It never ceases to amaze me: when Democrats don’t get their way, far too often the response is aggressive rhetoric—or worse, encouragement of confrontation and unrest.

Take, for example, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY). On March 4, 2020, while speaking at a rally outside the Supreme Court during arguments in the June Medical Services v. Russo abortion case, he stated:

“I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”

Naturally, we’re told that wasn’t a call to violence. But imagine if a Republican had made such a statement toward liberal justices. The media and political backlash would’ve been relentless.

And Schumer’s words are hardly an isolated case. Here are several other examples of Democratic leaders engaging in rhetoric that could reasonably be interpreted as inciting or encouraging unrest:

• Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) (2018):
  “If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store … you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them.”
• Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) (2020):
  “There needs to be unrest in the streets for as long as there’s unrest in our lives.”
• Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO):
  Known for her repeated calls for “revolution” and to defund the police—messaging that has fueled deep divisions and unrest in many cities.
• Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-IL):
  His call for mass protests in Illinois during periods of civil tension could certainly be construed as encouragement of disruption, if not violence.
• Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and James Clapper:
  Warned of “widespread civil unrest” and a “firestorm in the streets” if Special Counsel Mueller were to be fired.
• Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA):
  “When you’re in the arena, you have to be ready to take a punch, and you have to be ready to throw a punch.”
• Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT):
  “To take on Trump, you have to punch him in the face.”

In sharp contrast, on January 6, 2021, during his speech at the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., Donald Trump said:

“I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

That sentence—emphasizing peace and patriotism—was the line used to justify impeaching a sitting president for inciting an insurrection.

So, I think I finally understand. According to the modern Democratic playbook, “peaceful protest” seems to mean throwing bricks at police officers, burning buildings, looting small businesses, and tearing apart cities—all while being defended by political allies and media talking heads.

I’m a 67-year-old man—my body creaks more than our office chairs, and while I may not personally suffer the long-term consequences of today’s political and social unrest, I worry deeply for my children and grandchildren. I fear they’ll be fighting this dangerous wave of lawlessness and political gamesmanship for years to come.

I still dream of a time when we can return to doing what’s best for the country—not just what’s best for our party or our next re-election campaign. The American people deserve better. Our children deserve better.