Former President Donald J. Trump and his running mate JD Vance blame the alleged second assassination attempt on Trump’s life on the Democrats “hateful” rhetoric. But the Democrats aren’t the ones who called Mexican immigrants “rapists,” instituted a Muslim travel ban, put babies on the border in cages, referred to women as “dogs,” “nasty” and “four out of 10” and disdained American P.O.W.s as “losers.”
MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell has said Trump possesses “the most hateful mind in presidential history.” This after Trump tweeted “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,” all because she endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president after the debate in which Trump went on a tangent about pet-eating Haitians in Springfield, Ohio.
Swift is an independent-minded woman who is more than capable of taking care of herself. (It is interesting, though, how women from Stormy Daniels to Liz Cheney keep bedeviling Trump, isn’t it? Et tu, Melania?)
But what about those Haitians in Springfield who now fear for their lives? What about all those residents who have had to endure bomb threats? What about the loss of peace of mind, to say nothing of the loss of productivity, classroom time and dollars chasing after these threats? And for what?
Springfield is nothing but the Salem Witch Trials all over again. In Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 and ’93, 200 people were accused of witchcraft. Thirty were found guilty and 19 were hanged — 14 women and five men. Another man died under torture and five people succumbed to disease in jail None were, of course, guilty. Most have been exonerated. (There were also witch trials in Stamford, Connecticut.)
Then as now, the hysteria is whipped up by political and financial motivations, along with personal grievances. Someone makes an accusation that is completely false that is nonetheless picked up by others, including the self-dramatizing sorts in search of a stage.
Whatever the motive, the lie takes off. Others challenge it, but here’s the thing: A lie must be defended lest the liar be exposed. So the instigator doubles down, and now the victims have to defend themselves, which in its own way keeps the story going and growing and changing. Because the truth has only one story. A lie has many.
And that’s where we are. No one is saying that immigration isn’t a challenge, but it’s the backbone of this country. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told “The PBS News Hour” that the Haitians are good for his state’s economy. But they are also a drain on resources.
Well, you don’t make money, governor, without spending money. Maybe what’s needed in this country is a plan to use immigration effectively. Maybe what’s needed is leadership.
The Democrats were ready to give the Republicans what they wanted on the southern border, but the Republicans said no, because Trump didn’t want President Joe Biden to look good.
Now Trump is planning to visit Springfield, which has had to cancel its cultural festival and is the site of a planned anti-immigration march. Hasn’t the city suffered enough?