Our toxic civil and political discourse

Has it really come to this, even here in Wyoming – spiteful, hate-filled words spewing from the mouths or keyboards of those opposed to a particular political action or position?

We first noticed an increase in nasty rhetoric last year during Governor Mark Gordon’s weekly COVID-19 news conferences. On the news conference Facebook feeds, so called interested citizens launched malicious broadsides against the governor, who was trying his best to walk the line between public health officials who wanted to shut everything down in the name of safety and people who fought every restriction tooth and nail.

Many of the distasteful comments came from a couple of north Big Horn County residents. The comments were terrible, and embarrassing. It’s amazing what a person will write on a computer when he doesn’t have to say the vicious words directly to the person he’s assaulting.

You may not agree with every decision he makes, but Governor Gordon is a kind and honorable man who didn’t deserve the hateful bombs fired at him.

Fast forward to this month. A little more than a week ago, a Park County Republican committeeman wrote a vulgar, spiteful email to Sen. Tara Nethercott of Cheyenne in which he stated that, if he was “as despicable a person as you, I would kill myself.”

And that was just the beginning of what was, in essence, an assault.

The GOP official, Troy Bray, was critical of Senator Nethercott’s handling, as chairwoman of the Senate

Judiciary Committee, of a bill that would have prohibited the state from requiring COVID-19 vaccines. The bill died on a 4-1 vote in committee during the 2021 legislative session.

Bray continued: “You have never been my favorite person, but you have made a lasting enemy of me with these actions. Your shortsightedness and ignorance are astounding, and only your moral turpitude can compete with them as your defining character feature.”

Then it got worse.

“If I were as despicable a person as you, I would kill myself to rid the world of myself. You sicken me. Thank you for ensuring that the people of Wyoming are subjected to tyranny once again. F--- YOU C---” the email concluded, using a vulgar term for women’s anatomy.

That kind of rhetoric has absolutely no place in politics or anywhere else. It is sickening.

And if you think it’s an isolated case, state senator Anthony Bouchard of Cheyenne, who is running for the U.S. House, posted a meme on his campaign Facebook page recently suggesting that White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci be executed.

“After prosecution, the chair, the gallows, or lethal injection?” Bouchard wrote in the Facebook post, which was accompanied by an image of Dr. Fauci superimposed over a hanging noose. He took down the post, but a campaign spokeswoman later said he had no regrets.

Of course, Bouchard’s post was hyperbole, but it’s typical of how toxic politics has become.

In Buffalo, a pickup truck has been driving around the community flying a flag that states “F*** Biden” and, in smaller letters, F*** you for voting for him.” (Spelling out the words, of course.) The truck even drives around local schools in Buffalo, including the elementary school, which prompted Buffalo Bulletin editor/publisher Robb Hicks to pen an editorial stating that, while the messaging on the flag is considered free speech, it is “offensive and vulgar.” Hicks asked his readers, “What would your mom think?”

Of course, both political parties are guilty of this kind of rhetoric and intimidation. That doesn’t make it right. There’s plenty of blame to go around.

Our political and civil discourse in 2021 has become coarse, aggressive, abusive and hateful. Is this the nation founded on Christian principles as so many of us believe? If so, millions of Americans, even right here in Wyoming, are not practicing the golden rule.

It’s more a case of, let’s unify, as long as you come over to my side, and if not, you’re a no good %& $#%$@&. Think about it.