"He Wanted Violence. He got it." [View all]

[babylonsister]

Last edited Mon Jul 15, 2024, 01:52 PM - Edit history (1)

He Wanted Violence. He got it.
Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 1:21:34p EDT
RenaRF
Trump's persistent anger and incitement to violence is deliberate. It just backfired.


I tried to put this thought together yesterday in a short story, but with more time today, I really want to delve into how many times Trump has explicitly called for violence either as President or as a former President and Presidential candidate. The over-arching point is going to be this: when you call for violence, you get it — just not always in the way you wanted it. So let’s begin.

July 2017 — Trump encourages law enforcement to be rough/violent with potential offenders, opines at a rally (publicly) for police to "Please don't be too nice."
October 2018 — At a public rally, Trump praises violence committed against a reporter by then Rep. Greg Gianforte.
October 2019 — Trump asks if migrants can be “[shot] in the legs” and asks for a cost estimate for filling the water where migrants cross with alligators, among other things.
May 2020 — Trump posts on Twitter "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" in response to George Floyd protests.
June 2020 — Trump wants George Floyd protesters outside of the White House shot. "Can't you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?"
August 2020 — Trump wants to send the National Guard into Portland OR to meet protestors with violent force.
September 2020 — During a Fox “News” interview, Trump praises the law enforcement extra-judicial killing of Michael Reinoehl in Portland, stating “there has to be retribution”.
September 2020 — Given the opportunity during the Presidential debate, Trump doubles down and tells extremist right wing groups to “stand back and stand by”.
January 2021 — Trump incites the J6 crowd to violence by stating "you'll never take back our country with weakness" after telling the crowd to go to the Capitol.
September 2023 — Trump states that General Mark Milley should be executed for a post-J6 phone call to reassure China, calling it “an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH” in a post on his failing social media platform.
October 2023 — In a speech to CA Republicans, Trump says “...If you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store."
October 2023 — In the same speech as above, Trump mocks Paul Pelosi who was violently attacked a year prior, tacitly condoning the violence.
October 2023 — In one of his many mandatory courtroom appearances, Trump targets Tish James for violence stating “I don’t think the people of this country are going to stand for it … This is a disgrace. And you ought to go after this attorney general.”
January 2024 — Trump promises “big, big trouble” and “bedlam in this country” if the Federal case against him for plotting to overturn the 2020 election proceeds.
March 2024 — During an Ohio GOP campaign event, Trump says, “Now, if I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath for the whole — that's going to be the least of it. It's going to be a bloodbath for the country. That will be the least of it.”
April 2024 — Trump suggests that there will be violence if he doesn’t win: “I think we’re going to win. And if we don’t win, you know, it depends. It always depends on the fairness of an election.”

snip//

Another thing that needs to be said is this: Trump, his sycophants and mindless MAGA followers are just FINE with violence being directed at “them”. “They” are:

Immigrants & Migrants
Anyone non-Christian of any citizenship status
Anyone who appears non-white
Anyone who identifies as or relates to those in the LGBTQIA+ community
Anyone who is for abortion rights
Anyone who wants to regulate assault weapons
Anyone who isn’t in the Qult
Anyone who doesn’t worship Trump

I’m sure the above list should be longer, but in short, anyone who isn’t walking around in a MAGA hat carrying big MAGA flags, etc. So… everyone else. Without glorifying yesterday’s events, I have to say: it’s… interesting to see them realize that their violent rhetoric — their preferred targets of violence (which is what they crave, violence against their “enemies”) — flipped against them yesterday. I’ll repeat: violent rhetoric is heard and you can’t control who hears it, how they take it, how/if they act on it, and who that violence will be aimed at. The irony is strong in this observation. They asked for it, they got it. It’s still wrong, it shouldn’t have happened, but it did and it’s their own language and rhetoric that caused it. Full stop.

more...

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/7/14/2254169/-He-Wanted-Violence-He-got-it