The Hornet's Nest

As reasonable people, we liberals should (and generally do) condemn actions like Kathy Griffin's phony "beheaded Trump" prank and Johnny Depp's comment about "actors assassinating presidents." But let's cut through the self-righteous outrage from the Right. The White House's official statement evokes 1984-style newspeak with its claims that "the president has always and continues to abhor violence in all its forms." I guess they've all forgotten about Trump urging supporters at his rallies to assault protestors, promising them, "I'll pay your legal bills." (Probably the way he paid his contractors - i.e. never.) Or the the time he suggested that, if Hillary were exonerated, there might be a "Second Amendment solution." Fox News, now fuming that "left wing violence must be contained," has conveniently misplaced all its footage of Trump encouraging violence before the election.

And what of the Staten Island Republican Congressman who threatened to beat a reporter "like a little boy," or the Montana Republican Congressman who actually did physically assault a reporter -- just before Republican voters enthusiastically elected him?

The fact is that the Right is like the bratty kid who keeps poking the hornet's nest with a stick to see how mad the insects get, only to cry in outrage when they sting him. They love it when their side sounds "tough" and "intimidating" -- but they don't like it one bit when the other side says "enough!" and fights back.

Bullying always stems from a deep-seated fear of inadequacy. We now have the most inadequate administration - and Congress - in our history. As they say, do the math.