Some people frustrated with Elon Musk and his involvement in the federal government are taking out their frustrations on his company Tesla.
In turn, some Tesla owners, like David Koeshall, are receiving hate from others for their vehicles.
Koeshall's Cybertruck was parked outside of La Brioche True Food on University Avenue in Madison. In a video captured by the truck's built-in cameras, a man rode his bike up next to the truck, stopped, and spit on it.
"It was disturbing," said Koeshall. "I felt violated, maybe a little threatened."
Koeshall said he was prompted to turn on the Cybertruck's cameras after receiving a note on his windshield prior to the spitting incident.
The note read 'Nice Elon Truck, Loser."
"I thought if someone's going to come at me and touch my truck and leave a note, then maybe I should have the cameras to record who it is," said Koeshall.
No individual in America or any other democracy should live in fear of retaliation for whom they vote, what they buy, or how they support their political party. In a democracy, particularly in America—which has been an exemplar of democratic principles—such incidents should not occur.
It is unfortunate that today in America, violence and bullying—whether online or in real life—are often considered acceptable if they align with one's political ideology. However, when such actions are carried out by the opposing side, they are deemed despicable and unlawful. When individuals cannot justify their side's actions, they frequently resort to whataboutism.
If someone disagrees with the practices of Elon Musk, they can choose not to purchase products from his companies. Similarly, if someone disapproves of Jeff Bezos' actions, they can decide not to subscribe to Amazon Prime. However, individuals have no legal right to stop others for exercising their choice to buy products they prefer, regardless of who is selling them.
Political attacks have existed since the beginning of our republic. However, there is a consensus that the situation is deteriorating with each passing year and election. Both sides recognize that politics is becoming increasingly negative, but unfortunately, there is a tendency to blame the other side.
In 2009, President Obama criticized a police officer, calling him "stupid" without knowing all the details. He later apologized and held a "beer summit" with the officer and Dr. Gates. The American Right condemned Obama for bullying a citizen, while the Left argued he was addressing broader societal issues.
On another occasion, President Obama made a negative remark about participants of the Special Olympics. The American Right criticized President Obama for this comment, arguing that the President should not make jokes about individuals with disabilities. Conversely, some supporters of President Obama on the American Left suggested that it was just a joke and questioned why it was taken so seriously.
By 2015, the situation had deteriorated. Candidate Trump referred to sitting U.S. Senators as "Little Marco" or "Lyin' Ted". His supporters argued that this was simply Trump's manner of speaking and suggested that those who disapproved should accept it as his style of communication.
During President Trump's first term, comedian Kathy Griffin controversially held up an offensive image of him. Conservatives rightfully condemned Griffin's actions, while some on the left attempted to justify them through "whataboutism."
During his first term, President Trump frequently criticized private citizens, including Fortune 500 CEOs, politicians, and journalists. The left expressed outrage, while the right defended him as a straight talker.
Our behavior has consequences, especially for political leaders, celebrities, elected officials, and journalists. One example of this is when President Trump criticized private citizen Ruby Freeman. As a result, Ruby and her daughter had to move from their home due to receiving death threats.
Violence and bullying have no place in our society, yet we often justify these behaviors when they come from our side while condemning them from others. We know what is right and wrong but tend to ignore it when it suits us.
To move beyond political deterioration and restore civility in politics, it is essential to condemn violence and inappropriate behavior, regardless of the perpetrator.
May be we should take a lesson from the sermon on the mount and practice it in our everyday lives
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
