JJ Slim wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2024 5:51 pm
Mori Chu wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2024 4:49 pm
In2, I know it's an emotional moment, but you're out of line.
No Mori, YOU are out of line. In2intion is exactly right. This was an assassination attempt. And this was brought on by all the hateful rhetoric from Democrats and the main stream media that feed you constant lies and then people like you believe it and get filled up with hate. They say conservatives and people that support Trump are Nazis and racists. They say we are stupid, uneducated backwoods hicks that just believe anything we are told. They turn on their friends and family simply because they support a different political party. I'm surprised this hadn't happened sooner. Many of us have been worried about this exact thing for a very long time. Can you tell me honestly that you haven't in your mind hoped that someone would kill Trump? I mean if you could go back and kill Hitler before he rose to power wouldn't you? That is exactly what Democrats have been saying is that he is Hitler and going to be a dictator. All lies. Remember Steve Scalise getting shot at a baseball game practice where Republicans were targeted? Remember the person that came all the way across the country to assassinate Brett Kavanaugh? Maybe you don't because main stream media doesn't cover it or leaves out pertinent details or twists them.
Now that I've slept on it and have more time to respond, here are my thoughts on this message:
First, we don't yet know much about the shooter. I think it is premature to say whose rhetoric or politics or lies inspired the shooter to try to do what he did. Let's wait to learn more before jumping to that conclusion. (I do think it is likely the simplest explanation that the shooter disliked Trump, but I still want to wait and see. The little info that has emerged about his political views has been unclear; they say he was a registered Republican but also donated $15 to one "blue" cause.)
Secondly, I disagree with your characterization of how I, or liberals, view Republicans. I feel that Trump is a dangerous threat to democracy, yes. But I have factual reasons for this belief, based on Trump's actual behavior as President from 2017-2021 and the things he directly claims he'll do if re-elected. I don't think Republicans are backwoods hicks; they're Americans just like me, in fact several diehard Republicans are people in my immediate family who I love more than just about anyone in the world.
Third, I think we can agree that rhetoric glorifying and encouraging violence is bad. I have been discouraged by several incidents where I feel the Republicans have done such inciteful rhetoric during the Trump / modern era. Examples:
- When Nancy Pelosi's husband was viciously attacked, and Trump and his family and many other Republicans mocked the incident and showed no sadness or solidarity whatsoever.
- Political ads showing Republican politicans shooting guns at Biden, at various "liberal" stuff, glorifying guns and shooting when talking about their campaign against their opponent Democrat. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a strong example of this, as is that recent brunette Republican candidate who has filmed some ads while jogging and then shooting at things, saying not to be "gay and weak."
- Gov. Eric Greitens (R-MO): "We're going RINO hunting."
- Jerone Davison (R), Arizona Congressional Candidate: "When this rifle is the only thing standing between your family and a dozen angry Democrats in Klan hoods, you just might need that semiautomatic."
- Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO): "I have a message for Joe Biden and Beto O’Rourke. If you want to take everyone’s AR-15 in America, why don’t you swing by my office in Washington, D.C., and start with this one."
- Tom Cotton told his followers that if pro-Palestine protestors blocked a road they were driving on, they should "take matters into your own hands."
- Kari Lake said we should "strap on a Glock" to prepare for the coming election.
- GOP Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson last week said, "some folks need killing" about his opponents.
- Kyle Rittenhouse
murdered killed two people he politically disagreed with, and the GOP has largely turned him into a beloved celebrity for it.
- Donald Trump himself has incited violence countless times. He told fans at his rally to punch a protestor in the face, to "knock the crap out of him." He incited January 6, a bloody violent insurrection against our country and its government. He celebrated when a group of Republicans surrounded Kamala Harris's campaign bus and almost ran it off the road. On and on.
I could list more. You named some unfortunate incidents where violence was committed or attempted against Republican politicians. These were horrible incidents. I challenge you to find any elected Democrat or candidate who took joy in these incidents, who celebrated them, who made jokes or mocked them. I guarantee that 100% of the messages and words you'll find will condemn these awful incidents as they should be condemned. That is an important difference to me. If you care about rhetoric, look at the rhetoric I have listed above versus any rhetoric you can find from Dem politicians in the face of the possibility of violence. One party condemns it; one party glorifies it.
Last comment: You described my media diet as being full of mainstream media lies and hate. I hope you know that I don't watch any of the TV channels like CNN or MSNBC; I get most of my news from Twitter/X and from reading online newspapers like the WaPo, Seattle Times, and San Jose Mercury News. I go out of my way to follow multiple conservative news sources like The Federalist, WSJ, and the National Review. I will admit that I prefer non-Republican news sites but I try to expose myself to different points of view and not only swim in bias/viewpoint-confirming content. I do agree with you that it is dangerous and bad for all of us to listen to only the voices and sources that we agree with. We should all try to get all sides of a story and make our own decisions.
My last comment: It's clear that a lot of us are upset and emotional after the assassination attempt on Trump. I hope we can keep the conversation in this thread civil. We're all friends here and we're all Americans. Nobody wanted this to happen and we can all talk about it from that starting point.
Those are my long-winded thoughts for now. Thanks for reading.