Washington Examiner reporter Molly Parks covers Rep. Jason Crow’s release of a compilation of violent threats he says flooded in after Donald Trump called Democrats “seditious” and invoked the death penalty. The story details Trump’s Truth Social post, Crow’s audio file of threats, and broader reactions to escalating rhetoric.
Per the report, Crow was one of six Democratic veterans who recorded a video urging service members to refuse illegal orders. Trump answered with “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” and later told Fox News he was not threatening them but said they were in serious trouble. Crow’s audio features callers wishing death on him and his family, which he condemned while calling on Americans to reject political violence.
The Bullet Point Brief
- Crow posted a stitched audio of graphic threats he says arrived after Trump’s post. That is evidence of rhetoric turning into ugly behavior.
- The spark: a Dem-veterans video telling troops to refuse illegal orders. Illegal is a legal word, not a vibes word. Precision matters.
- Trump blasted them as seditious and referenced the death penalty. Even with caveats, that phrasing pours gasoline on a brushfire.
- Crow’s compilation includes callers praying for family harm. That is depravity, not discourse. Zero passes for that.
- Net takeaway: politics is playing with matches in a dry field. Leaders should grab water, not more torches.
My Bottom Line
We have to dial it back. Both sides. To quote Stripes, lighten up, Francis. I abhor Crow’s words encouraging disobedience. Military members should not disobey orders. Period. If an order is unlawful, there are legal channels to challenge it inside the system. That is how a disciplined force remains a disciplined force.
I honor Crow’s service. I have met him and find him decent and honorable. I also fully disagree with him on most issues. That is allowed in America. What is not allowed is violence. Threats against him or his family are grotesque. Full stop. If your politics requires terrorizing other people, your politics is broken.
So here is the way forward. Let the strength of ideas do the fighting. No hero worship. No death fantasies. See the folks you disagree with as image bearers of God. Because they are. If we cannot do that, the fire keeps spreading, and we all get burned.
Source: Washington Examiner
