Another day, another assault on someone daring to sport a “Trump 2024” hat in public. This time, it’s in Bath, New York, where a 60-year-old named Robert Yott allegedly decided it was perfectly reasonable to beat up a complete stranger for wearing a hat that supports the former president.
According to the police report, Yott went after the Trump supporter, punching him repeatedly in the head and mouth, leaving the man bloodied and with broken teeth. For anyone paying attention, this is just the latest chapter in a troubling trend of physical violence against Trump supporters, with the apparent crime here being nothing more than expressing a political opinion that the attacker didn’t like.
Let’s take a step back here. We’re not talking about a heated debate or a spirited argument. No, this is a grown man who allegedly saw a stranger’s hat in a grocery store and decided it was enough reason to start swinging. We’ve reached a point where the phrase “tolerance” seems to only apply to certain political views, while others are met with fists, sledgehammers, or worse. If someone’s political slogan on a hat is reason enough to incite an assault, what does that say about the state of civil discourse in this country?
NEW: 60 year-old Harris supporter
is facing charges after he attacked a stranger in a grocery store for wearing a Trump hat in Bath.Robert Yott, 60, was arrested following an incident in which he repeatedly punched the victim in the mouth and head, causing multiple broken… pic.twitter.com/Aucnbx1Wgm
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) November 3, 2024
Unfortunately, this incident in Bath isn’t isolated. It’s part of a larger pattern that’s gone from isolated skirmishes to something resembling an alarming trend. In June, an 82-year-old man in Massachusetts was attacked by a 27-year-old for holding a Trump sign. In April, a 64-year-old in New Jersey, known for his pro-Trump van, was brutally attacked with a sledgehammer and hospitalized. And these aren’t Twitter spats or shouting matches; these are actual, documented cases of violence against people who dared to be open about their political beliefs.
One has to wonder, what kind of message does this send? For a country that prides itself on freedom of speech and expression, the level of hostility that some people are facing simply for their choice of attire or bumper sticker is beyond troubling. Ironically, the same voices that often preach tolerance are suspiciously silent when Trump supporters are the ones being assaulted. The idea of “tolerance” seems to be selective, to say the least.
For example, a day after the alleged incident, here’s what the New York Governor said:
Hochul: If you are voting for Trump you are “anti-American”pic.twitter.com/TMCiwAinO2
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) November 3, 2024
Robert Yott is now facing charges, including second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal mischief. And while he sits in jail awaiting arraignment, his actions serve as a grim reminder of the divisive climate we’re living in. It’s time to ask the tough questions. Where’s the outrage? Imagine if the roles were reversed and a Trump supporter had assaulted someone over a “Biden 2024” hat. Would the media narrative be the same, or would there be wall-to-wall coverage condemning the violence?
The bottom line is that political violence—no matter who it’s directed at—should be condemned universally. But for too long, there’s been a double standard in how these attacks are reported and discussed. This isn’t just about Trump hats or Biden hats. It’s about the basic freedom to express a viewpoint without fear of physical retaliation. And until we as a society are willing to hold everyone to the same standard, these attacks are likely to continue, leaving America’s reputation as a land of free expression hanging by a thread.
