Your Civics Lesson For Today

Last week when New Jersey high school sophomore Amy Myers challenged Michele Bachmann to a debate over the US Constitution, I thought "Well, Bachmann's in trouble if she takes her up on the offer...and in trouble if she doesn't."  Granted, it's a bit of a gotcha moment there, like Stephen Colbert's "Better Know A District" interviews but I figured Bachmann would send the young woman a signed copy of the Constitution from the Capitol gift store or something and move on.

What I didn't count on, and should have, was the reaction of Bachmann's unhinged followers.

A New Jersey teenager says she's received threats since challenging U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann to a debate over the Constitution.

Ann Myers challenged the tea party favorite in a letter dated April 29. After it started getting media attention last weekend, commenters on tea party websites have threatened to publish her home address and some have threatened violence.

The 16-year-old from Cherry Hill says several commenters have called her a "whore."

Her father, Wayne, says he's concerned for his daughter's safety. 

Hey, stay classy, internet conservative trolls picking fights with 16-year old girls and giving them the granite countertops treatment.  Threatening to release her address?  Yeesh.

Are we that terrified of exposing Bachmann's ignorance?  She does that on a weekly basis by herself.  There's no excuse for this kind of nonsense, but somebody called Bush "Hitler" once so it's justified.