(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Democrats, Don't Let Them Send You On a Guilt Trip [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-09-16 A few days ago, I submitted a letter to the editor to two area newspapers criticizing a local state representative for his inflammatory comments after Donald Trump was shot in Butler County in July. A recent Washington Post story reported that this member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives had sent a mailer to his constituents accusing the media and President Joe Biden’s administration of “all but pulling the trigger” that day. He was angry about the claim that Trump is a threat to democracy and told the Post, “When the left-wing media, and when [Kamala Harris] uses rhetoric like that, they are absolutely responsible for creating an environment that basically says, ‘We want these types of people exterminated.’” “Pulling the trigger?” “Exterminated?” You really want to go there, Drama King. Now, you should know this guy is a MAGA punk who in the past has posted pictures of himself shooting his gun and has talked about running over protestors with his car. Overcompensating? I can’t say. On Sunday I got an email from one paper saying it’ll run my letter this week. Then the news came out about a possible second assassination attempt on Trump, and it made me think how this could affect my letter? Should I ask the paper to pull it? In the end, I decided not to try to stop its publication. I believe what I wrote is true and needed to be said. Public officials shouldn’t be fanning the flames of violence like this clown did with his mailer and comments to the Post. A second assassination try, no matter how terrible, doesn’t change that. Still, if Sunday’s events made me pause maybe it’s making some of do likewise. Maybe you think you need to let up with your anti-Trump comments. Maybe you should stop calling him a threat to democracy or not be so quick to point out his unfitness for office. Come on, don’t act like a Democrat. Look, while political violence is totally unacceptable and communications that inspire it are reprehensible, this is no time to stop telling the truth about Trump, a four-time indicted, twice impeached, sexual assaulter, tax fraudster, wannabe dictator, race-baiting, convicted felon. I can sum it up best with these words from political operative Rick Wilson that I have hanging near my desk: “Sometimes, I write something where I push back from the laptop and ask, ‘Too Much?’ Then the imp on my shoulder says, ‘Nah, bro. Burn it all down.’” I try not to listen to too much bullshit from the Right, but I fully expect a boatload of sanctimonious finger-pointing about how the rhetoric from the Left has put Trump’s life in danger twice. This would be a good time to note, as we wait for more information about the man who was arrested in Sunday’s incident, that as far as the dead shooter in Butler County the FBI said, “We see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left-leaning or right-leaning,” according to the Post. Attacks on Trump based on facts or honest opinions based on the truth are perfectly justified here. Yes, from everything we’ve seen and heard he is a threat to our democracy. He’s the one who’s talked about being a dictator on his first day. Who’s riffed about weaponizing his justice department to go after his enemies. Who’s been presented a plan to throw out thousands of civil service employees and replace them with loyalists who’ll do his bidding without question. Violent rhetoric? Trump’s the one who’s used terms like “bloodbath.” Who talked about the “Second Amendment people” taking care of Hilliary Clinton. Who’s viciously attacked immigrants as well as other politicians and everyday citizens, putting their lives in danger. Who sent a violent mob to the Capitol to try to overturn the election, for God’s sake. A group of insurrectionists that he’s called “hostages” and has said he’ll pardon if he returns to office. Today, Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, who are in this country legally, have a target on their backs after Trump and his idiot running mate J.D. Vance refused to back down from completely false claims that they’re eating people’s pet dogs and cats. Bomb threats have been made to government buildings and schools there. Colleges have gone to virtual classrooms as a safety precaution. Think about it. in the United States today, the two men at the top of the GOP presidential ticket can blatantly lie about legal migrants, see these people become objects of threats, and continue to lie. Listen to what Vance told CNN: “If I have to create stories so that the American media pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do … because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast.” Create stories? He’s actually admitting that he’ll lie if it suits him. And, by the way, this has nothing to do with Harris or anybody but a GOP cult wholly bought into the racist hatred of immigrants that’s preached by its leader, Trump. Vance is just singing from a prime seat in the choir. The Republican Party is a party of unserious people who’ve decided that the best way to appease their base isn’t with thoughtful policy and a moral compass that points in the direction of the greater good. It’s decided to go with racist lies about black and brown immigrants with the hope that the combination of fear and hatred that effort generates will inspire them to the polls. It’s demonized opposing politicians and private citizens whenever it sees that avenue as scoring sufficient political points. It’s banked on a firestorm of lies to overwhelm the truth about themselves and their policies, or, rather, lack of policies. The media will try like hell to make this a both sides issue, but it’s not. Has there been inappropriate things coming from the Left? Sure. But if you stack them up it’s not even close. It’s the Right that keeps violence and intimidation as tools in its tool box. Not the Left. It’s the Right that’s produced the majority of domestic terrorism incidents in this country. Not the Left. Democrats can’t back down. They can’t blink. Listen to Harris and her running mate Tim Walz sometime. You may not agree with all their ideas, but they’re offering a positive vision for the future. They’re refusing to use lies and hate to sway the vote. They never even hint that violence is any kind of solution. They’re acting the way we expect our leaders to act. Compare them to the clownish thug-like antics of Trump, Vance, and many others in their corrupt party. They’re nothing more than bullies who’ll never pay for their words because any illegal action will be done by stooges in their base while they look on from a safe distance. That’s the way cults work. That’s how their leaders thrive. And with enough power in their hands, that’s how democracies die. *** Thank you for reading my post. You can see my other writings on my blog: Musings of a Nobody. 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