Trump Isn't Inciting Violence by Mistake, But on Purpose. He Just Told Us

[riversedge]

Trump is a tiny man who is only concerned about himself and his Ego--and that makes him very dangerous. Very dangerous



10:58 A.M..
By Jonathan Chait




10:58 A.M.
Trump Isn’t Inciting Violence by Mistake, But on Purpose. He Just Told Us.


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A recently aired interview with Jim Vandehei of Axios perfectly illustrates the incomprehension that has greeted the president’s dark threats. Vandehei pleads with Trump to understand the dangers he might be unleashing.

Link to tweet

“What scares the crap out of me is that, when you’re saying ‘enemy of the people, enemy of the people,’ … what happens if all of a sudden someone gets shot, somebody shoots one of these reporters?” Vandehei pleads. Trump replies, “It is my only form of fighting back.”

Watch the entire exchange, and take note of what Trump does not say here. The easiest answer Trump could give would be to deflect the concern as overblown. But at no point does he reassure the palpably frightened Vandehei that he is not inciting violence, and that his supporters understand that they should refrain from radical acts. Instead Trump lets the threat hang in the air, and justifies it as his only weapon against the slanders against him.

This intent was even more clearly visible last Friday, when Trump parried a reporter’s question about whether he was instigating violence. “You know what, you’re creating violence by your question. You are creating. You,” Trump insisted. “The fake news is creating violence … I’ll tell you what, if the media would write correctly and write accurately and write fairly, you’d have a lot less violence in the country.”

There is very little ambiguity about his point. Trump is warning the media that its critical coverage is provoking violence. His proposed remedy is not a cessation of violence but instead a cessation of critical coverage. Reporters seem to think that Trump will tone down by rhetoric if he can be made to understand that it is goading his supporters to violence.

It’s not that he doesn’t understand. Trump understands the connection between incitement and response perfectly well. It’s not even that he doesn’t care. Trump calculates that the threat of bombs and bullets will force reporters to bend the knee. This is what he means by “fighting back.”

[unblock]

1. it's like trying to get a mafia boss to admit he's responsible for that restaurant burning down.

"gee, all i said was they had a nice business and it would be a shame if anything were to happen to it, i'm not responsible for it actually burning down, but if he wanted it not to burn down, he shoulda paid me to make sure it didn't, i coulda helped him, but he couldn't come up with the money, such a shame!"

[rampartc]

2. Maybe he is really that stupid?

I think many of his supporters know exactly what he is suggesting they do.

[SummerSnow]

3. what happens if ...

what happens if all of a sudden someone gets shot, somebody shoots one of these reporters?” Vandehei pleads.

Trump replies, “It is my only form of fighting back.”



Let that sink in.

[2naSalit]

5. Tells it right there...nt

[strangedaysindeed]

4. yup, grabs him by the wrist

and says, "stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself".

It's about as juvenile as it gets.