Hey, Pima County Democrats, F-bombing the 4th of July will not win you any votes

While the rest of the country prepares to celebrate the nation’s birthday with hot dogs, apple pie and fireworks, the Pima County Democratic Party on Friday promoted a novel Independence Day … um … celebration?

“F--- the 4th”.

Tell me, do you people have to work at turning off voters, or does it just come naturally?

Tucson Women’s March – the group organizing the event in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade – is asking people to “bring comfortable shoes, water, lawn chairs, posters and your anger.”

And the Pima County Democrats spread the word on social media on Friday, saying “F--- the 4th. See you at Reid Park.”

Sorry, that’s a hard pass for me.

No, this is no hoax. They are angry, and rightly so

I called the Pima County Democratic Party to make sure this wasn’t some sort of hoax.

It isn’t.

A half-hour later the party took down the six-hour-old tweet and the attached flyer, which features the Statue of Liberty and says, “Let’s Mourn With F--- The 4th”.

Bonnie Heidler, chairwoman of the Pima County Democratic Party, said she supports the protest but not the name or the flyer advertising the event. The party's tweet, she said, was a mistake.

“We support women being able to protest when they feel wronged,” she told me. “They (Tucson Women’s March) picked that name. We did not.”

The party also posted a statement on Twitter, saying the graphic was "in poor taste".

"Make no mistake, however. We support the event which will be on July 4 at 7 pm at Reid Park. The event was organized to help women in our community grieve for the loss of their bodily autonomy, which we consider an elemental right."

I can appreciate the fact that Democrats, independents and even a few Republicans are full-out furious about the demise of Roe v. Wade and the look of Arizona’s new future, rooted in a law passed during horse-and-buggy days.

The girls and women of this state woke up this week to learn that our bodies are not our own but instead under the care and control of state of Arizona. Even a rape victim will be forced to bear her attackers’ babies.

So, yeah, anger. I get it.

Not a good look for a party struggling to win votes

But I also know that Democrats are facing an uphill battle in this year’s elections. Everything from control of Congress to control of the state Capitol is up for grabs. Meanwhile, historical voting patterns, the price of gas and groceries, and Joe Biden’s low approval ratings are not the Democrats’ friends.

Now comes “F--- the 4th”?

Sorry, that’s just not a good look for a party that’s trying to convince independents and even moderate Republicans to look their way in November.

Republicans, meanwhile, jumped on the thing, tsk tsking in delight at the Democrats’ show of disrespect.

“There it is – the modern Democrat Party in a single tweet,” Karrin Taylor Robson, Republican candidate for governor, responded. “Arizona patriots will gather w/ friends/family on Independence Day to celebrate our nation’s birth & honor those who sacrificed for our freedom. But these Democrats will be doing something very different. Shameful.”

"Clearly the Pima dems don’t care about our country or those who fought and died for our freedoms," tweeted Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott.

This from the party that gave us “Let’s Go Brandon” T-shirts and flags and sued to end the wildly popular early voting program used by up to 90% of Arizona voters.

Republicans disrespect a president. Now the Democrats disrespect one of our nation’s most important holidays.

There’s no high ground here.

Do a voter registration drive. Not this

Fortunately, there are some Democrats who haven’t lost their ever living minds.

Adrian Fontes, who is running for secretary of state, was stunned by his party’s promotion of the “F--- the 4th” event.

“Absolutely NOT how this Democrat feels. What the hell are you thinking @PimaDems?!? How does this help us WIN? Standby for an official statement condemning this tweet. Take this trash down!”

Why celebrate freedom, you might ask, when we just lost a bit of it?

Because we’re free to win it back.

Celebrate by using that freedom to hold a voter registration drive on Monday. Or go door-to-door and make sure that voters know how to get early ballots. They’ll start arriving in mail boxes next week.

Give them information on who is running and how to vote and where to vote.

You want to change America? Then do it the old-fashioned way. At the polls.

And let us have this one day a year when all Americans should be able to come together and celebrate.

This, Democrats, was a Yankee Doodle Don't.

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurieRoberts.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pima Democrats think F-bombing July 4th will win them votes?