State Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has condemned recent political violence in Tennessee.
He spoke after shots were fired into the home of a gun control activist at College Grove, Tn.
He stated:
Tennessee has suffered through an awful season. We have mourned the murder of six of our own in an incomprehensible attack at The Covenant School. We lost nine soldiers from Fort Campbell in a tragic helicopter crash. And over the weekend, intense storms killed over a dozen Tennesseans, while many more lost their homes.
Though we’ve seen the worst of times recently, many among us have responded with their best. Many Tennesseans stepped up to comfort and support one another. They have walked alongside those in grief. They offered their time, talent, and treasure to support their neighbors.
Unfortunately, some have chosen a different path.
Over the weekend, an unknown assailant fired into the home of a local political activist while his children were sleeping inside. I don’t know him personally, though I know I often disagree with him. Regardless of any differences of opinion, though, as a dad and as an attorney general I cannot tolerate this attack against him and his family.
At the same time, our lawmakers are receiving graphic anonymous death threats. Our participatory democracy is being tested by these escalating acts of political violence. No Tennessean should have to worry about their safety, or the safety of their family, because of the opinions they express. No lawmaker should face injury or death for serving as an elected representative of the people.
Disagreement is a good thing. Democracy depends on disagreement. Each of us has a right, guaranteed by the Constitution, to express our opinions. There are limits on how we express those opinions, and those limits are governed by the legislature, by the courts, and ultimately by the people. That system, the rule of law, is the foundation of our republic. Only by respecting the rule of law and the inherent value of human life can we flourish together despite many differences of opinion.
We have been blessed with the freedom to disagree peacefully. Each and every one of us must work relentlessly to preserve that blessing so we can pass it along to the next generation. No matter how fierce a disagreement is, we need to step back from violence and let our constitutional system work.