With the blessing of the White House, the radical left took to the quiet, tony streets of Chevy Chase, MD, this last weekend to bully US Supreme Court justices they believe to be in favor of the leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Monday evening saw more of the same, with over one hundred protestors gathering outside the home of Justice Samuel Alito in a rage-filled demonstration. The fact that these extremists were willing to protest at the personal residences of justices whose views are not even public – and may not be decided – appears to matter not. The left is on a mission to intimidate a select group who sit on the highest court in the land. It seems their message is simple: fall in line or else.
My Way or the Highway
Chevy Chase is a suburb located just outside Washington, DC, and has long been home to prominent political and government illuminati. Historic churches and two elite country clubs buttress this quiet community with a population of approximately 10,000. Put succinctly, this is a very, very nice place to live. At least it was until last weekend.
Hundreds of angry pro-abortion activists trooped down this community’s quiet streets and brought to life a page right out of Saul Alinsky’s 1971 Rules for Radicals. Rule 12 reads: “Pick a target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” One woman all but quoted Alinsky in an interview with The Daily Signal’s Douglas Blair: “You don’t get to take away our bodily autonomy and enjoy your Saturday night at home. You get to do one or the other. This is personal, so we’re going to take it to their personal space.”
From a legal standpoint, perhaps Alinsky’s acolytes know there is virtually no chance they will be prosecuted for their behavior. While there is a law on the books against picketing and parading at a judge’s residences (18 U.S. Code § 1507), it largely sits idle. The only case cited in conjunction with it goes against the statute. On May 9, the US Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill offering police protection to SCOTUS justices, as well as their family members. “Threats against Supreme Court Justices and their families are disgraceful, and attempts to influence the independence of our judiciary cannot be tolerated,” tweeted Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), one of the bill’s sponsors. It’s not clear whether the House of Representatives will take any action on the legislation.
Credit: Douglas Blair, The Daily Signal, Twitter.
Unfettered by legal constraints, those upset with the potential overturning of the landmark abortion case hope their actions will speak louder than words. And in a sense, their mission is accomplished. Blair publicly stated the protest at Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home was “one of the scariest things I’ve ever witnessed.” Having already approved protesting individual justices’ homes last week, outgoing White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tried to walk that back a tad on May 9, but it was too little, too late. After throwing a bone to the radical left, she tweeted, “Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety.”
Meanwhile, it has been widely reported that the author of the leaked draft document – Justice Samuel Alito – was moved to an undisclosed location along with his family for safety reasons. This public display of intimidation has always been the stock in trade of the radical left. It is done intentionally, and its purpose is to induce fear in the intended target.
It seems unlikely the justices will bow to the mob, but who knows what standing their ground may cost them? Should the pro-abortion protesters be granted their wish and Roe remains the law of the land, it will surely signal open season for radical leftists to ply their trade of intimidation more often and with even greater fervor. As author Thomas Sowell tweeted, “Activism is a way for useless people to feel important.”
