Assassination Attempt

I earlier discussed a powerful Reuters article entitled "Judges in Trump-related cases face unprecedented wave of threats." 

Since Trump launched his first presidential campaign in June 2015, the average number of threats and hostile communications directed at judges, federal prosecutors, judicial staff, and court buildings has more than tripled, according to the Reuters review of data from the Marshals Service, which is responsible for protecting federal court personnel. 

Many of the threats against judges examined by Reuters echo Trump’s statements in social media posts and speeches, where he has attacked judges as “totally biased,” “crooked,” “partisan” and “hostile,” dismissed courts as “rigged” and called prosecutors “corrupt.” 

Threatening messages on pro-Trump online forums often repeat those terms or cast the former president as a heroic figure besieged by corrupt judges in secret “Democrat” plots.

Trump's language helped led to gag orders (and sanctions when he violated them) during his civil and criminal trials. 

He has used dehumanizing language against immigrants. Trump v. Hawaii handwaved his anti-Muslim comments. 

Trump sent winks and nods to white nationalists. He helped incite the 1/6 insurrection attempt. 

Meanwhile, Trump Republicans often strongly oppose any type of gun regulation. The Trump Administration did support the overturned bump stock rule. (How much the rule matters is also debatable.) 

President Biden opposes all these things. He has strongly spoken out about the importance of peaceful dissent and sane gun regulation. 

His response to the assassination attempt of Trump last night is par for the course. 

I am not trying to argue that Trump instigated this attack. I am suggesting his rhetoric, more so some of his more rabid supporters, is quite dangerous.

The Reuters article shows the possible effects. In recent history, right-wing violence has been worse. We speak of overall numbers. That doesn’t mean only right-wing violence exists. Nonetheless, the research data shows a trend.

Violence begets violence.

A historian might be reminded of the failed attempt on Theodore Roosevelt's life during the 1912 presidential campaign. The result there was different. The shooter was captured and later spent the rest of his life in a mental institution.  

The 20-year old here was "neutralized" (shot dead).  A bystander, 50-year-old former firefighter, died. Two are in critical condition. Trump appears to have been slightly wounded by being hit by some shrapnel.

What we know so far is that the shooter was the usual young miscreant who often is involved in these shootings. It appears he was outside of the standard defensive perimeter. Rep. Giffords and others can tell you the dangers of being a public official.  

We don't know all the facts but some "failure" of Secret Service protections is also premature, especially since the suspect was killed and Trump was barely hurt in the attempt. 

I am not handwaving the situation. But, you are not going to have 100% protection. I suppose Republicans who broadly support gun use and limited acceptance of regulations agree. The reports are the shooter used his father's semi-assault rifle. 

Political violence is a horrible part of our history. It is somewhat surprising we did not have more of it in recent years. Multiple people have been targeted. Nancy Pelosi's husband was brutally attacked. A top member of the Republicans in the House was shot. 

I appreciate President Biden's response, including (unlike a few people) not wanting to publicly make any assumptions without the facts. He said he planned to talk to Donald Trump himself. Would someone want to talk to Trump if the situation was turned around? I wouldn't want to talk to him.

Melania Trump tried to personalize DT:

“A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion — his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration,” she wrote in the statement. “The core facets of my husband’s life — his human side — were buried below the political machine.”

She encouraged people to look beyond partisan politics: “Let us not forget that differing opinions, policy, and political games are inferior to love.”

Okay. Whatever it was, it was an act of a chaos agent that should not take our mind off the ball of sanity. Shooting chaos agents is not that. 

Note: Events are still developing to be clear.