The Democratic Primary for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District is unusually juicy this year. It pits four candidates — Ryan Crosswell, Lamont McClure, Carol Obando Derstine, and Bob Brooks — in what promises to be a tight race for the right to face off against Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie in the November 3rd General Election.
A few weeks ago, you might have heard that 2019 Facebook posts from Brooks came to light. The candidate with seemingly ironclad Democratic bonafides — blue collar working background that includes a distinguished career as a firefighter and union president — posted two comments on Facebook.
One was about Colin Kaepernick, the NFL quarterback who ignited a national debate when he refused to stand for the National Anthem. "Thanks, douche bag," wrote Brooks, "for helping bring the country together on something." Underneath his comments was an image of the flag with the message, "Colin Kaepernick doesn't like this flag, so I'm gonna share it."
The second post was about gun control and followed the tragic incident at a Walmart in El Paso, when a man targeting Hispanic shoppers killed 23 people and injured more than 20. Brooks reposted a meme that contained a phrase popular among Second Amendment supporters. It shows Clint Eastwood holding a rifle and bears the words, "The problem is not guns, it's hearts without God, homes without discipline, schools without prayer, and courtrooms without justice." I have no idea if they raised any eyebrows at the time, but they did when they were disclosed recently.
Now, a couple things. First, Brooks broke no laws. He was well within the bounds of free speech. He kinda-sorta apologized but he shouldn't have to apologize at all, in my opinion, unless he offered his opinions in an altered state and did not mean them, which does not appear to be the case. And finally, whether you find the posts offensive or not depends totally on your politics.
But the explanation Brooks gave has some holes. "Politics is nasty," he said, "A bunch of D.C. insiders who don't want more working people in office are selectively digging up years old Facebook posts." Attention Bob Brooks: were I your opponent and found those things, I sure as heck would've brought them to light. They weren't something you said after a few belts at a party. You weren't a teenager who dashed off something to impress the football team. You were a grown man. You sat down and wrote them. You wanted people to know your opinions. It was fair game for you to offer them and it's fair game for them to be dug up. Six years ago isn't 60 years ago.
Brooks also said, "I've shared a few stupid things over the years and for that I am sorry. I believe who I've fought for and my values have always been clear." Well, now they're not so clear. Yes, you're for the working man, that's clear. But you're not for protest? You advocate prayer in schools, or you did six years ago? Funny, we hadn't heard that during your campaign outreach to Democratic voters.
Anyone over the age of, say 20, knows that social media posts have weight. Heck, our government practically operates on the fuel from posts on Truth Social. I found Brooks' Second Amendment post astoundingly dense from someone who wants to be in public office. The idea that guns should not be part of the national conversation about mass shootings is so incredibly flawed that I doubt the judgement of the person who made them.
So, Bob Brooks, you can say a Facebook post from six years ago shouldn't matter. We both know it does. It represented what you believed and may still believe. It was your right to post it and my right to consider it.
