United States Senator Tim Kaine has finally come around.
In the immediate aftermath of Charlottesville’s August 12 “Unite the Right” rally, Kaine was repeatedly critical of President Trump’s “unwillingness” to condemn “white supremacists.” And, the Senator publicly mocked the President’s statement attributing the violence to “many sides”:
“…when this white supremacist drives a car into a crowd of people killing Heather Heyer and injuring scores more and the president says, ‘There’s fine people on both sides,’ or, ‘There’s violence on both sides.”
“Why is he so confused and unclear and unwilling to call out the violent white supremacy that was on such gruesome display in my home state?”
Now, in response to a constituent letter, Mr. Kaine has finally and directly condemned Antifa, a component of Charlottesville’s other “side” (as referenced by Trump):
I condemn all violence at any political demonstration, including any violent activities by members of Antifa. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects our freedom of speech, press, assembly, petition, and religion, but it does not protect violence or intimidating others into forfeiting their rights. [emphasis added]
While accusing the President of suffering from “confusion,” Kaine himself seems confused, as he has recently denied Antifa’s role in Charlottesville’s violence. When queried by the Daily Caller as to why Antifa was not included in a Congressional resolution condemning “hate groups,” Kaine responded:
“Because that [Antifa] wasn’t really the issue in Charlottesville at all.”
Kaine’s conflicted ambivalence regarding Antifa may stem from the arrest of his son, Linwood “Woody” Kaine, following a March 4, 2017 rally in support of President Trump at the Minneapolis Capitol. “Woody” was part of a group of “political terrorists,” dressed in black and wearing masks—hallmarks of Antifa—who violently disrupted the event.
Known and admired by American socialists for his Marxist-inspired ideology, Kaine may take heat for calling-out Antifa by name. But in light of rapidly metastasizing anarcho-leftist political violence across the United States, political winds may have dictated his concession.
Rob Schilling is the host of The Schilling Show Radio Program on 1070 AM and 98.9 FM WINA.
