Another tragic incident of political violence occurred last week and the President of the United States had an opportunity to speak out against such violence as well as gun violence in general, show compassion, and unite the country. Instead, he said this: “We have radical left lunatics out there and we just have to beat the hell out of them.”
This was said even before a suspect was in custody and before we knew anything about the suspect’s motives.
Political violence is being targeted at both Democrats and Republicans, but the president didn’t decry the killing of Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband as well as the shooting of a state senator and his wife, the firebombing of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence, the murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers at a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., the attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, the January 6 insurrection, as well as the two assassination attempts on his life. He amped up the political rhetoric and made it clear that he did not view himself as the president of the “radical left.”
Contrast the president’s statement with the statement of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D), “Political violence has no place in our country. We must speak with moral clarity. The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society.”
Contrast the president’s statement with the statement of California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), “We should all feel a deep sense of grief and outrage at the terrible violence that took place in Utah today. Charlie Kirk’s murder is sick and reprehensible, and our thoughts are with his family, children, and loved ones. I knew Charlie, and I admired his passion and commitment to debate. His senseless murder is a reminder of how important it is for all of us, across the political spectrum, to foster genuine discourse on issues that deeply affect us all without resorting to political violence. … In a democracy, ideas are tested through words and good-faith debate-never through violence.”
Contrast the president’s statement with that of Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R), “We can return violence with violence. We can return hate with hate. And that’s the problem with political violence. It metastasizes, because we can always point the finger at the other side. And at some point, we have to find an off ramp, or it’s going to get much, much worse.”
On the same day that Charlie Kirk was murdered by gun violence, a 16-year-old in Colorado shot and wounded two students and killed himself. Did the president mention the continuing horror of our children being killed by gun violence? No. Ask yourself, is this president your president no matter the color of your skin or your gender or how much money you have or where you live or whom you love or how you vote or where you worship? What United States of America president has previously referred to our cities as “hellholes” or sent the national guard into cities without being requested or without extraordinary circumstances? This president has said he would send the military against American citizens.
This president is even entering into the electoral process that is the domain of states in order to take away the vote of American citizens by supporting pervasive gerrymandering.
So I ask you, “Is Donald John Trump your president?”
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