The Free Press, Mankato, MN

January 8, 2010

Your View: Bachmann, Quist’s remarks go too far

Richard Robbins, Mankato

It’s bad enough U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann encourages citizens to stand “armed and dangerous” in the face of President Obama’s attempts to bring reform to health care and other areas.

Now her mentor, Allen Quist, in a recent nationally broadcast video, suggests our president and Rep. Tim Walz are more dangerous than terrorists and should be “taken out.”

I have no doubt Bachmann and Quist love the freedom they defend, and I have no doubt that, were they tested on it, they could discern the difference between the “tyranny” of America’s current democratically elected regime (where their party was trounced) and the tyranny of Pol Pot, Augusto Pinochet or others.

Their current statements, though, have no place in adult public discourse. Their words are flames waiting to light a disturbed person’s fuse.