Disappear, Mr. Jones

Ultimately there are only two ways to persuade people. There is force. And there is reason.

I know which I prefer. And I am pretty sure it is the same one YOU prefer. And it applies to both when I am being persuaded or am the one doing the persuading.

Under the umbrella of reason are common tactics like logic, facts, emotional appeals, flattery, empathetic listening and a thousand other anodyne things.

Under the force umbrella lies some of man’s worst tactics. Coercion, blackmail, disingenuous framing, lies, financial pressure, omissions, misrepresentation and much more. It also includes the darker uses of force...such as the administration of pain and/or discomfort.

Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Attorney General of Virginia, favors force over reason. That fact alone should disqualify him from ANY political office. Hell, it should disqualify him from having authority over any living creature.

But it *uniquely* disqualifies him to be our next Attorney General. That is the Commonwealth’s “Top Cop.” It is a position that, if occupied by a vicious ideologue who sees pain as a legitimate means to make people vote the way he likes, can be used to spread a lot of pain. And lots of discomfort.

Yes, the joke Jones told his colleague in the text message about former House Speaker Todd Gilbert, Hitler and Pol Pot was silly and ignorant. But it was just that. A joke. I’ve seen variations on this a thousand times with different names. It is dark humor, to be sure, but humor nonetheless. And certainly it is humor when it is restricted to a text swap among friends.

But Jones’ other comments are simply indefensible. And more than a little evil.

Cavalierly referring to the two young children of a political opponent as “little fascists” is simply going too far. Again, I am willing to offer a certain amount of grace because of the platform...a private text to a friend. But this crosses the line. Indeed, this was where the recipient of Jones’ texts tells him to cut it out.

Rather than taking the hint, Jones doubled down. He went to the next level when he expressed a desire for the children to die in their mother’s arms. Wow.

I have been VERY angry at people over the course of my six decades on this blue marble. I can say without a doubt that I have NEVER been angry enough at someone to wish something like this. Not just that the kids die...but also that they die in such a manner as to cause the greatest possible amount of anguish to a woman who’s only sin is to be married to one of Jones’ political opponents.

The recipient of the text scolded Jones and ended the conversation. But evidently Jones’ bloodlust had not quite been sated. No, he picked up a phone to call the colleague. In following up on his wish for the kids to die in their mothers’ arms he shared his justification for the wish. It is only when people experience pain that they change their politics.

As the risk of hyperbole, this is the most chilling and evil thing I have ever heard from a modern politician. To a libertarian like me, it is kryptonite...a garlic-soaked crucifix. This is a major-party candidate for a state-wide office saying without equivocation that he PREFERS force to reason to accomplish his political goals. And not just “force” in the abstract...but very personal and painful force. Anguishing levels of pain. The kind of pain one carries for the rest of their lives.

Now...try and imagine the mischief that an Attorney General who favors pain over persuasion could bring to bear in an effort to get people to do what he wants.

Government’s number one job is to secure and protect individual liberties. The foundation of this relationship relies on the basic trust of We the People. Since we cannot monitor the things that occur by the hour in Richmond and Washington we are forced to place a great deal of trust in the people we elected to carry out those duties.

The social contract is broken when someone who wants to deliver pain to half the population is elected to a position where they can most certainly bring the pain. If the social contract is broken, there are no rules and there is no society.

Jay Jones must not be our next Attorney General. If he is, I don’t know what happens next. But I *do* know that his existence as Virginia’s top solicitor will damage our social contract. To what extent, I don’t know.

From a political standpoint, I honestly think Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger would pick up a few votes if she rescinded her endorsement of Jones. They only people who’s votes she is securing with her continued support are people that are going to vote for her anyway. Ceding the AG race because your party unknowingly nominated a monster would win her a lot of centrist votes. Right now a lot of those votes are in the balance, waiting to see if Spanberger is going to be a reliable party toad, or an independent thinker who places Commonwealth over party.

I hope she makes the right choice. That way if she wins, I will at least have a Governor that I can respect, even if I don’t always agree with her politics. That would be a refreshing change.

As for Jones...just leave. Disappear. I would suggest getting professional help to do something about the sociopathic views you have adopted. But I doubt it will make a difference.