ANALYSIS/OPINION:

From Barbara Streisand and Amy Schumer to Whoopi Goldberg and Miley Cyrus, Hollywood celebrities have been up in arms over President Trump for months, expressing their disgust over his election victory, comparing him to Hitler and even vowing to leave the country.

Of course, these big talkers are all still here and never made good on their promises. Instead, some have decided to take their hate for our President to a new level. Big names like Madonna and Snoop Dogg have now begun expressing their desire to see President Trump dead.

Most recently, Snoop Dogg went as far as to portray a mock assassination of the President in his newest music video. In the video, Snoop is shown shooting a Trump lookalike dressed as a clown. The video received over one million views on the day it was released, drawing much criticism from both Republicans as well as Democrats.

But, is this just satire or could Snoop Dogg potentially be arrested over this video?

Under Title 18, Section 871 of the United States Code, it is a Class E felony for anyone to “knowingly and willfully” threaten to “take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States.” After watching the music video, many have argued that Snoop Dogg did in fact violate Section 871. If they are correct, the rapper could face a fine and/or up to 5 years in prison.

Imagine if this had happened to President Obama. President Trump himself did just that, tweeting, “Can you imagine what the outcry would be if @SnoopDogg, failing career and all, had aimed and fired the gun at President Obama? Jail time!”

When did political differences become an excuse for lawlessness? Just as President Obama’s life was respected by conservative celebrities who disagreed with him politically, President Trump’s life should be respected by liberal celebrities who disagree with him politically.

Regardless of whether or not Snoop Dogg is ever charged, which is unlikely to happen, there is no question that at the very least he crossed the line. A mock assassination of any president of the United States is wrong, distasteful and sends the wrong message to young people across the world. In the words of Snoop Dogg himself, “Respect is key.”

Madison Gesiotto is the former Regional Press Secretary for the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee and a political commentator who appears frequently on Fox News Channel. She is currently in the final year of pursuing her J.D. at The Michael E. Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University. You can reach her by email at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter: @madisongesiotto.

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