Condemnation erupts after Biden effigy clothed with 'Let's Go Brandon' T-shirt gets kicked, swatted at Republican fundraiser



Condemnation is raining down after attendees at a Kansas Republican fundraiser were caught on video last week kicking and swatting an effigy of President Joe Biden, the Associated Press reported.

Their target was a mannequin adorned with a Biden mask as well as a "Let's Go Brandon" T-shirt, the outlet said.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Those crazy kids at the Johnson County Republican Party fundraiser in Overland Park weren't gentle with the Biden effigy, either:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

"I think it plays into this idea that this goes beyond just a policy debate, and I think that can be combined with some of [the] language we see used and the demonization on the other side," Matt Harris, a political science professor at Park University, told KMBC-TV. "I think that kind of rhetoric combined with this kind of symbolic behavior can be dangerous."

Mike Kuckelman, former chair of the Kansas Republican Party, is calling for the resignations of both the state and county party chairs, the station said.

"As a lifelong Republican, I was appalled, I was sickened, I was disgusted with it that it could happen," Kuckelman told KMBC. "We can disagree with one another on policy, but we're all fellow human beings, we never resort to violence in our country because we disagree with one another."

The Kansas Republican Party issued the following statement Monday, the station said:

The Johnson County Republican Party hosted a fundraiser on Friday, March 8th. After the event took place, it was brought to the attention of the KSGOP that an outside exhibitor in the karate/self-defense space rented a booth at the event. A disgruntled former member of the state party, who did not attend the event, saw an opportunity to capitalize on the poor judgement of the outside exhibitor. No one from KSGOP leadership or staff attended the event or had input on exhibitors.
It’s unfortunate the events took place, and even more so the former state party member created a false narrative in order to spew rhetoric and capitalize on continued attempts to divide the party.

The Johnson County Republican Party issued the following statement, according to KMBC:

The Johnson County Republican Party’s successful series of events last weekend was tarnished by a brief incident where a mask depicting President Biden was added to an outside exhibitor interactive self-defense display. The mask was regrettable and removed. No one collected or solicited any funds or donations in exchange for hitting the training device.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said, “What may seem like a joke for many will be seen by some as an expansion of acceptable behavior with potentially tragic consequences,” according to the AP.

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, also a Republican from the Wichita area, said that “tasteless displays of violence” don't attract voters, the outlet added.

The AP also reported that Mike Brown, chair of the Kansas GOP, and Maria Holiday, leader of the Johnson County GOP, "distanced themselves" from the incident. The outlet added that Johnson Country has "become bluer since [Donald] Trump's election as president in 2016. It was key to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's victories in 2018 and 2022 and became an area where it was increasingly difficult for GOP statewide candidates to win."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'I really want to piss them off': French President Macron's vulgar 'insult' to unvaccinated people draws condemnation



French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said in regard to unvaccinated people that "I really want to piss them off." His opponents openly condemned his statement as inappropriate language ahead of the presidential election just four months away, Reuters reported.

What are the details?

"The unvaccinated, I really want to piss them off. And so, we're going to continue doing so, until the end. That's the strategy," Macron told newspaper Le Parisien in an interview, Reuters said.

In 2021, France enacted a health pass preventing those lacking a negative PCR test or proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, cafes, and other venues, the outlet noted, adding that French officials want a vaccine passport that only vaccinated people can have.

Macron said he won't "vaccinate by force" the 5 million who haven't received the jabs, but plans on "limiting as much as possible their access to activities in social life," the BBC reported in reference to his interview.

"I won't send [unvaccinated people] to prison," Macron added, according to the BBC. "So we need to tell them, from 15 January, you will no longer be able to go to the restaurant. You will no longer be able to go for a coffee, you will no longer be able to go to the theatre. You will no longer be able to go to the cinema."

The BBC also said Macron "used the vulgar term 'emmerder' to say how he wanted to stir up the unvaccinated." The expression is from the word "merde" (s**t) that can be translated as "to get on their nerves" and is considered "very informal" by the French dictionary Larousse — and its use elicited criticism from Macron's rivals, Reuters reported.

'A president shouldn't say that'

"A president shouldn't say that," conservative leader Marine Le Pen said on Twitter, according to Reuters. "Emmanuel Macron is unworthy of his office."

Republicans candidate Valérie Pécresse said she was incensed that Macron accused unvaccinated people of not being citizens, BBC News said, citing CNews: "You have to accept them as they are — lead them, bring them together, and not insult them."

Another conservative, Bruno Retailleau, told BBC News that "Emmanuel Macron says he has learned to love the French, but it seems he especially likes to despise them."

Reuters said Macron previously has been chastened for off-the-cuff remarks which many in France said were arrogant, cutting, or scornful — and the president on several occasions expressed remorse for his words.

Anything else?

Macron told Le Parisien he "would like to" run for re-election in April, but didn't formally announce his candidacy, Reuters said, which added that he's a "clear favorite in the polls."

Rutgers U. admin caves to leftist mob just one day after condemning antisemitism: 'We sincerely apologize for the hurt that this message has caused'



Just one day after condemning acts of antisemitism in a lengthy letter to the campus community at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the two administrators who signed the initial letter caved to the leftist mob and actually apologized.

What are the details?

In their initial letter Wednesday, Rutgers-New Brunswick Chancellor Christopher J. Molloy and Provost Francine Conway told the campus community they were "saddened by and greatly concerned about the sharp rise in hostile sentiments and anti-Semitic violence in the United States. Recent incidents of hate directed toward Jewish members of our community again remind us of what history has to teach us."

They added that "this recent resurgence of anti-Semitism demands that we again call out and denounce acts of hate and prejudice against members of the Jewish community and any other targeted and oppressed groups on our campus and in our community."

Free Palestine protesters dance on Israeli Flag and Burn it in Midtown, Manhattan youtu.be

The letter also said that "our Student Affairs Office is already working in close partnership with leaders of the Rutgers Jewish community, and meetings have been held with students to assess and respond to their needs. If you are aware of hate incidents on campuses or places that have been made unsafe due to expressed bigotry and other unacceptable and insensitive acts, please report them using the bias reporting system."

Oops

As you might expect, the administrators' letter didn't sit too well with Palestinian-supporting leftists. In particular, Students for Justice in Palestine were none too pleased, saying the very next day on Instagram that they are "deeply concerned" about the statement from Molloy and Conway, which "conveniently ignores the extent to which Palestinians have been brutalized by Israel's occupation and bombing of Gaza."

Caving to the woke mob

Well, Molloy and Conway didn't waste much time — and just one day after their joint condemnation of antisemitism, the pair issued another letter to the campus community titled, "An Apology."

The pair wrote in the letter that their message sent the previous day "fell short" and that "it is clear to us that the message failed to communicate support for our Palestinian community members. We sincerely apologize for the hurt that this message has caused."

The rest of the short note reads:

Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a community that is enriched by our vibrant diversity. However, our diversity must be supported by equity, inclusion, antiracism, and the condemnation of all forms of bigotry and hatred, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. As we grow in our personal and institutional understanding, we will take the lesson learned here to heart, and pledge our commitment to doing better. We will work to regain your trust, and make sure that our communications going forward are much more sensitive and balanced.

Our goal of creating a beloved community will not be easy, and while we may make mistakes along the way; we hope we can all learn from them as we continue this vital work together.

Anything else?

The Anti-Defamation League on Thursday noted that it had seen a 75% spike in antisemitic attacks in America in the last two weeks amid fighting between Israel and Hamas:

New York City and Los Angeles probe anti-semitic attacks youtu.be

(H/T: Daily Caller)