Schumer: Calling for Harassment of Political Opponents ‘Not Right’ ‘Not American’

During a speech on the Senate floor on Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated, “no one should call for the harassment of political opponents. That’s not right. that’s not American.”

Schumer said, “In a country as large and diverse as ours, politics has always been a noisy, raucous affair, probably even more so today. That’s okay. But we all have to remember to treat our fellow Americans, all of our fellow Americans, with the kind of civility and respect we expect will be afforded to us.”

He continued, “I strongly disagree with those who advocate harassing folks if they don’t agree with you. If you disagree with someone or something, stand up, make your voice heard, explain why you think they’re wrong, and why you’re right, make the argument, protest peacefully. If you disagree with a politician, organize your fellow citizens to action and vote them out of office. But no one should call for the harassment of political opponents. That’s not right. That’s not American.”

Schumer concluded, “Now, I understand those who look at the conduct of this president, a man who habitually engages in bullying, name-calling, slander, and nastiness for its own sake and think we have to fight fire with fire. I know. I’ve felt those emotions myself. I think we all do. I understand those who are outraged at the hypocrisy of this president when he complains about bullying, harassment, and nastiness when it’s used against him or his allies and he uses it as a regular tool almost every day. I’m outraged by that hypocrisy, the double standard that we seem to let this president get away with. But the president’s tactics and behavior should never be emulated. It should be repudiated by organized, well-informed, and passionate advocacy. … To opponents of the president’s policies, the best way to limit what he can do, to show that America is not as coarse, as mean, as hypocritical as his behavior suggests, the best solution is to win elections. That is a far more productive way to channel the legitimate frustrations with this president’s policies than harassing members of his administration.”

(h/t Mediaite)

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett