Rallies for Donald Trump have not been known for being violent or threatening health, safety, or property. There were precious few exceptions to that rule … until last Wednesday. Nevertheless, news broke about an internal FBI memo warning of a “huge uprising” if President Trump is removed via the 25th Amendment, as well as raising the specter of nationwide violence leading up to Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20.

It’s a good thing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have never normalized, excused, or defended violent behavior by their constituents. Oh, wait…

“Armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols from 16 January through at least 20 January, and at the U.S. Capitol from 17 January through 20 January,” according to the FBI bulletin. “The FBI received information on an identified group calling for others to join them in ‘storming’ state, local and federal government courthouses and administrative buildings in the event POTUS is removed as President prior to Inauguration Day. This identified group is also planning to ‘storm’ government offices including in the District of Columbia and in every state, regardless of whether the states certified electoral votes for Biden or Trump, on 20 January.”

(President Trump has also approved an emergency declaration for Washington, DC.)

First of all, there’s at least a hint here of a CYA by the FBI. The bureau, which has been led by folks who let’s just say lack credibility, wants to broadcast loud and clear that it’s at the ready.

But second, this kind of warning — especially coming after rampant Big Tech censorship — could provoke violence by inflaming anger among the millions of people who still believe the election was stolen.

The real trouble is that more violence is precisely what the most crass Democrats, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, want to see. How can we say that? Because further violence would play into the political theater they want to keep perpetuating — theater that keeps the terrible Trump supporters front and center in order to spread that stain of shame onto all elected Republicans, federal and state, and those of us who have supported Trump.

As Claremont Institute fellow Ben Weingarten argues, “The riot not only overshadowed the corruption that marked the 2020 election and undermined the MAGA movement’s people and principles, but set up Americans of all political stripes for an onslaught on their rights and cherished freedoms. The riot was an accelerant for what was already likely planned under Democrat rule in Washington: crushing dissenters from its leftist orthodoxy as part of an effort to achieve total power by disenfranchising the opposition.”

So don’t buy Biden’s phony calls for unity. At least not until Democrats quit fomenting hate and division while squelching free speech and trying yet again to impeach the president.

Frankly, however, Trump has all too frequently behaved like a Democrat. When Biden finally got around to mildly rebuking BLM and antifa rioters after months of silence last summer, he did so only while simultaneously affirming their anger and their cause. When Trump finally got around to appearing publicly yesterday for the first time since last week’s riot, he insisted that his remarks before the riot were “totally appropriate” because he called for “no violence.” Well, he also validated anger and rehearsed his election complaints.

Is it too much to ask of the highest of American leaders that they use responsible rhetoric rather than whipping up angry mobs for political gain? Lately, it seems the answer is yes.