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2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumDonald Trump...A .sneering and snarling coward: Trump’s Free Speech Was Not Violated
Back in August, Donald Trump had strong words for Bernie Sanders after a Black Lives Matter protest interrupted a Sanders rally. Trump said, I would never give up my microphone. I thought that was disgusting. He went on to say, That will never happen with me I dont know if Ill do the fighting myself, or if other people will, but that was a disgrace. I felt badly for him, but it showed that hes weak.
On Friday night, Trump had the chance to show how he would react to a Black Lives Matter protest. He tucked his tail between his legs and scurried back to his jet. At least Sanders had stayed on the stage.
In the wake of the protest at Trumps arena event, many on the Right have been quick to defend Trump as some kind of victim. This is spurious nonsense of the worst kind. Trump picked a fight, the fight came to him, and he cowered.
For all his big talk, when the protests came he folded his tent and went home. These were chickens coming home to roost for him. For months we have seen how Trump deals with individual protesters. While most politicians politely listen to protestors and then respond, usually with a preface about how the right to protest is uniquely American, Trump took a different approach. He said get em out. He said that in the good old days those kind of people got roughed up. He said he would pay the legal fees of his supporters who committed acts of violence.
The result of this bravado has indeed been violence. Last week, a Trump supporter sucker-punched a black protester as police led him peacefully out of the arena. Is there any doubt that the man who threw that punch (who has since been arrested) thought he was doing Trumps bidding? Wasnt he doing exactly what that sneering and snarling coward, protected by his Secret Service detail, had urged him to do? Trump is apparently looking into paying his thugs legal fees. Well see if he keeps his word on that.
Trumps Free Speech Was Not Violated
Free speech is a competition. While we do not have the right to silence anybody, we do have the right to speak more loudly and with greater moral authority than they do. Trump advertised a rally with tens of thousands of tickets available. Nowhere in the online form to buy tickets did it say attendees must respect Trump or quietly listen to him. In fact, at an arena rally for Trump I attended in New Hampshire, when a woman yelled out Ted Cruz is a pussy, she was not removed. Instead, the candidate trumpeted her viewpoint.
The spokesmans appearance shows quite plainly that Trump could have appeared on that stage.
Trumps spokesman took the stage Friday night to announce that, after consultation with authorities, Trump had cancelled his speech. The spokesman was not shouted down or assaulted. In fact, he delivered his message to a relatively quiet hall that only reacted loudly to the news that Trump would not appear. Chicago police have since said they did not advise Trump to cancel.
The spokesmans appearance shows quite plainly that Trump could have appeared on that stage. He could have done what a leader does, and talked to the people. He could have taken the opportunity to show how, as he claims, he can unite the country and make it great again. But he didnt. He cancelled the event rather than appear in front of people who were not committed acolytes.
Nobody violated Trumps right to free speech. Those protesters have the same right, and they didnt have access to the arenas sound system. Free speech is a competition; its a marketplace of ideas. Trump took his microphone and went home. Unlike Sanders, he couldnt take the heat. His rights werent violated, his ego was. But thats how it goes. Welcome to the big leagues, Mr. Trump.
Read the complete article at:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/in-defense-of-trump%e2%80%99s-chicago-protesters/ar-AAgKSoF?li=BBnb7Kz
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Donald Trump...A .sneering and snarling coward: Trump’s Free Speech Was Not Violated (Original Post)
imagine2015
Mar 2016
OP
dana_b
(11,546 posts)1. Yep! They simply protested his HATE speech n/t
imagine2015
(2,054 posts)3. It was a mass open public event, not a closed by invitation only meeting.
pdsimdars
(6,007 posts)2. Isn't that always the way it is with bullies and cowards?