Ramping up the prosecution of people who threaten public officials will help stop threats before they happen.
Twenty-two years in to the 21st century, the shame of behaving badly seems to have vanished. Its disappearance has been aided and abetted by unfettered social media sites that fire up anger and inspire threats because of the willingness of their owners to tolerate vile language, anonymous bullying and threats of physical violence from people who have no shame.
Threats delivered in pixels, not in ink or by phone, are still threats. The internet has made lodging threats against public officials easier than ever before in human history, and the threats are piling up.
After the Coeur d’Alene police arrested 31 members of a white nationalist group that had massed to disrupt a LGBTQ pride event, the police reportedly received multiple death threats. They were threatened for doing their job well, protecting their city and serving people who were engaged in a peaceful celebration.
Coeur d’Alene police and Idaho State Police should try to identify the sources of the death threats. Charges should be brought, and the purveyors of those threats should be prosecuted.
It’s a misdemeanor in Idaho to use the phone to annoy, terrify, threaten, intimidate, harass or suggest threats of physical harm. It is punishable by up to one year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine. A second conviction is a felony.
Threats against other local, state and federal officials are also criminal. Last summer, the U.S. Justice Department formed a task force to fight threats of violence against election workers.
Last week, a Nebraska man pleaded guilty to threatening an election official on Instagram. His conviction may bring a sentence of up to two years in prison.
Federal prosecutors are also bringing cases against two other individuals. They are going after a Texas man who allegedly posted a Craigslist message that said it was “time to kill” a government official. They are prosecuting a Nevada man who allegedly told an election official that she was going to die and blamed her for Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election.
The New York Times reported that the Capitol Police counted 9,600 threats against members of Congress last year, a record high. Representatives of every political stripe have recounted receiving chilling threats.
Such threats are difficult to investigate and difficult to prosecute, but they must be pursued. Prosecutions are expensive, but the cost of the damage to public servants and to democracy is incalculable.
The nation cannot afford to let keyboard bullies and telephone terrorists operate without being hit with serious legal consequences. It cannot afford to let the threat of violence determine the outcome of elections, stop government officials from doing their jobs or keep Americans from assembling peacefully.
The nation must not tolerate those who would wield fear as a club to harm the innocent or others with whom they may simply disagree.
Bullies not confronted will bully again. America is bigger than the bullies and must use the strength of its laws to stop them, make public service free from fear and restore peace to the practice of politics.
“Our View” represents the opinion of the newspaper editorial board, which is made up of members of its board of directors. Remarks may be directed to editorialboard@mtexpress.com.
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(2) comments
Convenient how you left out the threat against Supreme Court Justices and the failed assassination attempt against Justice Kavanaugh. Convenient how you left out Garland's DOJ refusing to enforce the LAW against protesting (intimidation) at Justice's homes. Hmmmm. Wonder why you did that?
What the editor gets wrong is that, although the internet has helped the hate, it's the far right religious bigot who have perpetuated the division in the country, who threaten police and judges. As we see today far right conservative have lied their way into our courts and are intent on dismantling the liberal democracy that built this country.
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