A Democratic senator is issuing a “call to arms” in response to the pro-life movement.
During a speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) accused pro-life advocates of conducting an attack on women.
“Talk about government overreach. When I hear my colleagues talking about how it should be states’ rights or government should not be telling us what to do, the word ‘hypocrites,’ it doesn’t even go far enough to call them out on what they’re doing,” Hirono said.
She continued, “This is an outright attack on women in this country. That is how I see it. That is how more and more women and those who support our right to make decisions about our own bodies, that is how we see it. And why? Because that’s what is happening.”
Finally, the Democratic senator wrapped up her remarks by stating, “This is literally a call to arms in our country.”
Watch the video below:
Sen. @maziehirono: Fighting the pro-life movement "is literally a call to arms in our country." pic.twitter.com/JCtAwMpzE1
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 14, 2022
Hirono’s comments come as President Joe Biden has warned about so-called “MAGA Republicans” who he says pose a threat to democracy.
Biden described that group as Americans who do not accept election results, but also “embrace political violence.”
But amid concerns about political violence, several prominent Democrats have been rather loose with their language.
In May, after a leaked draft Supreme Court opinion signaled that the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade would be overturned, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tweeted, “To my friends in the LGBTQ+ community—the Supreme Court is coming for us next.”
“This moment has to be a call to arms,” she continued.
The mayor added, “We will not surrender our rights without a fight — a fight to victory!”
We will not surrender our rights without a fight—a fight to victory!
— Lori Lightfoot (@LoriLightfoot) May 10, 2022
And earlier this week, Democratic Ohio Senate candidate Tim Ryan told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that he would be willing to work with Republicans but “not the extremists that we’re dealing with every single day.”
“We’ve got to kill and confront that movement,” he added.
Politicians using fiery language to energize their base is nothing new, and it’s not good to blame any potential violence that follows on the speakers — especially when they are not using clear, specific calls to violence. Perpetrators of violence are ultimately responsible for their actions and how they interpret the language of the speakers.
But at a time when tensions are high, and there are concerns about political violence, using terms like “kill” or “literally a call to arms” to advance a certain policy is not wise or helpful when it comes to bringing down the temperature in the country.
