The threats of violence against those members of Congress who voted in favor of President Obama’s health care reform law have been beyond disgusting. They’re downright scary if you believe that in the civility that is supposed to be a hallmark of political discourse in this country.

But some of the response to critics of those who were lobbing the threats has been, well, a bit strange.

Consider this nugget from U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, the Panhandle’s senior member of Congress. Yes, he has condemned the the threats of violence and the racial slurs. Good for him.

Then he said this: “I do get somewhat of a feel that some Democrats are trying to use these incidents to smear everybody who opposed health care and that’s not fair.”

He is right, but he’s also missing the point.

So what if Democrats are using the slurs and threats of violence against the health care foes, who happen to be mainly Republicans? That’s what happens in this rough-and-tumble political world.

And surely the congressman, a decent and intelligent lawmaker, doesn’t believe that Democrats somehow possess a monopoly on boorishness. If the tables were turned and Democrats were leveling this kind of hateful speech at their foes, Republicans would be all over them in precisely the same manner and most likely would try to lump all Democrats together. The parties may differ on matters of policy, but their humanity — and human fallibility — bind people of all political stripes together.

So, let’s just stick to the relevant issue. The racial slurs and homophobic epithets thrown at health reform supporters never should have occurred in the first place.