I really did screw up my sleep schedule tonight with this thread and this story but this is some history that we can all learn from. I do want to show a lot of respect to this article written by the Billings Gazette and I hope that the advice is taken:
Gazette opinion: We're pulling our endorsement of Greg Gianforte
We also hope that other longer-term lessons can be realized from this bizarre, deplorable scuffle.
First, we hope that Republican party members and leaders call this for what it appears to be, an inexcusable act. We hope that partisan politics has not eroded our decency to the point where leaders and supporters feel the need to defend the indefensible.
Speaking of which, the Gianforte campaign should be appalled by its statement that would seem to justify the fight when it said the Bozeman Republican had tussled with a "liberal journalist." How would the campaign have known the reporter's political beliefs? And, is it suggesting that it's acceptable to put your hands on a reporter if you believe their political views are different from yours?
We also hope that this incident will cause us to take a long look in the mirror and a few deep breaths. This incident is not Montana. It's not America. It's not who we are, and attacking — literally — those with whom we disagree cannot be justified, tolerated or explained away. We must adopt zero tolerance for such behavior if freedom of expression means anything.
After voting, we'd suggest that residents in and around Billings attend the gathering at the Billings Public Library, "Civility in America" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday. It appears that we all need a refresher course on it.
We believe that you cannot love America, love the Constitution, talk about the importance of a free press and then pummel a reporter.
Beyond that, if Gianforte didn't have the good and common sense to simply walk away from questions he didn't like, we cannot believe he's going to be able to make much more difficult, complex decisions when he's in Congress.
In no way would we want our readers or our community to believe we stood behind what appears to be an assault or an attack.
KUDOS to these journalists for this article.