Berl Falbaum
The following column can be classified as insensitive in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Surely, this is no time to place blame but: While calling for the country to unite, Trump’s followers are wasting no time in accusing President Biden for inciting the shooting.
Thus, it is important to examine Trump’s record in creating an atmosphere for violence. As Sasha Abramsky wrote in The Nation after the shooting:
“To be absolutely clear, there is no politician in America today who has done more to stoke political violence than Donald J. Trump. And that is as true today as it was before the attempt on his life.
“Trump has gloried in a language of political violence for the better part of a decade, demonizing his political enemies and taking politics up to and beyond the boiling point.”
Here are just a few examples of Trump’s violent rhetoric:
• In March 2016 when a man was roughed up while protesting at a Trump rally, Trump said such attacks on protestors were “very, very appropriate” and the kind of action “we need a little bit more of.”
• In August 2016, he urged his supporters to “knock the crap” out of opponents and he would pay the legal bills.
• In August 2016, he seemed to suggest that gun advocates attack Hillary Clinton, stating: “If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.”
• April 2020: Following armed anti-pandemic lockdown protests at several state capitals, Trump tweeted: “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” and “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!”
• In May 2020, Trump, in response to protests over the murder of George Floyd, tweeted: “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper wrote in his memoir that Trump asked, “Can’t you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?”
• In August 2020, he defended a teen-age supporter who shot three people at a Black Lives Matter protest, and at the first presidential debate of the 2020 election, he declined to condemn white supremacists.
• In September 2020, when police killed a self-described Antifa member suspected of killing a right-wing activist, Trump said, “That’s the way is has to be. There has to be retribution.”
• In October 2020, after the FBI foiled an attempt to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Trump said on Fox News, that Whitmer “has to open up” and “wants to be a dictator,” using the language of those arrested in the foiled plot.
• He incited the January 6, 2021 insurrection, called the rioters patriots and promised, if elected in November, to pardon those serving prison terms, insurrectionists who erected gallows on the west front of the Capitol to hang Vice President Mike Pence.
• Shortly before the insurrection, in his speech to the rioters, he told them: “To fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
• The January 6 select committee investigating the insurrection heard testimony that Trump expressed support for hanging Pence for not violating the Constitution by certifying the 2020 election.
• On a taped interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl, Trump said that calls for Pence’s hanging was, “…common sense, Jon. It’s common sense that you’re supposed to protect.”
• In October 2022, he mocked Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had his head bashed in with a hammer by a far-right conspiracy theorist.
• In September 2023, Trump suggested that outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Mark Milley, who served more than 40 years in the military, was a traitor who deserved to be executed after Milley made a call to China, assuring its leaders that the U.S. had no plans to attack their country.
• In March 2024, Trump charged there would be a “bloodbath” in the country if he is not elected in November.
In addition, all his rallies had overtones of violence whether it involved attacks on opponents, protesters and demonstrators in cities or, of course, migrants.
Hold your emails. None of the above is designed to excuse, justify or defend the attempted assassination. It is to be condemned forcefully and in the strongest terms. The frequent use of “unacceptable” to describe the shooting does not do it. The use of “unacceptable” is appropriate when someone doesn’t wipe their feet when they come into your house.
But if we are to work to temper political rhetoric, we need to understand the source. We need to find the political vein which is leaking hate in order to cauterize it.
Most important, at this point, we do not know the motivation of the shooter. He may not have acted on a depraved political rationale.
But, regardless, the man who helped fuel the raging fires in our political climate with inciteful language will now be the recipient of the sympathy vote.
Surely, this is no time to place blame but: While calling for the country to unite, Trump’s followers are wasting no time in accusing President Biden for inciting the shooting.
Thus, it is important to examine Trump’s record in creating an atmosphere for violence. As Sasha Abramsky wrote in The Nation after the shooting:
“To be absolutely clear, there is no politician in America today who has done more to stoke political violence than Donald J. Trump. And that is as true today as it was before the attempt on his life.
“Trump has gloried in a language of political violence for the better part of a decade, demonizing his political enemies and taking politics up to and beyond the boiling point.”
Here are just a few examples of Trump’s violent rhetoric:
• In March 2016 when a man was roughed up while protesting at a Trump rally, Trump said such attacks on protestors were “very, very appropriate” and the kind of action “we need a little bit more of.”
• In August 2016, he urged his supporters to “knock the crap” out of opponents and he would pay the legal bills.
• In August 2016, he seemed to suggest that gun advocates attack Hillary Clinton, stating: “If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.”
• April 2020: Following armed anti-pandemic lockdown protests at several state capitals, Trump tweeted: “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” and “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment. It is under siege!”
• In May 2020, Trump, in response to protests over the murder of George Floyd, tweeted: “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper wrote in his memoir that Trump asked, “Can’t you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?”
• In August 2020, he defended a teen-age supporter who shot three people at a Black Lives Matter protest, and at the first presidential debate of the 2020 election, he declined to condemn white supremacists.
• In September 2020, when police killed a self-described Antifa member suspected of killing a right-wing activist, Trump said, “That’s the way is has to be. There has to be retribution.”
• In October 2020, after the FBI foiled an attempt to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Trump said on Fox News, that Whitmer “has to open up” and “wants to be a dictator,” using the language of those arrested in the foiled plot.
• He incited the January 6, 2021 insurrection, called the rioters patriots and promised, if elected in November, to pardon those serving prison terms, insurrectionists who erected gallows on the west front of the Capitol to hang Vice President Mike Pence.
• Shortly before the insurrection, in his speech to the rioters, he told them: “To fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
• The January 6 select committee investigating the insurrection heard testimony that Trump expressed support for hanging Pence for not violating the Constitution by certifying the 2020 election.
• On a taped interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl, Trump said that calls for Pence’s hanging was, “…common sense, Jon. It’s common sense that you’re supposed to protect.”
• In October 2022, he mocked Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had his head bashed in with a hammer by a far-right conspiracy theorist.
• In September 2023, Trump suggested that outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Mark Milley, who served more than 40 years in the military, was a traitor who deserved to be executed after Milley made a call to China, assuring its leaders that the U.S. had no plans to attack their country.
• In March 2024, Trump charged there would be a “bloodbath” in the country if he is not elected in November.
In addition, all his rallies had overtones of violence whether it involved attacks on opponents, protesters and demonstrators in cities or, of course, migrants.
Hold your emails. None of the above is designed to excuse, justify or defend the attempted assassination. It is to be condemned forcefully and in the strongest terms. The frequent use of “unacceptable” to describe the shooting does not do it. The use of “unacceptable” is appropriate when someone doesn’t wipe their feet when they come into your house.
But if we are to work to temper political rhetoric, we need to understand the source. We need to find the political vein which is leaking hate in order to cauterize it.
Most important, at this point, we do not know the motivation of the shooter. He may not have acted on a depraved political rationale.
But, regardless, the man who helped fuel the raging fires in our political climate with inciteful language will now be the recipient of the sympathy vote.
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