Do you remember when Democrats accused former President Trump of incitement for telling his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically” march to the Capitol to make their voices heard? Well, fast forward to today, and we have a sitting senator engaging in rhetoric that does far more than make a call for peaceful assembly. Earlier this week, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) advocated for “revolution” while standing outside in snow-covered Boston, a site steeped in revolutionary history.
“Massachusetts is where revolutions are born,” Markey began. “And the revolution against Donald Trump and Elon Musk starts here.”
“This is the city of revolutionaries from the American Revolution to create checks and balances in the United States Constitution so that we did not have a dictator — a king — the way those colonists were living under it. And they fought all along Massachusetts Avenue. All coming out, the men and women to say, ‘no taxation without representation.’ We want to have a balance, we cannot have a king.”
Markey’s choice of words raises an important question: is “revolution” just a dog whistle for “insurrection”? His post on X proudly calls for this upheaval, and he pinned it to his account to make sure people see it. Perhaps he believes this kind of incendiary language is acceptable when those on the left wield it.
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Markey’s speech was a bizarre mix of historical references to revolutions past: abolitionism, women’s suffrage, and more, all while inciting strong support from a crowd eager to engage in political combat. The crowd erupted in cheers, especially when he aimed his barbs at Trump and Elon Musk.
“The American Revolution started here. The revolution of abolitionism started here. The revolution of the suffragette movement started here. The revolution of same-sex marriage started here. The revolution against civil war in Vietnam started here. The revolution against Donald Trump and Elon Musk, it starts here,” he declared.
Massachusetts is where revolutions are born. And the revolution against Donald Trump and Elon Musk starts here. pic.twitter.com/K0hJB8gkHV
— Ed Markey (@EdMarkey) February 17, 2025
The supporters surrounding him waved flags and held signs showcasing the left’s latest slogans, like “SAY NO TO HATE,” alongside a pink and blue transgender flag. It seems the revolution will be brightly colored, but what does it really stand for? One sign read “NO KINGS” on one side and “NO FASCIST USA” on the other. Irony of ironies: the left, so quick to dismiss its opponents as authoritarian, is now openly calling for a revolution.
Let’s face the facts: Markey’s rhetoric is nothing less than a dangerous descent into violent discourse. When you stir the pot like this, you are undermining the very principles of democracy while calling for an uprising against perceived enemies. This is the kind of language that incited two people to make attempts on President Trump’s life. It’s the kind of rhetoric that isn’t advocating peaceful protest or change via the ballot box; it’s about inciting insurrection, plain and simple.
The hypocrisy here is staggering. For years, the left has demonized Trump for largely benign comments, yet here stands Ed Markey, proudly promoting actual incitement under the guise of the more euphemistic term “revolution.” If this isn’t a blatant double standard, I don’t know what is. If we are to abide by the values our nation was built upon, then we must call out this violent rhetoric for what it really is — a call to chaos that threatens to overshadow the democratic process.
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