OPINION: Should we be protesting?

Following last week’s Republican Town Hall debacle, many Democrats are clamoring to speak out against the violent injustice that was visited on Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl.  

First, we should all extend love and support to Dr. Borrenpohl. No one should be subjected to the treatment she received for expressing dissent. 

Further, we should all condemn those who committed the egregious physical and psychological attacks against Dr. Borrenpohl, and the unprincipled moderator who escalated the tense atmosphere by repeatedly belittling her, and expressing approval of the attacks.  

First Amendment rights, both Dr. Borrenpohl’s and yours, deserve a strong defense.

Secondly, we should all recognize the two dozen people, most of whom are my personal friends, who marched outside the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office on Friday to show their disapproval of Sheriff Norris's actions. Their commitment to democracy and the First Amendment, and their courage to demonstrate publicly are commendable.

Right now, some Democrats want to march. They want to collectively show support for Dr. Borrenpohl, and their disgust for the actions of Sheriff Norris, event emcee Ed Bejarana, and KCRCC Chair Brent Regan. Videos and published reports indicate that they facilitated a contemptible attack on a peaceful citizen for merely exercising her free speech rights at a Town Hall.

The KCRCC, by silencing debate and then violently dragging Dr. Borrenpohl from the Town Hall, generated significant backlash not only all across Idaho, but nationally.

They probably did not anticipate such a widespread response.

A public protest would draw lots of attention, and build cohesion among those who march together. A public display helps meet the need for action in the face of affronts to our rights and the violations of community standards.

After much consideration, I personally stop short of calling for open protests at this time. I believe that a more political course for now is to let the Republican leaders “stew in their own juice” as Representative Nancy Pelosi recently said.  

I think average voters can see right through Sheriff Bob Norris and KCRCC Chair Brent Regan. 

My neighbor remarked that they are “sweating bullets” right now.  And he pointed out, “They can’t even get their lies straight.”  

Indeed, Norris and Regan have given conflicting versions of the weekend debacle.

What is more, I predict another form of accountability is coming for the Republican leaders. 

The case against the men involved in the attack is likely to wind up in court, and it's my hope that justice will ultimately be served in a courtroom. 

What reasonable jury would endorse the forcible removal of a dissenting nonviolent citizen from a Town Hall by unidentified men in black? Who among us does not suspect that the Sheriff overstepped his authority? Who actually believes the Town Hall was ever intended to permit questioning by those of us who don’t see things the KCRCC’s way?

If a Democrat had violently evicted a peaceful Republican in a public legislative town hall, I would immediately apologize to the victim and to the community. If I had been involved in any way, I would resign.

I don’t predict that any of the Republican leaders will resign, even if pressured by their constituents.

The fact remains that this debacle and the antidemocratic spirit behind it are all tied to the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. No amount of marching in the streets will change that.

Right now, the best reaction to the debacle surrounding the Republican Town Hall is for Republicans to face up to reality.

Your party is no longer yours.

Those of you who are my friends and neighbors; those of you who hate what you can see with your own eyes is happening, but who are — understandably — reluctant to speak up; those of you who make our democracy truly participatory, isn't now the time for you to give up on the your party?

Become Independents, or better yet become Democrats.

As concerned members of this community that we all love, we welcome you as partners in our effort to stop this chaos.

It will be so much easier for us to work together as neighbors than to protest as warring adversaries.

Our party is a coalition. We differ among ourselves, but our shared values empower us to move forward despite our differences. We welcome Republicans to join us.

Together we could build the more perfect union that we all seek and cherish.

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Evan Koch is chairman of the Kootenai County Democrats.