I agree because there are people out there who were assaulted with things other than tomatoes, and they’ll bear the scars from those events for the rest of their lives.
However, this would be one of those times where, were I the presiding judge, sentencing would result in a firm handshake and a maybe a finger-wagging, “now don’t you go and do that again, young man”.
So far in America, we’re not regularly throwing objects at Sanders, Clinton, Rubio, hell, not even Cruz (who deserves something heavy, maybe an anvil), but when you’re openly and happily advocating, from the national stage and as part of your campaign platform, the removal of a wide swath of America’s residents, or advocating, from the national stage and as part of your campaign platform, disallowing wide swaths of people from entering the country because of their religion, I think a few tomatoes to the face is appropriate.
In fact, I would happily endorse the person willing to throw Ted Cruz at Donald “short-fingered vulgarian” Trump.
That our is surely upsetting indigenous South and Central American readers who have been growing tomatoes for longer then they’ve been throwing them at vaudeville performers.
While I can’t get bent out of shape about tomatoes being thrown and don’t recognize the slippery slope between chucking tomatoes as expression and suppression via violence as particularly valid, it’s totally fine that he’s being hauled before a judge. It’s often the intent of civil disobedience or a secondary target, getting that platform.
But weaponization is probably to be avoided? Probably? I dunno, chucking tomatoes from 400 feet away might be overkill?
What’s the internet rule for “if it exists it has been fired from a barrel.”
I’d have a good laugh at the sight of Trump being pelted with a tomato, but that’s about the end of it. In truth, it would hurt the feel-bads of his supporters and generate sympathy. It would lend strength to a claim that his opponents are lawless and uncivilized.
When you have someone who is easily enraged and will make wildly offensive statements when so enraged, then your course is clear: Enrage him at every opportunity until he makes a crack about working people. This can be done with extremely passive behavior – nothing need be thrown at anyone.
