Next comes the revenge
Donald Trump survived an assassin’s bullet, rose to his feet, defiantly pumped his fist in the air, shouted “fight, fight, fight!” In that moment, he created an iconic political image that will fuel his calls for retribution, certify his claims of persecution and incite a deeper fervor amongst his followers.
Violence begets violence begets violence, and on and on it goes. Donald Trump is a man who has long courted, celebrated, incited and threatened violence. He has now become a victim of the malice and insanity that he has spread more singularly, directly and indiscriminately than any living American.
Donald Trump has built his political career on grievance, imaginary persecutions and indomitable toughness in the face of his enemies. Much of MAGA is a community of the disaffected and aggrieved who have been conditioned to believe Trump is being attacked by a hideous elite who is similarly attacking them. Last night, Trump became mythological to those people.
When MLK was assassinated RFK was about to speak to a crowd of Black Americans in Indiana. His remarks, like Trump’s fist pump and exhortation to fight, was extemporaneous — only he didn’t talk about fighting, but rather love:
I don’t want fighting in my country, I want peace and honesty. I want prosperity for all people, and for there to be a culture of decency in our politics.
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump was every bit as much an attack on American democracy as was the disgrace of the January 6 insurrection. It deserves absolute condemnation and our utter contempt.
The fact that a shooter was seen on the roof by ordinary Pennsylvanians before the US Secret Service spotted him is a travesty and a failure of gargantuan dimensions. It is unacceptable at every conceivable level. Does the incumbent president of the United States have similar lapses around him? Proverbial heads need to roll.
Trump has his dream match-up. Trump and his campaign have positioned Joe Biden as weak, feeble and unfit. He has utterly steam-filled the hapless Biden campaign, and the humiliation is just getting started.
There is an important question to consider and it is this: what if what happened yesterday happened when Donald Trump was president with majorities in the US House and US Senate. What then? What would the world look like this morning? What rights would the MAGA power brokers be insisting must be surrendered in the name of security? What legislation would be forwarded?
A period of chaos has begun in America, and unfortunately, it will get worse through the election and beyond.
The first Republican president was Abraham Lincoln. The party was founded in Wisconsin. These words by Lincoln are essential in this moment: “with malice toward none.” This is a moment during which Trump could choose to back down and refuse to pour gasoline on the fire. He will not make that choice. He will inflame the situation. “Fight, fight, fight!” will become his anthem.
It’s tough and iconic in the instant of the response, but who exactly is supposed to be fighting whom? What we are seeing is the use of a criminal act, an evil act, and an assault on our democracy as a justification for calls for more violence.
The one thing that nobody gets to say about this situation is that they are surprised by it.
I've been waiting for the moment someone speaks to January 6 and the hypocrisy of Trump and MAGA. They refused to give any credit to the capital police for saving their lives. Refused to recognize those same police in Congress although they continue to protect them every day. Trump made fun of Pelosi and her husband after he was attacked in his home. Now he will use what occurred to show his 'strength', that the Lord protected him. I have to write this before I eat a meal, it's that nauseating.
When you call for violence in pursuit of your goals, appeal to the darkest emotions, prejudices, and fears of your followers, and support public figures who call for violence, do not be surprised when it turns on you and bites you in the ass.