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There are several devastating knock-on effects from tonight’s fatal shooting at a pro-Trump rally in Portland.
First, because the victim was pro-Trump, the right will instantly forget about the violence perpetrated by their own (most recently, in Kenosha).
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First, because the victim was pro-Trump, the right will instantly forget about the violence perpetrated by their own (most recently, in Kenosha).
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This will be the exemplar of “the violent anarchist left,” and will not only trigger an out-of-scale response from Trump, but it will embolden the gun-toting LARPers from the right: violence will only escalate, as will injuries and deaths.
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2/9
Second, it will validate their belief that they need bigger and more visible guns to defend themselves; never mind that this sort of provocation tends to beget gun violence in the first place.
This is the stark difference between the left and the right.
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This is the stark difference between the left and the right.
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The left responds to gun violence with calls to limit weapons of war such as the style of long guns favored by the right.
The right responds to gun violence by acquiring more and deadlier guns, and taking a more threatening stance. The overwhelming statistics don’t matter…
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The right responds to gun violence by acquiring more and deadlier guns, and taking a more threatening stance. The overwhelming statistics don’t matter…
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They can’t be convinced that more guns won’t make everyone safer. Of course, that’s like saying we’d have fewer house fires if only more people would light their homes with actual flaming torches.
Third, and most dangerous, because it amplifies the other two:
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Third, and most dangerous, because it amplifies the other two:
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Trump will take it personally. He will wield his executive power to violently assert authority, and his social power to ensure that his followers feel empowered and righteous—that he has their back. He will paint an *entire political party* as lawless anarchists.
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6/9
And nobody on the right will see the projection. Nobody will see the parallels between his character assaults on an entire political party and the actions and motives of his followers, his administration…or his own flagrant disregard for the rule of law.
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7/9
It won’t matter who the shooter turns out to be. As far as Trump is concerned, it’s the left that caused it. Not the concerted efforts to make a show of force enabled by guns, not the systemic racism that got us to this point, not his authoritarianism…he will blame us.
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8/9
He will make an entire political party the mortal enemy of another. The great deal-maker won’t unite anyone. He won’t call for deescalation. He will encourage more shows of force from the right. He’ll promise to protect and defend THEM…instead of all Americans.
9/9
9/9
Be aware: the right is actively searching for tweets (like this one) about tonight’s shooting. Some will hit-and-run (replying snd blocking), others will feign modest concern with some casual both-sides-ing. Their minds can’t and won’t be changed. https://twitter.com/spdustin/status/1299969075637084162">https://twitter.com/spdustin/...
The fact that I didn’t condemn the violence against a Trump follower in this thread will likely be taken by some on the right as a tacit endorsement of it.
Those folks simply don’t believe that most of us on the left deplore gun violence of any kind, perpetrated by anybody.
Those folks simply don’t believe that most of us on the left deplore gun violence of any kind, perpetrated by anybody.
