19th-century German author Heinrich Heine once wrote, “Wherever they burn books, in the end, they will also burn human beings.” And though the quote is nearly two centuries old, it remains a stark reminder of the evils of fascism and extreme censorship. This extremist ideology was on display in Defiance, Missouri, where Republican state Senators Bill Eigel and Nick Schroer used flamethrowers to light cardboard boxes on fire. The MAGA Republicans burned the boxes during a local GOP fundraiser as onlookers shouted “Let’s go, Brandon!” and cheered.
While both Eigel and Schroer claim that the boxes were meant to represent “the liberal agenda”, the symbolism couldn’t be more clear. The images are evocative of Nazi book burnings, fire oaths, and Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451.
Both Eigel and Schroer have denied the obvious parallels, but they haven’t ruled out book burning entirely. Jamey Murphy, a spokesperson for Schroer, said “This caused no harm to any books or literature.” In a statement to The Kansas City Star, Eigel said,
“In the video, I am taking a flame thrower to cardboard boxes representing what I am going to do to the leftist policies and RINO corruption of the Jeff City swamp, … But let’s be clear, you bring those woke pornographic books to Missouri schools to try to brainwash our kids, and I’ll burn those too – on the front lawn of the governor’s mansion.”
It will not surprise you to learn that Eigel is running for governor in 2024. And while no books were burned at the event, Missouri Republicans (and Republicans across the country) are enforcing book bans and shuttering school libraries in an attempt to silence marginalized authors. Many of these bans specifically target Black and LGBTQ+ authors and stories.
House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (who is also running for governor next year) posted on X, “Watching lawmakers use flamethrowers to intimidate folks they disagree with is a jarring reminder of how they view their jobs as a joke, while real people suffer from their cruelty,” adding “We deserve a government that’s going to work to solve real problems, not make political stunts.”
While no books were burned in the fire, the violent imagery is clearly meant to evoke fear and intimidation. If it looks like a Nazi, talks like a Nazi, and hosts bonfires like a Nazi, well … they might just be a Nazi. The messaging around the stunt is clear: anyone who doesn’t support MAGA politics is at risk of immolation.
(via The Kansas City Star, featured image: screenshot/X, formerly known as Twitter)
