A violent protest in Asheville, North Carolina, on Wednesday night resulted in serious injuries to bystanders and a brain injury to a journalist who works for SKYline News, a local outlet. Chad Nesbitt, a personal friend of mine, routinely puts his health and well-being on the line to bring factual news about real issues to the people of western North Carolina.
Late in the evening, a violent mob surrounded Chad and assaulted him, leading to a serious traumatic brain injury that may impact him for the rest of his life. The mob assaulted him for one reason: They disagreed with him. Left-wing agitators have come to Asheville with politics in their left fist and violence in their right. Enough is enough.
Sadly, these violent acts are becoming more common, especially in many Democrat-controlled cities. As cries to defund or abolish the police have risen in cities like Asheville, public order and safety have fallen. On the same night Chad was injured, two police officers were shot by members of Antifa in Louisville, Kentucky.
In North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District (NC-11), which I am running to represent in Congress, the Left has pushed protesters to violence. Moe Davis, the Democrat in this race, has called for the necks of his opponents to be crushed, for them to be beaten with makeshift weapons, for their voices to be silenced. Last night, militant groups in NC-11 answered his call as they targeted the head of a SKYline News reporter. My opponent claims he needs to use violent rhetoric to get media attention. Apparently, he isn’t confident that his ideas will garner public interest and support unless he panders to the violent mob.
Despite tweeting more than 90,000 times, Moe Davis is noticeably silent today on what happened in Asheville on Wednesday night. My opponent, a former military officer who is too worried about losing votes from his liberal Democrat base in Asheville, lacks the courage to break with them and openly condemn this violence from his followers.
Every military officer, whether they served in combat or were a lawyer like my opponent, swears an oath to defend the Constitution, which was written to give us the privilege of resolving our differences peacefully. That freedom has come at a high cost throughout our history. When a military officer encourages unrest, they disrespect our flag, the Constitution, and the men and women who fought and died to protect it.
Since June 1, the Asheville Police Department has reported a surge in resignations, amounting to one out of every 10 police officers quitting the force. This is outrageous, unacceptable, and unsustainable. Irish statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke, who faced significant public unrest and large-scale riots in the 1770s, put it well: “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”
To my opponent, I say denounce your divisive and violent rhetoric, stand with our officers who uphold the law, and tell the members of Antifa from your campaign staff and supporters that you will no longer cheerlead their barbarism with profane calls for violence.
To the people of NC-11 and North Carolina, I ask that you join me in praying for the swift recovery of Chad Nesbitt and a quick end to the violence that engulfs our nation.
Madison Cawthorn is the Republican congressional candidate for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.