Take, for example, the liberal concern over Rep. Michelle Bachmann’s call for her constituents to be “armed and dangerous” in fighting a “revolution” against cap and trade.

Instead of merely opposing the legislation, however, Bachmann compared Washington, D.C. to “enemy lines” and urged her supporters to become “armed and dangerous” and fight a “revolution” against cap and trade legislation…

And

Bachmann also spoke out against the cap-and-trade proposals currently making their way through Washington, and how she'll be distributing information against it at an upcoming event in the district. "I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax, because we need to fight back," said Bachmann. "Thomas Jefferson told us, having a revolution every now and then is a good thing. And the people - we the people - are going to have to fight back hard if we're not going to lose our country."

And

Asked about the White House-backed cap-and-trade proposal to reduce carbon emissions, Bachmann told WWTC 1280 AM, "I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us 'having a revolution every now and then is a good thing,' and the people -- we the people -- are going to have to fight back hard if we're not going to lose our country. And I think this has the potential of changing the dynamic of freedom forever in the United States."

All of the above sources then go on to complain about the tenor of the comments, even as at least one of them notes that the statement is clearly figurative and not literal.

As well they should. The showÂ’s host, Power LineÂ’s John Hinderacker, notes that BachmannÂ’s comment was said in a light-hearted manner in the context of announcing her efforts to educate the public about the dangers of the Obama proposal, and that it was clearly not a call for armed revolution by physical force, but instead an expression of hope for citizen activism. In that sense, she was less radical than Thomas Jefferson, who argued that the tree of liberty survives only when the blood of patriots and tyrants is spilled to give it new life. And given the chronic liberal inability to condemn calls for actual armed revolution and political violence from the Left, isnÂ’t this reaction to the figurative language of a conservative congresswoman a bit over the top?

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