BY DOMINICK DICARLO | STAFF WRITER
There are many times where I’ve tried to hold off passing judgment on a situation so close to when it actually occurs. It isn't that I’m waiting on facts, or that I’m paying respect to victims, though both are also true. It’s because, in America, we seem to jump right to the worst possible argument immediately after a tragedy occurs. In recent months, however, the level of vitriol and hatred for our fellow Americans has gotten to the point where speaking out with force and immediacy is necessary. The reactions last week to the terrible bomb threats directed towards Democratic politicians, as well as the reaction to this disgusting, anti-semitic shooting that took place at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA, are bringing out the absolute worst in the American spirit. I’ve attempted to put this feeling into more complexity than to just label it all as “disgusting”, but the word suits this well, so I’m sticking with it.
What makes all of this even worse is the simple fact that the media has no problem acting like complete and total hypocrites when they get the chance. This needs to be stated first, truly evil people need no justification to commit such horrible acts; the President and other Republicans are not to blame for the bombs sent to Democratic politicians. The President and other Republicans are absolutely not to blame for the vile actions of an anti-semitic person who shot up a synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. An attempt by anyone, no matter what side of the aisle they are on, to try to blame someone besides the perpetrator for these acts of pure evil, is coming from a place of pure partisan hatred. We don’t have to go after one side for this either. Any Republican in the media who tried to blame Bernie Sanders for the actions of one of his supporters last year, when House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot at the congressional baseball game practice, should be serenaded with criticism and outcry by the rest of us.
None of this is acceptable. All of this only looks to send the partisan divide in this country, that so many on the left claim needs to be mended.
Unpacking the second, most recent claim is far easier. The President is not an anti-Semite. The President has Jewish grandchildren and he has done more for the state of Israel than almost any other President. Anyone claiming that the President is to blame for the shooting in Pittsburgh should never be given the time of day again. In an earlier piece for Liberty Den University, Who Is Responsible For The Culture War?, I wrote about the deteriorating state of civil discourse in America. I blamed the left for much of where we stand today as a nation. This was based on their constant attempts to label conservatives as racists, nazis, or any other demeaning label they can muster. It seems fitting to mention that when so-called conservatives do this as well, it is just as terrible. There have been plenty of times where I’ve called out conservatives for divisive rhetoric, none of it helps this country succeed. These claims, however, are coming straight from those on the left.
The President of the United States often uses language that is harsh, rude and puts his political opponents in the most negative light possible. Nonetheless, to blame his words for real violence would be the same thing as blaming Democrats for violence when they say Republicans will kill millions of Americans by taking away health care, or that the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh will threaten the lives of millions of Americans. In my opinion, none of this rhetoric should be tolerated - all of it should be discouraged. However, to claim that any of this causes violence is despicable to say, no matter who it’s aimed at. It’s always dangerous to conflate language with actual physical violence, which why we used to have a culture that frowned against this practice. Today, we have to deal with the media and a political system that seems to revel in throwing blame on those they despise.
The man who sent pipe bombs to Democratic politicians, the CNN offices, and to Democratic donor George Soros, is insane. He claimed to be part of the Seminole Native American tribe back in 2002, and he was known to make up stories over the years about himself. He had never shown any interest in politics until 2016 when he became a devout Trump supporter. He plastered his van with images of the President and Vice President. This man is clearly insane; he clearly has problems that have never been dealt with. Our society is in jeopardy of falling off a cliff. We are treading dangerously close to the point of no return. Sadly, it seems that some of us are perfectly fine getting to that point.
Violence is never the answer, but, neither is exploiting violence to push your own partisan political agenda. Attacking the President and his supporters for the actions of some mentally damaged people should be a red flag in the mind of every single American. The midterm elections are fast approaching and we will soon see if the American people vote against this ugly form of politics. Elections have consequences, the consequences of the 2018 midterms may reverberate across America in an ugly way if we don’t get out and vote.
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