Selective outrage

EDITOR:

I’m writing in response to Congressman McClintock’s recent column in the Mountain Democrat. I appreciate that he voted to defend free speech — that’s something every American should stand behind. But freedom loses its meaning when it’s used to excuse selective outrage. His focus on “leftist violence,” as if unrest and extremism exist only on one side, ignores reality and only serves to sow division in our community when we most need to come together.

While violence has surfaced at times across the spectrum, the data tell a clearer story: far more incidents in recent years have come from right-wing extremists, according to law-enforcement data and independent research. The point isn’t to keep score; it’s that violence from any direction is wrong. Congressman McClintock’s repeated