Stalin murdered millions of his countrymen. And except for a pie Matt Taibbi once threw in the face of a New York Times reporter, there’s no evidence that Andrew Breitbart’s posthumous tormentors have violence in their hearts. Still, if recent world history has demonstrated anything, it’s that lack of empathy is a perilous trait to let loose in a pluralistic society.
What are the logical ramifications when the warm-up speaker for a Chicago-area Democratic congressman suggests that the Democratic congresswoman running against him is in league with “Satanic forces”? Or when a Democratic congresswoman from California shrieks at a political rally that the Republican speaker of the House and Republican majority leader are “demons”?
How does one deal with Satanic-inspired demons? By hoping they die, one assumes. Or worse.
Let’s do a thought experiment: It’s late on a warm California night, after a political fundraiser in an affluent Los Angeles neighborhood. Maxine Waters is walking to her car — or perhaps one of the Matts, Taibbi or Yglesias (or anyone who declaimed how ecstatic they were to hear of their opponent’s demise), and one of these people happen upon Andrew Breitbart lying there, fighting for his life. It’s dark. They are alone with an unconscious man. No one will ever know what they decide to do.
Would they administer CPR while quickly calling 911 on their cellphones?
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