Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney faced another “glitter” assault yesterday in Colorado, having suffered one at an earlier event awhile back, and so have all of the GOP Presidential candidates.
Those arrested or detained for such incidents claim outrage at the candidates’ views on gay rights, or health care, or whatever.
There is NO acceptable excuse for such assaults, and they are also dangerous!
By being assaulted in such a manner, it can make the candidate and his aides change direction and possibly run into a planned deadly assault elsewhere. It comes to mind that a decision to change direction in 1968, even without an assault, led Senator Robert K. Kennedy into the kitchen at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles and his assassination.
The Secret Service and private security have enough to deal with as it is. They do not need reckless, inconsiderate, disrespectful people to claim freedom of speech as they commit their aggression on a political candidate or leader.
Such events should lead to prosecution as an example to convince others to stop considering such actions. As it is, this particular person in Colorado yesterday will face fines, a possible jail term, possible expulsion from his university, and possible ruination of his name and reputation when he needs to go out to the work world. This is personally destructive behavior that can have long range implications not only for the person involved in the assault, but also possible harm to someone who has every right to seek the Presidency in safety!