
Protesters in Chicago come out in numbers to confront Donald Trump's threats of violence. (CC Photo: nathanmac87)
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Protesters in Chicago come out in numbers to confront Donald Trump's threats of violence. (CC Photo: nathanmac87)
Of all the many disturbing things about Donald Trump, his glorification of political violence may be the worst. Again and again, he has encouraged his followers to respond to peaceful protests with brutal force. The Intercept (3/11/16) had a good compilation of Trump's encouragement of attacks against those who dare to speak out against him:
Rachel Maddow on MSNBC (3/11/16) presented a video compilation of Trump's routine incitement to violence:
And Trump's followers are clearly listening to their leader's exhortations. Slate publishes a running list of violent events at Trump rallies--including attacks on journalists as well as protesters. After one protester was punched, kicked and reportedly choked at a November 2015 rally in Birmingham, Alabama, Trump's response was, "Maybe he should have been roughed up, because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing." One Trump supporter who viciously elbowed a African-American protester in the face--and was later indicted for the assault--boasted to Inside Edition (3/10/16), "The next time we see him, we might have to kill him."
The idea that a political movement should respond to criticism with violent attacks is not compatible with a democratic society. There's no incongruity in Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke's endorsement of Trump; what Trump is celebrating is the Klan's strategy of suppressing dissent through terror.
When peaceful protests are met with violence, as they have been again and again at Trump's mass meetings, protesters have a choice between giving in to intimidation and staying away, or showing up in numbers large enough so that they cannot be suppressed. Last night, in Chicago, activists made the latter choice. It was the right thing to do for democracy.
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Of all the many disturbing things about Donald Trump, his glorification of political violence may be the worst. Again and again, he has encouraged his followers to respond to peaceful protests with brutal force. The Intercept (3/11/16) had a good compilation of Trump's encouragement of attacks against those who dare to speak out against him:
Rachel Maddow on MSNBC (3/11/16) presented a video compilation of Trump's routine incitement to violence:
And Trump's followers are clearly listening to their leader's exhortations. Slate publishes a running list of violent events at Trump rallies--including attacks on journalists as well as protesters. After one protester was punched, kicked and reportedly choked at a November 2015 rally in Birmingham, Alabama, Trump's response was, "Maybe he should have been roughed up, because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing." One Trump supporter who viciously elbowed a African-American protester in the face--and was later indicted for the assault--boasted to Inside Edition (3/10/16), "The next time we see him, we might have to kill him."
The idea that a political movement should respond to criticism with violent attacks is not compatible with a democratic society. There's no incongruity in Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke's endorsement of Trump; what Trump is celebrating is the Klan's strategy of suppressing dissent through terror.
When peaceful protests are met with violence, as they have been again and again at Trump's mass meetings, protesters have a choice between giving in to intimidation and staying away, or showing up in numbers large enough so that they cannot be suppressed. Last night, in Chicago, activists made the latter choice. It was the right thing to do for democracy.
Of all the many disturbing things about Donald Trump, his glorification of political violence may be the worst. Again and again, he has encouraged his followers to respond to peaceful protests with brutal force. The Intercept (3/11/16) had a good compilation of Trump's encouragement of attacks against those who dare to speak out against him:
Rachel Maddow on MSNBC (3/11/16) presented a video compilation of Trump's routine incitement to violence:
And Trump's followers are clearly listening to their leader's exhortations. Slate publishes a running list of violent events at Trump rallies--including attacks on journalists as well as protesters. After one protester was punched, kicked and reportedly choked at a November 2015 rally in Birmingham, Alabama, Trump's response was, "Maybe he should have been roughed up, because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing." One Trump supporter who viciously elbowed a African-American protester in the face--and was later indicted for the assault--boasted to Inside Edition (3/10/16), "The next time we see him, we might have to kill him."
The idea that a political movement should respond to criticism with violent attacks is not compatible with a democratic society. There's no incongruity in Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke's endorsement of Trump; what Trump is celebrating is the Klan's strategy of suppressing dissent through terror.
When peaceful protests are met with violence, as they have been again and again at Trump's mass meetings, protesters have a choice between giving in to intimidation and staying away, or showing up in numbers large enough so that they cannot be suppressed. Last night, in Chicago, activists made the latter choice. It was the right thing to do for democracy.