Oh, does it always start with a button?
A small trinket distributed at the county fair alongside funnel cakes and lemonade. However, this one did not say “Vote Blue” or “Protect Democracy.” No, this one asked — not so subtly — if President Donald Trump was still alive.
Allow to marinate for a second.
This actually occurred. In Ashland County, Ohio, at a family-friendly fair where parents were most likely walking around with their children and grandmothers were eating corn dogs, the local Democratic Party thought it was clever — maybe even righteous — to hand out buttons with the words “Is he dead yet?” in reference to the current, sitting President of the United States. And the kicker? They did not stop there. They also included coded numbers (“86-47,” get it?) and even slapped “felon” on a red hat. Because nothing says “unity” like fantasizing about a political rival’s demise.
The booth was eventually kicked out. Not immediately, mind you, but only after multiple warnings to remove the buttons. That’s correct. No, “oops, we didn’t notice these were over the line.” Nope. They continued to distribute them until law enforcement physically removed them. And now, the sheriff is considering criminal charges. So, yes, someone finally said, “Hey, maybe this kind of political messaging flirts with being a literal threat.”
Even if the story ended there, it would be impressive. But wait, it gets better. Because, in a truly impressive act of historical revisionism, the Ashland County Democratic Party declared themselves the victims. That’s correct. The same people who distributed buttons asking if the president had died are now claiming they were “silenced,” “targeted,” and censored by — you guessed it — big, bad Republicans.
Let us break this down: The local fair board stated, “Hey, don’t promote political violence,” and law enforcement supported them. The Democrats? “Help! “We are being oppressed!”
Their official statement, which references Nixon and McCarthy as if they were writing a college term paper for extra drama, claims that even during those “shameful chapters,” government officials did not routinely silence local party chairs at community events. Think about it. They’re equating being kicked out of a fair for inciting violence with McCarthyism. That is Olympic-level mental gymnastics right there.
But this is where things get darker—and, yes, more uncomfortable.
Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist, civilian, and American citizen, a poll found that 24% of Democrats believe the country is “better off” now that he is gone. That’s not a small figure. That’s nearly a quarter of the entire party dismissing political murder as if it were a traffic update.
And it does not end with Kirk. Previous polls found that nearly half of left-leaning respondents thought the idea of murdering Elon Musk or Donald Trump was partially justified. You read it right: justified. not “extreme.” not “horrific.” Just “justified.”
So, when Democrats hand out death-wish buttons at a county fair and then clutch their pearls about “censorship,” perhaps we should pause and recognize that this isn’t about free speech. It’s about a political movement that is becoming increasingly comfortable with dehumanization, excuse-making, and outright dangerous rhetoric, all while accusing everyone else of being a threat.
Because what was once unthinkable—fantasizing about killing political opponents—has become merchandise.
So, no. The story does not conclude with a scolding or slap on the wrist. It is still unfolding. A sheriff is investigating, the Secret Service has been notified, and the American public is watching as yet another mask falls.
What are their true intentions behind closed doors if they are so comfortable doing this in public?
