President Trump on Wednesday afternoon addressed the suspicious packages sent to former government officials and CNN’s New York offices, calling them “abhorrent to everything we hold dear.” The president said that he was briefed on the packages and confirmed that a “major federal investigation is now under way.” “We will spare no resources or expense in this effort, and I just want to tell you that in these times we have to unify,” he said. “We have to come together and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America.” He added that his administration was “angry, upset, unhappy about what witnessed this morning.” The president failed to mention by name the people and institutions targeted, including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and CNN. Those targeted have often been subject to verbal attacks by Trump.
A good and measured and Presidential response. A flip of the switch to a totally different measured comment (not off the cuff....he had to read it.)
Sadly I was unable to fall back to sleep and the next hours were spent with thoughts whirling through my head....trying to balance the above statement with what I've witnessed with my own eyes and ears since the campaign that resulted in his election in 2016. I got up and did a quick google search just to find a few example of past Trumpisms.....
"Even in elementary school, I was a very assertive, aggressive kid," Trump wrote in his ghost written bestseller. "In the second grade I actually gave a teacher a black eye — I punched my music teacher because I didn't think he knew anything about music and I almost got expelled. I'm not proud of that but it's clear evidence that even early on I had a tendency to stand up and make my opinions known in a very forceful way. The difference now is that I like to use my brain instead of my fists."
"If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously, OK? Just knock the hell ... I promise you I will pay for the legal fees. I promise, I promise," he said on Feb. 1, 2016.
At a Las Vegas rally later that month, he said security guards were too gentle with a protester. "He's walking out with big high-fives, smiling, laughing," Trump said. "I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell you."
On March 9, 2016, as a protester was being escorted out of a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he was sucker-punched by another attendee.
Three protesters who claim they were roughed up by Trump supporters at a March 1, 2016, rally in Louisville, Kentucky, have filed a federal suit against Trump, accusing him of inciting violence. (Suit was dismissed.)
"Please don't be too nice" to suspects, Trump tells police. Trump seemed to encourage police to be more violent in handling potential offenders during a speech to law enforcement officers in July 2017.
After a rally in Montana: "That was a tremendous success last night in Montana and Greg is a great person, he’s a tough cookie, and I’ll stay with that," Trump said, again offering praise for the congressman who body-slammed a reporter last year as he campaigned during a special election for Montana's at-large congressional seat. The incident was caught on audiotape. Gianforte went on to win the election and is now up for reelection. "Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!" Trump said to cheers Thursday night.
Racial slurs, nasty rhetoric and violence at Trump rallies have become commonplace against protesters, bystanders, and reporters. Assaults are committed not only by rowdy Trump fans, but by the staff he employs to keep the events safe. But rather than denounce these incidents, Trump is making them part of his brand, and uses them to rev up crowds.
“There may be somebody with tomatoes in the audience,” Trump warned people at a rally in Iowa last month. “If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously. Okay? Just knock the hell — I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees.”
In December, multiple incidents of violence were reported at a Trump rally in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The next month, a Sikh protester was physically pushed out of a Trump rally in Iowa, while fans yelled, “Trump! Trump! Trump!” The protester described it later as “a fascist rally in a school gym.” Last week, yet another video emerged of grown men at an event in Kentucky forcibly shoving a young black woman. As long as Trump continues to encourage this violence, it’s not going to stop. The fan charged with assault for sucker-punching a black protester on Wednesday has reportedly expressed no regrets. “The next time we see him, we might have to kill him,” he said.
.............
By the end of the day he was blaming the crooked media, the Democrats....anyone but himself and his own challenging/insiteful language and behavior. His spokespeople say his is not "responsible" for the pipebombs and the violence.....but I've always heard the phrase "The buck stops here," when it comes to the President. The good things that he can boast about and difficult things he must also see as part of the whole. This big buck stops and at his desk......as he incites his followers to greater and greater expressions of anger and mistrust and fear.
I'm not a media talking head....I'm not a political analyist....I'm just a retiree living in Wisconsin with two adult heads-of-household "children" and four grandsons. I'm just one voter who will make an infinitesible click in the mid-term elections. But I'm a frightened voter. I've never seen anything like this.....and I know that voters were tired of the "swamp" and the "inside the Beltway life-time politicians".....but this is better? This is what you got in by voting as you did in 2016? (You say you didn't vote for Trump but couldn't vote for Hillary becaue you hated her.....well, you voted for Trump.)
Pipe bombs? The kind of violence we see during elections in third world countries? Ugly rallies? A President who whips up the crowd to scream inane slogans like "Lock her up!" TWO YEARS AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION???
My friends say to turn off the news, stop listening, try not to let it get to me....but it's almost impossible. We really do rely on the remote button as fiver or six negative ads for local candidates follow each other during our evening TV shows. But part of me also thinks if good, thoughtful people don't SAY something about this then it will continue to grow. We have to say this is not and should not be our America.
Believe what you want, you have the power to vote for your candidate, you have the right to carry or post a sign, to gather with like minded people.....but do you have to hate the "other"? Do you have to believe statements that are simply and completely false and unsupportable?
I have a sign in my car supporting a local candidate for Wisconsin Assembly. Dave is concerned that someone may break our car window. Really? In Ozaukee County, Wisconsin? Really? I know it's "red" but isn't it filled with people who respect one another?
Really......OMG I can't even begin to anticipate 2020.
I will have to double up on the sleeping pill tonight because I am just exhausted.....and yet once again, tears are very close to the surface.....
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