So it looks like a Trump supporter, or a guy passing himself off as such, was responsible for the pipe bombs.
He also has several prior arrests for terroristic threats and domestic violence. By the logic of our most wacko lefty friends, if one Trump supporter is a crazy violent wingnut, then so is everyone who voted for or supports him, right?
No more than every Bernie Sanders supporter is a raving Communist. We know better than such blanket stereotypes, no?
That said, would such a disturbed person have been driven to these alleged acts without a political climate stoked by Trump and his devisive rhetoric? I wonder if we’ll ever know.
But other than recency bias, why think of now as different from any other time? Remember that there were once three major political assassinations in less than five years, JFK in November 1963, MLK in April 1968, and RFK in June 1968. Presidents Ford and Reagan both survived attempts on their lives in the 1970s and 80s, there was an attempt to bomb the World Trade Center in 1993, a truck bombing of the Alfred Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995, and, of course, the events of 9/11/01, which dwarfed anything this guy did. Also, don't forget that mail containing anthrax was sent to a number of public officials and political figures in the aftermath of 9/11. Furthermore, school and workplace shootings go back at least 25-30 years. Nothing all that new under the sun when you really think about it, is there?
In general, you’re right, Stu, there have always been (and sadly I expect will always be) fringe maniacs bent on mass destruction, per their own agendas.
I would focus this latest example on what appears to be a blindered fanaticism fueling this strike at a selection of the most recognized critics of the President. Essentially an attack on free political expression. Is this a common thread in other examples you mention? Given the current public enmity, and the hate and divisiveness Trump and his disciples continue to stoke, and complain out loud is visited upon them, how is something like this NOT inevitable, or even likely to end here.
I bore of the endless and usually baseless hyperbole about the media’s share of blame when the President himself lashes out crudely at everything in view, everyone who disagrees with him, even at circumstances he doesn't understand. Don’t give the media persistent cause to gripe and then cry foul about their griping. Boring. Despotic. Trump will not begin to see the tide turn in his favor until he comes to grips that at least some responsibility rests with the man in his mirror; then moves to amend his vulgar methods. Alas, not likely. My opinion, and I don’t care enough to destroy lives over it.
This post was edited by Don Barzini at October 27, 2018 7:04 AM MDT
Trump, when he looks in the mirror doesn't see himself as we see him. At this stage of his life, he is not going to change. He believes he has been this way since he began to campaign for office. People elected him in spite of his lack of intellect, his inability to form a coherent sentence (although I believe that inability his gotten worse over the past two years), his brashness, conceit, ego, lack of polish, so why should he change now?
You may have a point, DB, but it seemed as if the shootings of MLK and RFK were, at least in part, inspired by resistance to the civil rights, voting rights, and anti-Vietnam War movements. How is that really different from free political expression? And the 9/11 attacks which, as I said, dwarfed anything this clown did, clearly were aimed at symbols of our economy (the World Trade Center), our military (the Pentagon), and our national politics (the Capitol or the White House, whichever one the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was bound for). That's much bigger than this.
Yes, 9/11 was a much bigger beast than this, and I understand as a NY’er your feelings are raw. (As much as Trump loves NYC, I am wondering how much this plays into his views on Muslims) But I‘d posit 9/11 was retaliation for the years of attacks and bombings on Middle Eastern Muslims by the West and it’s minions. Not so much attacking free political expression as striking back against actual societal repression, at symbolic targets. Religion was in play.
MLK was killed for racism. He was uniting black people to political purpose. Had he been a white preacher doing the same for disenfranchised white folks, he’d have been decorated. IMO.
RFK was shot by a disgruntled Palestinian sympathizer, so there is a parallel, but Sirhan was bold enough to do it in person.
That said, and I believe we agree, it is folly to pin the evil actions of one on everyone else on the same side.
No, we can't tar everyone with the same brush. I do wonder if all of Trump's rhetoric has given some people the green light to behave in less than civil ways. Someone who has that same mindset but has kept them under wraps now may feel justified in letting out his anger - hey, if the president can get away with saying those things, why can't I?
I agree, Spunky. Any one person‘s depravity should not be construed to represent the larger group, but maybe could help foster an environment of escalation.
NO of course not! But what is frightening is the number of people who actually believe every lie Donnie tells! Those fans who defend any outrageous inappropriate, racist, thing that comes out of his mouth! How can anyone consider themselves American and buy into his twisted rhetoric! Yet none will admit that his behavior stimulates those who have a screw or two loose to kill his enemies for him!!
This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at October 27, 2018 11:59 AM MDT
I hear what you're saying, but how is it different from the folks who believed old Tricky Dick Nixon when he said he wasn't a crook, and those who believed the lies told by any number of other presidents and leaders? As I said in my post about violence, there's nothing new under the sun, and no reason other than recency bias to believe that today is all that different from the past. As the old saying goes, this too shall pass, only to be replaced by the next big crisis as we muddle along.
At this point, I'm not sure all of Trumps followers believe everything he says. For the ones who are a little more sane, I think it may be that they are willing to overlook his lies and inappropriate behavior because they just hate the Democrats that much. I was watching PBS news the other day and they had four everyday women and a moderator who asked them how they felt about various issues. The one very Trump supporter said that she didn't believe all the lies or approve of the way he went about doing things, but definitely approved of the results she thought he was getting, i.e., the economy, other countries taking us seriously about not being taken advantage of, etc. She may be more representative of Trump supporters than we think.
My personal opinion is that, yes, the economy is doing well now, but in the long term, Trumps tax cuts and tariffs will be more harmful than doing good and the national debt will have ballooned completely out of control. As for other countries taking us seriously now, I think we have become the laughing stock of the world. In two short years, Trump has tried to isolate the US from the world stage and if he continues on this tack, we will be an island unto ourselves with no allies should we need them.
Beans/SilentGeneration 