After a Republican Party office in North Carolinawas firebombed last weekend, aMassachusettsDemocrat crossedparty lines to lend a hand.
David Weinberger, a senior researcher at Harvard University’sBerkmanKlein Center for Internet and Society and a Brookline resident, launched a GoFundMepage Sundayas a way for Democrats to raise cash to help the North Carolina GOP reopen its office. “Until an investigation is undertaken, we cannot know who did this or why. No matter the result, this is not how Americans resolve their differences,” Weinberger wrote on the page.”We talk, we argue, sometimes we march, and most of all we vote. We do not resort to violence by individuals or by mobs.” The fundraiser collected more than $13,000 — passing its goal of $10,000 — in less than 40 minutes after it went public.
“Thank you all for showing that Americans are thirsty for civility and decency, and that we love our democracy above all our differences,” an update on the page read.
GOAL MET! It took less than 40 non-partisan mins to raise $10,000 to re-open firebombed Repub office. A thirst for civility & democracy!
— David Weinberger (@dweinberger) October 17, 2016
The GOP headquarters in Orange County, North Carolina, was the target of an attackSaturday nightin which someone threw flammable material through the front window. There was also spray-painted graffitiof a swastika and the words”Nazi Republicans leave town or else” on an nearby building, the town of Hillsborough said on its website. “This highly disturbing act goes far beyond vandalizing property; it willfully threatens our community’s safety via fire, and its hateful message undermines decency, respect and integrity in civic participation,” Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said on the website. “I believe I speak for the overwhelming majority of people who make Hillsborough their home: Acts like this have no place in our community.” Following the incident, Donald Trump tweeted that “animals representing Hillary Clinton” and the Democratic party were responsible for the attack. Hillary Clinton tweeted that the attack was “horrific and unacceptable” and that she was grateful everyone is safe.
Animals representing Hillary Clinton and Dems in North Carolina just firebombed our office in Orange County because we are winning @NCGOP
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2016
The attack on the Orange County HQ @NCGOP office is horrific and unacceptable. Very grateful that everyone is safe.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 16, 2016
While some people supported the bipartisan effort, others opposed wanting to donate money to the party, saying that in North Carolina, the GOP has worked to disenfranchise transgender and black Americans. “This is a lovely gesture,” one person commented on the GoFundMe page, which is now closed to donations.”Decent Americans are outraged by this act of political terrorism and it does help take the sting out of this deplorable act of political terrorism for Democrats to reach out a helping hand.” “Donating to the NC GOP is no act of charity,” another persontweeted. “It’s giving money to [an] organization hellbent on making the lives of trans people unbearable.”
