The Gunman and the Would-Be Dictator

[ThisIsMe]

This is a gift article, so all of you can read it. By David Frum, ex-Bush speechwriter, and the one who came up with Bush's 'Axis of Evil'.

The Gunman and the Would-Be Dictator​

Violence stalks the president who has rejoiced in violence to others.
By David Frum

When a madman hammered nearly to death the husband of then–House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Donald Trump jeered and mocked. One of Trump’s sons and other close Trump supporters avidly promoted false claims that Paul Pelosi had somehow brought the onslaught upon himself through a sexual misadventure.

After authorities apprehended a right-wing-extremist plot to abduct Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Trump belittled the threat at a rally. He disparaged Whitmer as a political enemy. His supporters chanted “Lock her up.” Trump laughed and replied, “Lock them all up.”

Fascism feasts on violence. In the years since his own supporters attacked the Capitol to overturn the 2020 election—many of them threatening harm to Speaker Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence—Trump has championed the invaders, would-be kidnappers, and would-be murderers as martyrs and hostages. He has vowed to pardon them if returned to office. His own staffers have testified to the glee with which Trump watched the mayhem on television.

Now the bloodshed that Trump has done so much to incite against others has touched him as well. The attempted murder of Trump—and the killing of a person nearby—is a horror and an outrage. More will be learned about the man who committed this appalling act, and who was killed by the Secret Service. Whatever his mania or motive, the only important thing about him is the law-enforcement mistake that allowed him to bring a deadly weapon so close to a campaign event and gain a sight line of the presidential candidate. His name should otherwise be erased and forgotten.

It is sadly incorrect to say, as so many have, that political violence “has no place” in American society. Assassinations, lynchings, riots, and pogroms have stained every page of American political history. That has remained true to the present day. In 2016, and even more in 2020, Trump supporters brought weapons to intimidate opponents and vote-counters. Trump and his supporters envision a new place for violence as their defining political message in the 2024 election.

Fascist movements are secular religions. Like all religions, they offer martyrs as their proof of truth. The Mussolini movement in Italy built imposing monuments to its fallen comrades. The Trump movement now improves on that: The leader himself will be the martyr in chief, his own blood the basis for his bid for power and vengeance.


More truth at the LINK

The Whitmer deal was an inside job, right?


And the pelosi deal, I’m not sure I believe the story they came out with. Just too much wrong with that whole thing to believe what they said.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

There was no gay lovers spat. Quit repeating lies.

Both in their underwear?

 

[bigrebnc1775]

Exactly.

Trump and his supporters have long advocated for political violence to intimidate voters and undermine the political process.

Why is it it that you leftists always act violently?

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Why is it it that you leftists always act violently?

“Accuse the other side of that which you are guilty” - Goebbels

The Republicans have really embraced this today.

 

[Invisibleflash]

Ok I've had enough. You've earned a permanent IGNORE. Get a real job.

I never ignore anyone. Good to keep track of your enemies.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

“Accuse the other side of that which you are guilty” - Goebbels

The Republicans have really embraced this today.

No I'm accusing you of what you are doing numbnuts

 

[frigidweirdo]

Ok I've had enough. You've earned a permanent IGNORE. Get a real job.

What's wrong with it?

Trump didn't care then. Now he cares because it was against him.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Trump and his supporters have long advocated for political violence and intimidation:

‘"Recent revelations that former President Trump allegedly called for protesters gathered outside the White House in 2020 to be shot are part of a pattern of calling for violence that the 45th president followed throughout his years in office.

Driving the news: "Can't you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?" Trump allegedly asked about the demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd, according to the forthcoming memoir by former Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

State of play: Trump made statements condoning and encouraging violence throughout his presidency.

July 2017: During a speech to law enforcement officers in Long Island, New York, Trump seemingly encouraged police officers to be rough with people they were arresting, per ABC News. "Please don't be too nice," he told the audience.

August 2017: In the aftermath of the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Trump failed to unequivocally condemn the violence and said "many sides" were to blame, failing to distinguish between those who participated in the "Unite the Right" rally and those who showed up in opposition to it.

October 2018: While speaking at a Montana campaign rally, Trump publicly praised Montana's then-Rep. Greg Gianforte (R) — the state's current governor — for previously assaulting a reporter. "Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!" Trump said.

October 2019: A New York Times report outlined various strategies Trump had allegedly deliberated to keep migrants away from the U.S. southern border, including a water-filled trench with snakes or alligators and shooting migrants in the legs to slow them down.

May 2020: Trump used violent rhetoric when referring to protests in Minneapolis in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, tweeting, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." The phrase has a racist history going back to police brutality against Black Americans in the 1960s, per the New York Times."’

https://www.axios.com/2022/05/02/trump-call-violence-presidency

Seemingly....alleged......the rest is interpretation on your part.

Spare me.

Trump never did any of it (and you can forget Jan 6th and the unhinged mob). It's meaningless.

Yes, you guys have a history of burning things you don't agree with.

When someone like Rittenhouse shoots in self-defense....you put him on trial.

You truly are enemies of the state.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Ok I've had enough. You've earned a permanent IGNORE. Get a real job.

Only a first class dick would put up something like this (the foolish OP) at this time.

No class whatsoever.

Don't blame you.

Most of the time, I just pass over his electronic farts.

 

[Synthaholic]

13 seconds is enough to know I won't be reading it.

Ignorance suits you.

 

[Synthaholic]

So much for toning down the rhetoric. LMAO

.

Who called for that?

 

[Synthaholic]

Keep flapping your yap there, moron.

When the time comes for violence from our side, you'll have no problem identifying it.

We saw it yesterday.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Ignorance suits you.

It would be an upgrade for you.

 

[HikerGuy83]

We saw it yesterday.

You didn't see anything.

 

[Synthaholic]

Keep flapping your yap there, moron.

When the time comes for violence from our side, you'll have no problem identifying it.

Pretty ironic you that intimate violence in a reply where you're denying that you're violent.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Pretty ironic you that intimate violence in a reply where you're denying that you're violent.

Didn't intimate anything. I said you'd know it with certainty if it comes.

Learn to read.

 

[Synthaholic]

You didn't see anything.

We saw Rightwing-on-Rightwing violence.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Ignorance suits you.

Only you could produce such a classless post at a time like this when leaders and others are asking people to take a step back. Some predicted there would be POS's like you who would try to use this to your advantage.

We all suspected you were a slime.

Thanks for removing any doubt.

 

[TheProgressivePatriot]

Haha the DOJ isn’t independent of the executive branch

The DOJ makes it's own prosecutorial decisions. And in the case of Trump, the special prosecutor adds another degree of separation from the White House

 

[Synthaholic]

We saw Rightwing-on-Rightwing violence.

It was also white male-on-white male violence.