WHEN SILENCE BECOMES COMPLICITY: INCIDENT EXPOSES LEADERSHIP VACUUM

By John Vincent

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, at approximately 2:09 p.m., a disturbing incident unfolded at Chapin Memorial Library in Myrtle Beach that should serve as a wake-up call for our community.

A woman wearing a Trump T-shirt brandished a firearm at peaceful protesters participating in a "No Kings" demonstration. As one terrified protester recounted, "The woman pointed the gun right at us!" Fortunately, Myrtle Beach Police officers witnessed the incident and arrested the woman immediately.

While we're grateful no one was physically harmed, the psychological impact and threat to our democratic norms cannot be understated. My wife Deb and I were present at this peaceful gathering when this occurred. As someone who has decided to challenge Congressman Russell Fry in the 2026 election, I feel compelled to address the root causes of such incidents—causes that extend far beyond one individual's actions.

The Rhetoric-to-Violence Pipeline

When former President Donald Trump publicly declares he "hates all Democrats," positions himself as president for only half the country, and labels peaceful protesters as "internal terrorists," he doesn't just express controversial opinions—he creates a permission structure for violence. These aren't abstract political statements; they're dangerous provocations that unstable individuals interpret as calls to action.

History teaches us that dehumanizing language precedes violence. When leaders characterize fellow citizens as enemies, terrorists, or existential threats, they provide moral cover for those predisposed to aggression.

The Silence That Enables

What makes this situation even more troubling is Congressman Fry's consistent refusal to provide moral leadership by countering this rhetoric. His silence isn't neutrality—it's complicity. His rubber-stamp approval of every Trump position, regardless of how divisive, dangerous, or immoral represents a failure of representative democracy.

A congressman's duty extends beyond party loyalty. It includes defending constitutional rights, promoting civil discourse, and explicitly rejecting violence and threats against constituents—even those who disagree politically. Representative Fry has failed this basic test of leadership.

The Myrtle Beach Incident in Context

The woman arrested at Chapin Memorial Library didn't act in isolation. She acted within a political environment where:

• Opposing viewpoints are characterized as existential threats

• Peaceful protest is reframed as terrorism

• Political leaders remain silent when violence is implied or encouraged

• Tribal loyalty supersedes constitutional principles

This toxic combination creates conditions where individuals believe they're defending their country by threatening their neighbors. When someone wears political apparel while brandishing a weapon at peaceful protesters, the connection between rhetoric and action becomes undeniable.

What Leadership Should Look Like

Moral leadership requires courage—the courage to tell supporters when they're wrong, to defend the rights of political opponents, and to place constitutional principles above partisan advantage. It means explicitly stating:

• Political violence is never acceptable

• Peaceful protest is a constitutional right for ALL Americans

• We can disagree passionately while respecting each other's humanity

• No elected official should characterize half the country as enemies

These aren't controversial positions. They're foundational American values. Yet we hear nothing from Congressman Fry.

A Choice for Our Community

The 2026 election will offer our district a choice: continue down a path of divisive rhetoric and spineless complicity, or choose leadership that defends democratic norms and constitutional rights for everyone.

I'm running for Congress because I believe our community deserves better.

We deserve a representative who will speak up when rhetoric crosses the line into dangerous territory. We deserve leadership that brings people together rather than driving them apart. We deserve a congressman with the moral courage to say "no" when party loyalty conflicts with constitutional duty.

The woman arrested in Myrtle Beach will face legal consequences for her actions, as she should. But what consequences will there be for the leaders whose rhetoric and silence created the environment that emboldened her?

That's a question voters will answer in 2026.

A Direct Challenge to Our Congressman Congressman Fry

Your constituents—ALL of them, regardless of party affiliation—deserve to hear from you on this matter. I call on you to:

1. Publicly affirm the constitutional right of every citizen in South Carolina's 7th District to peacefully protest without fear of violence or intimidation

2. Unequivocally condemn political violence in any form, from any source, toward any target

3. Commit to speaking out against President Trump’s political rhetoric when it crosses the line into dangerous territory

Your silence in the wake of this incident is deafening. Your constituents deserve leadership, not complicity. The time for courage is now.