Why Mike Johnson’s "Tar and Feather Him" Comment Is Dangerous — And Not Just Words
"When the Speaker of the House casually calls for someone to be 'tarred and feathered,' he is normalizing political violence and signaling to unstable followers that brutality is acceptable. That’s not free speech — it’s stochastic terrorism, and it’s dangerous."
"Tar and feather him."
Those were the words spoken by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson — not in some dusty history book, but right here, in the United States of America in 2025.
Let’s be crystal clear: This is not harmless rhetoric. It is not "colorful language."
It is not a folksy throwaway.
It is the language of mob torture — and far more dangerously, it is a textbook example of stochastic terrorism.
What is Tar and Feathering?
Tar and feathering was a form of public torture and humiliation that left lasting scars on both body and mind.
The Process:
The victim was stripped.
Boiling hot tar (250-300°F) was poured or painted onto their skin.
Feathers were dumped over them, sticking to the burns.
The person was paraded through town, mocked and attacked, often permanently scarred.
The Results:
Severe burns and lifelong scarring.
Infection, shock, and death in many cases.
Psychological trauma and public ostracism.
Tar and feathering was not a prank. It was an intentional act of savage cruelty meant to dehumanize and terrorize.
The Psychological Weapon
More than physical pain, tar and feathering was designed to:
Break the victim’s spirit.
Publicly humiliate them.
Turn them into a warning to others.
It was mob violence — vigilante "justice" — the kind of thing we rightly see today in authoritarian regimes, not democracies.
Why Johnson’s Words Are Dangerous Now
In today’s political climate — with radicalized MAGA extremists and a rise in politically motivated violence — a statement like Johnson’s is not just irresponsible. It is dangerous.
When the Speaker of the House invokes mob torture imagery, he is:
Normalizing political violence.
Encouraging mob justice.
Dehumanizing political opponents.
This is stochastic terrorism — whether he intended it that way or not.
What Is Stochastic Terrorism?
Definition:
Stochastic terrorism is when leaders or influencers use inflammatory language to inspire random acts of violence — without giving a direct order.
How It Works:
1. A leader uses violent imagery or dehumanizing speech — e.g. “tar and feather him.”
2. Unstable or radicalized followers interpret it as a call to action.
3. When violence occurs, the leader denies responsibility: “I never told anyone to do that!”
Examples:
Trump’s “There will be wild!” — followed by the January 6th insurrection.
Media figures demonizing specific doctors or election workers — followed by death threats and attacks.
Mike Johnson’s "tar and feather him" comment — which could easily inspire MAGA extremists to attempt violence.
Words Have Consequences
This is not about "cancel culture."
It is not about policing political speech.
It is about recognizing that violent words from powerful leaders inspire violent acts — whether by design or by carelessness.
The Speaker of the House of the United States should know better.
If he does not, then he should not hold that office.
Why We Must Speak Out
👉 A Speaker of the House who jokes about mob torture is unfit to serve a democracy.
👉 Free speech does not mean speech free from consequences.
👉 We must demand better — and we must call this what it is: dangerous authoritarian behavior that puts lives at risk.
Because when leaders speak violence — the mob listens.
Final Thought:
"When the Speaker of the House casually calls for someone to be 'tarred and feathered,' he is normalizing political violence and signaling to unstable followers that brutality is acceptable. That’s not free speech — it’s stochastic terrorism, and it’s dangerous."
#ProtectDemocracy
#WordsHaveConsequences
#StochasticTerrorism
#NoToPoliticalViolence
#ResistAuthoritarianism
#WeThePeople
I write this as an American exercising my First Amendment right to free speech and to raise awareness about rising threats to democracy. I believe we must oppose hatred and authoritarianism through lawful, peaceful, and informed civic action.
Views expressed here are solely my own.