When former Attorney General to Barack Obama, Eric Holder, told everyone to stop with the faux-outrage over his bastardization of Michelle Obama’s “when they go low, we go high” quote into a version that involves the words “kick them,” I guessed that Rep. Steve Scalice would have something to say about the consequences of such speech.

I'm sure @SteveScalise and @RandPaul may have some things to say about unintended consequences. https://t.co/NzV5CprezS

— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) October 11, 2018

And I was right. In a Fox News piece, Scalice tackled the issue of the Democrats calls for incivility and the effects of what they’re urging on. Noting that he himself came very close to death after being shot by a crazed Bernie Sanders supporter, Scalise noted that death threats against members of the right aren’t at all uncommon, and gives a sizeable list for proof.

• Ashley Kavanaugh, Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s wife and his daughters received multiple credible threats.

• Dana Loesch, NRA spokeswoman, received death threats against her children on Twitter.

• Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., received such a threatening phone call that the man has now been indicted.

• Jamie Gardner, wife of Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., wife, received a text of a beheading after the vote to confirm Justice Kavanaugh.

• Several Republican Senators had their personal information, including home addresses, posted to Wikipedia for threatening purposes by a Democrat House staffer.

• Congressman Clay Higgins (R-La.) received threatening phone calls that led to a man’s arrest.

• Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kent., and his wife Kelly Paul have both received credible threats that have led to arrests.

• Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his wife, as well as White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders, were chased out of restaurants.

• Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was confronted by protesters and harassed out of a DC restaurant.

• Rudy Peters, a Republican California Congressional candidate, was nearly stabbed while campaigning.

• My office has continued to receive threats against my life that have led to arrests.

• A female pro-life activist was violently assaulted by a man that has now been found guilty of eight counts of assault for this and similar incidents.

Scalise noted that this isn’t even the full list, just examples that have come about recently. He goes on to point out that instead of Democrats pulling back on the kind of rhetoric that influences this kind of behavior, they’ve seemed to have doubled down on it. Scalise says that while he and others might stand against this violence, it must truly start with Democratic leaders ceasing to promote it.

As a survivor of a politically motivated attack, it is tragic to think this is an acceptable state of political discourse in our country. I refuse to stand for this and I will continue to call for an end to it. A healthy, strong democracy is not possible if anyone lives in fear of expressing their views.

If this is going to stop, it must start with Democratic leaders, who need to condemn, rather than promote these dangerous calls to action.

In America, we win battles at the ballot box, not through mob rule or intimidation. While it’s clear many Democrats refuse to accept the election of President Trump, if they want change, they need to convince people with their ideas and actually win elections, rather than call for violent resistance, harassment, and mob rule.

Scalise directed his ire directly at Holder, noting that when leaders like him “call for violence, that is a direct threat to our democracy.”

After the controversy around Holder’s comments reached a fever pitch, Holder took to Twitter to tell the public that he obviously meant the Dems needed to “be tough.” As I wrote previously, I’m very sure he’s telling the truth about that, but at this time, and in this current climate, this kind of rhetoric is fuel on the fire currently raging in the left’s psyche.

Contrary to what the media is attempting to spin, these groups of people that are destroying, attacking, and moving en masse are an angry mob, and angry mobs are just one spark away from an explosion. Comments like Holder’s are just a lit match waiting to find the nearest short fuse. Even Michelle Obama called him out on his rhetoric as the promotion of a culture of fear.

Holder should choose to be wise and listen to Scalise, and the likes of Rand Paul, who has also voiced his fears that the current climate may lead to someone dying. Both of these men know first hand what a violent atmosphere can cause.