Chairmen of Alachua County Republican and Democrat Parties give joint press conference to condemn political violence
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Today, the Chairmen of the Alachua County Republican and Democrat Parties gave a joint press conference to condemn political violence.
In a prepared statement, ACDEC Chair Harrison Scoville said, “The Alachua County Democratic Executive Committee absolutely condemns all acts of political violence. There’s no place for that in our society… Although political times are tense right now, we need to learn to disagree with each other but not hate each other. We need to learn to disagree civilly, and the best place to do that is at the ballot box.”
In ACREC Chair Tim Marden’s prepared statement, he said he was keeping the family of Corey Comperatore, the man who was killed at former President Trump’s rally yesterday, in his thoughts and prayers: “His reported act of heroism, covering up his family, is one of valor and should be celebrated, and we should also keep the other two victims, who are reportedly still in the hospital, in our thoughts and prayers as well.”
Marden continued, “Like many in our community, I’m deeply saddened by the events from last night at President Trump’s rally. There is no place for political violence in our civil society whatsoever. Though we have political differences, they will not be solved like this. We need to be able to speak with passion and not poison. We need to be able to act with compassion, not conflict, and we can be engaged without being enraged. I’m grateful to be aligned with Harrison Scoville on this position.”
Marden said the incident had been “a wake-up call for me, personally, to think twice about what I’m saying, for fear that it could be potentially taken out of context. Today, Harrison and I have come before you, showing leadership to our respective parties and our greater community at large, condemning all kinds of violence and promoting what we believe is just a civil political discourse. May our community together come together today and see this as a symbol of what good can happen and how we can be example to others as well. My heart goes out to President Trump and to his family, and I wish them all a speedy recovery at this time, as well as all the other victims that are involved here.”
love thy neighbor as thyself
I don’t believe one word from a demonrats mouth. The Democrat party is the party of Jim Crow, division, KKK, slavery, segregation, oppression, hate, violence, assassinations, war, lies, and racism.
You are also part of the problem. You need to marinade on what Evil Won’t Win wrote above.
They stole the election and now tried to assassinate him… hard to love that kind of neighbor.
Will they burn their cities and riot & loot when he gets elected this time?
Wow! You’ve already solved the crime Sherlock?
Best let the people trained complete the task at hand before you start Monday morning quarterbacking.
The shooter was a registered Republican. The election wasn’t stolen.
It’s amazing how a bunch of OTHER Republicans running for office in 2020 won their seats yet Trump lost. Why wouldn’t the Democrats steal all the seats if they could?
(Don’t bother trying to answer that question because you clearly lack critical thinking skills, which is why Trump is your guy.)
Registration doesn’t mean squat! I’m a registered democrat, I wouldn’t vote for a democrat if the consequences were death!
You limits have missed where he donated to progressive garbage!
Must, not limits
He donated $15 in 2021 when he was 17. He registered as a Republican after that.
If a pimply face untrained-at-anything kid can just walk right up to a secret service protected event with a rifle, climb on top of a nearby building without interference, and place easy short & straight shots; then, Biden directed Secret Service was woefully understaffed or didn’t even try for real protection. Intentional? Dems tried to pull his protection a month or so ago and until the day before refused requests for additional agents. While maybe not planned by top dems, putting Trump at risk was definitely intentional by top dems.
It looks like another MK-Ultra mental illness exploit case. 👹👿CIA
Security 101 is having someone up on the roof where that shooter was…there’s a video of people saying there’s a guy on the roof and told police…there was plenty
Of time to stop that shooter..
What did Biden say about his neighbor Trump and a target after that debate?
And this kind of mentality is why our country is getting more divided.
You are not a Republican. You are a member of the party of Hate that includes members of both parties who swallow the lies of the far right and far left without applying critical thinking skills.
I am a republican and I speak truth about the democrat party. And I don’t hate democrat people I just despise their policies.
I’m a Republican, and it’s not a party of Hate. It’s a party of different beliefs than the Democrats. Democrats spin that to “hate”. Just because we are opposed to an ideology doesn’t make us haters. Soooooo tiring!
The thing I’m trying to square with is, how is it today’s Republican always want to honor the Democrats that supported Jim Crow, KKK founders and leaders. Why so many Republicans wear and wave the Democrat Confederate flag, fight to keep KKK leaders names on schools and other buildings, keep statues up honoring Democrats who advocated for slavery, segregation, etc. History teaches us, that there was a time that Republicans fought hard against those hateful Democrat Southerners. What happen to the original Radical Republicans? Why aren’t the current Republicans standing on those principles? Why are current Republicans naming February Democrat Confederate Pride month??
Buddy took ‘chairman’ to the next level.
Political violence has been going on since 2300 BCE when the Egyptian Pharaohs were killing each other to take power. It’s never going to stop unless people stop trying to impose their will on others and instead start compromising.
Don’t come into my yard and steal my Trump sign!
Unfortunely it took Trump and two others to be injuried a local PA. Fire Chief to lose his life. No matter what your political views are you should be outraged about an assassination attempt on a US president former or current. We are not some third world country that politics are controlled by coups and assassinations. It is unfortune that even the day after you still had liberals, and Democrats attempting to cast this as a non event, blaming Republicans for this, and posting nasty vile posts on line. Even the current president spoke about unity but refused to attempt his own words as recent as this past week demonstrated DJT as a racist and threat to the country. Yes everyone need to take a breath including myself. But because of local views I can’t wear a red hat, put a bumper sticker on my car, or even say the word Trump in public without being insulted, threatened with assault, or worrying about vandalism to my car. I look forward to the day I can freely Express my views but until then I will speak my mind.
Democrats said it was a false flag, planned by Trump and etc. Republicans said it was Biden and etc. Both are wrong.
It’s mental illness and hate that brought that idiot shooter to the event, possibly motivated by suicide by cop, wanting to go out in a blaze of glory.
NUMBER #1: PRIVATE CORPORATIONS DO NOT TELL ME WHAT TO THINK, SAY OR ACCEPT. WE THE PEOPLE HAVE OUR OWN MIND, SPEAK AND MORALS. THE Democratic Party, LIBERTARIAN, INDEPENDENTS AND RINOS HAVE LET THIS COUNTRY GO TO CHIT. WHEN VIOLENCE IS THE ANSWER, STAND YOUR GROUND AND FIGHT FOR YOUR LIBERTIES, RIGHTS AND PRIVLEDGES. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND PATRIOTIC AMERICANS; LONG LIVE PRESIDENT DONALD JOHN TRUMP. ITS TIME TO GATHER AT THE LIBERTY TREE. IMPEACH THE INFIDELS, TRAITORS, ANTI-AMERICANS, SOC-COM HOLDING OFFICE. RESTORE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC AND STAND UP FOR YOUR LIFE, LIBERTY AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
Just looking at the photo, can you tell which one is which?
The fat bald slob slouching on the right gotta be the dem guy.
Is political violence a problem in America? Yes, though the acts of one 20 year is not a reasonable guage of how serious. Given that lone wolf assassins have popped up at various times across our history, except for the 1860s and 1960s these incidents reflected political conflict but not excessive levels (Lincoln’s assassination was a conspiracy involving politically driven members, not mental patients while the 2 Kennedys and MLK – probably lone wolves – occurred during a period of serious civil unrest and an unpopular war ).
What should be more concerning are movements by multiple groups who advocate or practice personally hostile acts like doxing, hype up we/them differences with violence as the cure, and making it easy for lone wolf maniacs who shoot up schools to purchase military weapons.
To the welcome announcement from the 2 local chairs, it should be added that Americans differ less today on the big issues we face than at any time in our history, except for maybe during WWII when national unity was so strong. Though racism persists in relatively limited doses, virtually no one believes in segregation anymore (and they certainly did in the 1960s) and we twice elected by popular vote a black president, communism and it’s advocates are gone (even China is now a capitalist/dictator nation with powerful and rich oligarchies who don’t carry Mao’s book or claim to swim the Yangtze), and virtually all Americans support SS and Medicare, and some form of health insurance for all. The most contentious subjects – guns, abortion, and immigration – have large majorities favoring one side or the other.
So, what’s the problem differentiating our times from others and making it seem like we are on the edge of civil war over nothing – hyping the relatively small problems by various hucksters on cable news, the internet, and politicians who specialize in divisiveness. These are cultural problems, not political ones and one hopes modern Americans catch on and adjust to this nonsense from an over abundance of questionable sources as we over time realize who is benefitting from this, what sources have a reputation for truth not hype, and that somebody’s uncle in a podcast probably doesn’t have the straight dope on what is going on. Keep in mind that unlike the real Civil War, almost every state has at least a 40% minority not in agreement on issues with the 60% who may want to secede. Many of those 40% are good friends with the 60% and may know nothing of their differences and how inconsequential they actually are. Anyone really think they will take up arms against each other over waiting periods or immigration which Congress has not addressed since Reagan, not because it’s intractable, but because they prefer to milk it politically.
For myself, I personally do not understand how decent people – and there are millions of them and many who I work with and respect and am friends with – can support Trump. It seems that their basic human ability to detect dishonest self serving conmen – is disabled – did I mention also, a spoiled billionaire who abuses women and has obvious rip off businesses selling steaks and college degrees . Bad as that is for them and the country, I still don’t hate them, or think I can’t live them. I do and quite well. Maybe the fever will break.
Kudos to our 2 local major party leaders for trying to cool down the temperature. We can and will work this out.
Plain & simple…jazzhole is jealous of Trump.
Apparently, “It seems that their basic human ability to detect dishonest self serving conmen – is disabled,” goes both ways.
You were doing well, right up until that point; then your animosity came out.
I’ll help stir the pot…the majority of assassinations/ attempts have been directed at Republican party members. Wonder who hates who the most?
Nobody is going to read all of your drivel. If the crazy old demented man you support had put someone competent in charge of the Secret Service, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Thank you for covering the presser.