President Donald Trump is continuing his assault on “The Squad” which is the nickname given to the four, young Democrat United States Representatives to Congress who are all women of color. All four were elected in November, 2018 to their first terms in congress. “The Squad” are Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez(D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley(D-Mass.).
WHITE HOUSE CABINET ROOM
On Tuesday, July 16, 2019, President Donald Trump took questions in the White House Cabinet room from the media and used the opportunity to again attack the 4 congresswomen who he said need to “go back” to the countries they came from. Of the four, who strongly oppose many of Trump’s policies, one is black, one is Hispanic and two are Muslim. All are American citizens, and three were born in the United States and one is a naturalized citizen.
A reporter noted that Trump had said the Democratic congresswoman should leave if they’re not happy and asked “Where should they go?”
The President’s response was quick and he said:
“It’s up to them. Go wherever they want, or they can stay. But they should love our country. They shouldn’t hate our country. You look at what they’ve said, I–I have clips right here. The most vile, horrible statements about our country, about Israel, about others. It’s up to them to do what they want. They can leave, they can stay, but they should love our country and they should work for the good of our country.”
Another reporter then asked: “Mr. Trump, would you be willing not to use the ‘phrase go back to your country’ to citizens and women of color who are citizens who have been born in this country? Would you be willing to defend?”
Trump responded:
“I think it’s terrible when people speak so badly about our country when people speak so horribly, I have a list of things here I’m not going to bore you with it because you would be bored. You wouldn’t write it anyway but I have a list of things here said by the congresswomen that is so bad, so horrible that I almost don’t want to read it it’s so bad. I think what you do is you have the same lists that I do.
You should repeat some of that when the Democrats didn’t want to mention the name of the Congresswoman not so long ago and what they did and the way they are treating Israel is a disgrace but not only Israel, it’s what they say about our country. It’s my opinion they hate our country and that’s not good. It’s not acceptable.”
DEPARTING FOR A CAMPAIGN RALLY
On Wednesday July 17, 2019, as President Trump was leaving the White House for a campaign rally in North Carolina he said that he did not regret the statements he’s made telling the 4 congresswomen to “go back” to the countries they came from. Trump escalated his attack by proclaiming they “hate our country” and are pushing socialist ideas.
Trump tore into Congresswoman Ilhan Omar when he was asked whether she had committed fraud by marrying her brother for him to become an American citizen and said:
“I know nothing about it, I hear she was married to her brother. … You’re asking me a question about it. I don’t know, but I’m sure that somebody would be looking at that.”
NORTH CAROLINA MAGA CAMPAIGN RALLY
During his July 17, 2019 North Carolina “Make America Great Campaign Rally” Trump repeated inflammatory criticism against the 4 congresswoman and said of them all:
“Let ’em leave… they’re always telling us how to run it, how to do this, how to do that. You know what? If they don’t love it, tell ’em to leave it.”
Trump then proceeded to sharply and viciously criticized each one of the 4 congresswomen.
Trump went after Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn) by saying:
“[She] smeared U.S. service members in ‘Black Hawk Down.’ She slandered the brave Americans trying to keep peace in Somalia.” Trump’s remark was a clear jab at her Somali-American heritage. Trump also said Omar blamed America for the economic crisis in Venezuela and refused to condemn Al Qaeda. As Trump continued to criticize Representative Ilhan Omarof, the crowd began to shout, “Send Her Back” an obvious rewrite of the “Lock Her Up” slogan used against Hillary Clinton.
Trump went on to blast Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) in his speech by saying she “used the F-word to describe the presidency and your president. That’s not nice, even for me. That’s not somebody who loves our country.”
With respect to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez(D-N.Y.) he mocked her for the use of “three different names” and went on to say she inaccurately described the migrant holding facilities at the southern border as concentration camps.
When it came to Representative Ayanna Pressley(D-Mass.), Trump said the congresswoman “thinks that people with the same skin color all need to think the same. She said, ‘we don’t need any more brown faces that don’t want to be brown voices, we don’t need black faces that don’t want to be a black voice, … Can you imagine if I said that?” It was a reference to remarks she gave at a conference during the past weekend.
TRUMP CLAIMS HE TRIED TO STOP “SEND HER BACK” CHANT
On Thursday, July 18, 2019 while in the Oval Office talking to reporters, Trump said “I was not happy with it” when his supporters started to chant “send her back” during his North Carolina rally the night before. Trump claimed with a straight face that he tried to stop the chant which came after he tore into Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who fled to the U.S. as a child with her family from violence-wracked Somalia.
News coverage of his campaign speech shows Trump pausing and looking all around at the crowed during his remarks as if to take time to witness the crowd’s reaction to what he was saying. Not once did Trump tell his supporters to stop the chant of “send her back”. In no way did Trump caution or admonish his supporters who he had just ginned up to stop chanting.
After criticism of the chant at the rally from two prominent Republican, Trump said he “would certainly try” to stop the chant should it return at a subsequent rally.
Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois tweeted that the “send her back” chant was:
“ugly, wrong, & would send chills down the spines of our Founding Fathers. This ugliness must end, or we risk our great union.”
Rep. Tom Emmer, who heads the House GOP’s campaign organization, told reporters:
“There’s no place for that kind of talk. I don’t agree with it.”
Finally two Republicans with a little backbone to condemn Trump’s remarks. No doubt Trump will say the 2 Republicans are not loyal to him and they do not love their country.
https://www.abqjournal.com/1342046/some-in-gop-chastise-send-her-back-chant-but-not-trump.html
TRUMPS HISTORY OF INCITING VIOLENCE
On January 23, 2016, Donald Trump said at a rally in Sioux Center that his supporters are so loyal that he would not lose backers even if he were to shoot someone in the middle of downtown Manhattan, New Yorke City and said:
“I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, okay, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, okay? … It’s, like, incredible.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-says-he-could-shoot-somebody-still-maintain-support-n502911
On February 21, 2016, Trump told a crowd of his supporters in Cedar Rapids that he would pay their legal fees if they engaged in violence against protesters and said:
“If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously, OK? Just knock the hell out of them … I promise you I will pay for the legal fees. I promise, I promise.”
http://time.com/4203094/donald-trump-hecklers/
On March 9, 2016, as a protester was being escorted out of a Trump rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the protester was sucker-punched by another attendee and Trump said nothing when it was brought to his attention.
At a Las Vegas campaign rally in March, 2016 Trump said security guards were too gentle with a protester and said “He’s walking out with big high-fives, smiling, laughing. … I’d like to punch him in the face, I’ll tell you.”
In yet another campaign rally in March, 2016 in Warren, Michigan, Trump said of a protester “Get him out. …Try not to hurt him. If you do, I’ll defend you in court. Don’t worry about it.”
In July 2017 during a speech to police officials, Trump encourage law enforcement officials to be more violent in handling arrested offenders when he said:
“When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just seen them thrown in, rough. I said, ‘Please don’t be too nice … When you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head you know, the way you put their hand over [their head],” Trump continued, mimicking the motion. “Like, don’t hit their head and they’ve just killed somebody, don’t hit their head. … You can take the hand away, OK?’”
During a rally in Montana ahead of the 2018 midterms, Trump praised Republican Greg Gianforte for body slamming a reporter while running for his congressional seat in 2017 and said “any guy who can do a body slam, he is my type!”
PIPE BOMBS SENT TO TRUMP CRITICS BY TRUMP SUPPORTER
It was less than 9 months ago that the New York Times reported that on October 26, 2018 Federal authorities made an arrest in connection with the nationwide bombing campaign against outspoken Democratic critics of President Trump. At least 14 pipe bombs were sent to Democratic outspoken critics of President Trump and people who he has vilified at his political rallies and people he vilified on TWITTER.
Pipe bombs were sent to the home addresses of:
Former President Barack Obama
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Former United States Attorney General Eric Holder
Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John O. Brennan
California Congresswoman Maxine Waters
Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Billionaire philanthropist George Soros
Actor Robert Di Nero
A pipe bomb was also delivered to the offices of CNN in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
On Friday, October 26, 2018 Federal authorities made an arrest in connection with the nationwide bombing campaign against outspoken Democratic critics of President Trump. The suspect was identified as Cesar Sayoc Jr., 56, of Aventura, Florida. Sayoc is a registered Republican, he has a lengthy criminal history in Florida dating back to 1991. Sayoc’s criminal record includes felony theft, drug and fraud charges, as well as being arrested and accused of threatening to use a bomb.
During his arrest, Sayvoc’s white van was also seized as evidence. The van’s windows were plastered with a thick collage of pro-Trump stickers. Photos of the van showed that one of the stickers depicted President Trump standing in front of flames and the American flag. Another was of Hillary Clinton’s face in the crosshairs of a rifle scope. A third said: “CNN SUCKS.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/26/nyregion/cnn-cory-booker-pipe-bombs-sent.html
Photos and video emerged of Sayvoc attending a February, 2017 Trump Rally in Melbourne, Florida. He was holding a placard reading “CNN SUCKS”. Social media posts maintained by Cesar Sayoc Jr., contain conspiratorial memes promoting President Trump and mocking, criticizing and threatening virtually every prominent Democrat he sent a pipe bomb.
One post involving former Attorney General Eric Holder appointed by President Obama said “See you real soon. Tick Tock”.
In a September TWEET to former Vice President Joe Biden he wrote: “Hug your beloved son, Niece, wife family real close every time U walk out your home.”
On Wednesday, October 24, 2018, after a briefing with FBI, DOJ, Homeland Security and Secret Service and during a subsequent White House function, President Trump had this to say about the “pipe bomber”:
“The safety of the American people is my highest and absolute priority. … The full weight of our government is being deployed to conduct and bring those responsible for these despicable acts to justice. We will spare no resources or expense in this effort. And I wanted to tell you that, in these times, we have to unify, we have to come together, and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message, that that acts or threats of political violence have no place in the United States of America.”
On Thursday, October 25, 2018, the very a day after CNN and Democrats were the targets of the pipe bombs, Trump in a TWEET blamed the media for much of the “anger” in society by saying:
“A very big part of the anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!”
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/25/politics/trump-blames-media-for-anger-after-attacks/index.html
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
There is no doubt that President Trump promotes hostility, mistrust and violence towards the press as well as his critics with his words and conduct at his rallies. Trump promoted violence, hostility and mistrust when he first ran for President and he is doing it again at his reelection political campaign rallies. What is disturbing is he has added one more dangerous ingredient to his speeches: overt racism.
Trump repeatedly uses harsh rhetoric targeting journalists and political opponents during campaign rallies creating and inflaming an extremely tense and divisive political environment of hostility, mistrust and violence. Trump refuses to take any responsibility for promoting hostility and mistrust, and at times violence, in this county and against his critics and American citizens.
Trump’s proclamation that he tried to stop the chant “Send Her Back” and that he was not happy with it is such a blatant lie on his part when he did nothing to stop the crowd after he ginned them up. The most disturbing and very real possibility is that he could easily promote violence as a form of protest against any one of the 4 congresswoman he is now trying discredit and accusing them of hating this country. It is likely if something happens to any one of the congresswomen, he will say he is not responsible for the actions of his supporters, the way he did with the serial pipe bomber and blaming it on the media.
The Republican US Senate and Republican US House leadership do not object in any meaningful way Trump’s comments thereby condoning his words and actions. Republicans in the House of Representatives would not even vote to condemn his remakes against their Democratic colleagues.
Voters need to hold Trump accountable for his words and actions of promoting racism, hostility, mistrust and violence towards others by voting him out of office. Sooner rather than later, Trump our “Reality TV host” and our “Racist in Chief” will get someone killed shooting off his mouth, but to him, being elected to a second term is all that matters unless of course it’s his money.
The slogan “Love It Or Leave It” is nothing new and was widely used by supporters of the Viet Nam War in the 1960’s and 1970’s and used by conservatives against Viet Nam War protesters and liberals opposed to the war. Just because an American takes issue against any President or policy does not mean that an American hates their country. Free speech guaranteed by our constitution does not mean it must be all positive and supportive of the President and his policies without any objection.
Saying “Love It or Leave It” “when it comes to our country is like saying “I love you drunk or sober.” If a loved one has a serious drinking problem and is suffering from the disease of alcoholism and you truly love them and want them to continue living, you have an intervention to get them help and counseling .
In the case of President Trump, he is the disease this country is suffering from as is the racism and the violence he promotes. The American voter needs to do an intervention and remove him from office so that the country can heal itself. Make no mistake, Americans who protest Trump, his policies and his racism love their country. The only love Trump has is for himself.
JULY 19, 2019 NEWS UPDATE:
A New York man is in custody after having been arrested and charged with threatening to assault and murder Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York. Patrick W. Carlineo, Jr., 55, of Addison, New York, threatened to kill Omar because of her Muslim faith, according to a criminal complaint and accompanying affidavit. Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, is one of the first two Muslim women serving in Congress after being elected in the 2018 midterms. A call was placed to Omar’s Washington, DC, office on March 21, an FBI agent stated in the affidavit. During the call, an individual, who identified himself as Pat Carlineo, said to a staff member: “Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood? Why are you working for her, she’s a (expletive) terrorist. I’ll put a bullet in her (expletive) skull.”
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/06/politics/ilhan-omar-new-york-threat/index.html
JULY 21, 2019 NEWS UODATE
Exactly one week to the day, Trump opened his big mouth again and ripped into four freshmen Democratic congresswomen who’ve been the target of his sustained attacks all week, calling them “weak” and “insecure”. Just minutes before, he blasting a Washington Post story on the fallout over his initial comments about the members a week earlier. With regard to the 4 woman Representatives, Trump said:
“I don’t believe the four Congresswomen are capable of loving our Country. … They should apologize to America (and Israel) for the horrible (hateful) things they have said. They are destroying the Democrat Party, but are weak & insecure people who can never destroy our great Nation!”
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