking a Stand Against Violence

Yesterday, I called on all candidates for the Republican nomination against Tom Perriello to stand against violence and for civility in politics. So far, Laurance Verga, Ken Boyd, and Feda Morton have all stepped up to set a strong example as conservatives who strongly disagree with Tom Perriello and are working to remove him from office, but doing so through the ballot box, not by using the bullet box. The Jefferson Area Tea Party, based in Charlottesville, has also condemned the violence. So have our Governor, Bob McDonnell, and our Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli, have also stood up against this attempt at intimidation. The Roanoke Times has the story.

Gov. Bob McDonnell echoed Perriello's beliefs that any problems with Perriello's performance should be handled at the ballot box.

"I certainly condemn anybody using any acts of vandalism or violence to express their opinion," he said. "That's not the way we do business in Virginia."

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who has a following in the Tea Party movement, called the posting of Perriello's brother's address "appalling."

"I think that is way over the line," he said. "I don't think it's close. It's an appalling approach. It's not civil discourse. It's an invitation to intimidation."

But the NRCC's Andy Sere wants to make sure we don't forget that Tom Perriello isn't the victim.

While his organization doesn't condone such behavior, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Andy Sere said Perriello is not the victim.

"Central and Southside Virginians are the ones who are going to have the bear the burden of increased taxes," he said. "What you're seeing is a frustration among his constituents who believe he's not listening to them."

Yes, Central and Southside Virginians will suffer. But to claim that Perriello isn't the victim, when the lives of his brother and his brother's family are in danger, is deeply offensive. It's just the sort of out of touch and anti-family comment I've come to expect from the jerk who attacked Rick Boucher for missing votes because his mother was on her deathbed.

A day after all of the Charlottesville area candidates managed to come out against threats of violence, where is Robert Hurt? Is Hurt too busy fundraising at the end of the financial quarter to make a statement? Is he too worried about coming out in opposition to the antics of the Danville Tea Party, which have been condemned by the local paper? Is this just how they do things down in Southside? Or maybe Hurt's going to let a spokesman explain everything for us because he's too afraid to do anything on his own?