Is there something about the water at Lake of the Ozarks?

Commentary

Missouri Republican Senator Rick Brattin’s bill would allow drivers to run over protesters

First there was Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo) with his thumbs-up, fist-pumping, riot-inciting encouragement of the crowd of Trump supporters gathered outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 just before these insurrectionists, after cheering Hawley, stormed and breached the building. But it’s time to move on; there’s been enough written about the young, highly educated but clearly delusional freshman senator.

Wouldn’t you know it. Just as we’ve become “Hawley’d” out, another young, ambitious Missouri politician, Rich Brattin, grabbed the evil baton.

Brattin, 40, represents a district that includes some Kansas City suburbs. His bill, SB 66, would allow the use of deadly force against protesters, releasing drivers who run over protesters from any liability.

According to reporting from KSDK-TV, St. Louis, “It’s kind of absolving the people that are filled with hate that don’t want to see people fighting for their liberation and giving them the right away and the go ahead to say we can just kill them and it’s OK,” said community organizer Maxi Glamour*.

(*I did not make that up. Maxi Glamour is really a St. Louis-based, non-binary drag artist and founder of the community activist group, Qu’art.)

Not so fast, Maxi.

According to KSDK, the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police had other thoughts.

“I just think this is a way to protect everybody’s free speech,” said Jay Schroeder, a spokesperson for the St. Louis County police union and MFOP. “I think it’s basically just to set some parameters for people to peacefully protest and protect everyone involved in the protest,” Schroeder said.

Really? Apparently Mr. Schroeder didn’t actually read the bill.

LIABILITY FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS DURING A PROTEST (Section 537.570):This act provides that a person operating a motor vehicle shall not be liable for injuries to another person who blocks traffic if such person was exercising due care and was not grossly negligent.

USE OF FORCE DURING PROTESTS (Section 563.031): This act provides that a person may use deadly force against another person if such force is used against a person who is participating in an unlawful assembly and unlawfully enters or attempts to enter private property that is owned or leased by an individual.

Seems Senator Brattin and some of his gun-toting, NRA-loving friends are preparing for stiffer gun reform laws by substituting another deadly weapon, their motor vehicles

It’s amazing how Senator Brattin is so chock full of progressive ideas – like this one: Abortions should only be allowed if women have the written permission from the father… except in cases of “incest or legitimate rape.”

Why do I get the feeling that incest is not an unusual concept in Missouri? And perhaps Mr. Brattin can clarify the differences between “legitimate” and “illegitimate” rape.

Could it really be the water at Lake of the Ozarks? I mean, there must be something about the water that drew this Covid-19 super-spreading crowd there this summer. With all that skin showing and no social distancing, beyond the virus spreading, you’ve got to wonder how much incest and illegitimate rape took place as well.