There’s too much to say today, and it feels like there’s not much point in saying any of it. We’re dealing with yet another mass shooting, this time a hate-inspired attack on a synagogue. We’re dealing with this just a day after the arrest of a hate-inspired series of bomb attacks on prominent critics of President Trump — which took place just a couple of days after a hate-inspired double murder of African-Americans in a Kentucky grocery store (after the shooter failed to gain entry into an African-American church).
In the face of all this hate, President Trump has once again proven himself incapable of performing the basic functions of his office. Instead of trying to unify the nation against this hate, he’s continued to encourage the anger and resentment of his followers. Instead of showing compassion for the victims of this shooting and offering comfort, he blamed the temple for not having an armed guard at the door. Instead of making a sincere call for unity, he continued to fuel the bitterness and the hate. He has falsely indicted Democrats and the news media for a lack of civility while absolutely refusing to acknowledge that his rhetoric plays any part in the problem.
Many of Trump’s supporters insist that all the hate and violence being inflicted on the public — including this mass murder — is a product of false flag operations conducted by Democrats and the Deep State, intended to hurt Republicans in the midterm elections. Instead of decrying this, Trump has fed into it, insisting that he is a victim of some sort of conspiracy. In doing so, the president has deliberately undermined public trust in many of the fundamental systems of representative democracy — law enforcement, the courts, the news media. And he’s done it purely in the interest of political expediency.
Again, there’s too much to say today. And right now it feels like there’s not much point in saying any of it. But I still think it’s important to say it. And to keep saying it. Over and over and over. Even if it doesn’t seem to do any good, it’s important to keep saying it.
gregfallis.com 
I will be waiting for you to blame democrats for this since the guy was an avowed Trump hater.
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Hey Billy. I don’t quite understand your reasoning here. Are you suggesting that everybody who dislikes Trump is a Democrat? Because that’s just not the case. And in any event, Bowers was registered as an ‘unaffiliated’ voter. He wasn’t a Democrat.
But here’s the thing: whether or not Bowers was a fan of Trump, Trump’s influence on the social discourse in this nation is undeniable. It’s become increasingly acceptable for folks to say hateful things — and while I believe that’s a LOT more common among conservatives, I’m also aware of liberals who have become more free with angry, hateful language.
Here’s another thing: hateful, violent rhetoric lowers the threshold for hateful, violent action. The more people feel comfortable with saying the news media is the enemy of the people, the more people will feel comfortable throwing bottles or bricks at them. It’s not that one leads necessarily to the other; it’s just that the one makes the other more likely.
And here’s a third thing: with each new act of hatred, the threshold for committing another act of hatred is lowered. Once one person throws a rock through a window, it becomes more likely another person will feel free to break a window. And with every mass shooting, it becomes a bit more likely that another person will commit a mass shooting.
So it doesn’t matter if Bowers is a Trump supporter. What matters is that Trump has brought racism and hatred out of the closet.
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The shooter hated Jews because he claims they encourage refugees and immigrants. If he is so anti-immigration, with all the rhetoric about how Democrats want open doors, etc., he is decidedly no friend of the Democrats.
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It has become more difficult to watch these mass murders as though it is a reality television show. Your friends north of the border feel it even when some are afraid to admit it. The amount of hate speech, killings and wounded have risen sharply. Trump does not understand the depth of our friendship, family and friends. Do I need say anymore other than it was Trump who started it. He finds pleasure by inflicting so much pain no one wants to play his game. Oh dear I feel as though I am writing a poem about him. My family came to Canada in 1534 and I still feel as though it is home with great #neighbors.
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Reblogged this on Pearlie Mae, Mermaid.
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Please do keep saying it, Greg. I promise I will, too. This is a terrible, ugly, and prolonged chapter in the annals of humanity, but the better angels of our natures, of our society, will prevail. In the meantime, keep saying it, Greg. I promise I will, too.
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