Comments by "" (@DavidJ222) on "Joe Biden condemns rioting and looting" video.
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While the coronavirus highlighted Trump’s indifference, criminal negligence and incompetence, we may look back at his response to the current protests as the moment when his longtime flirtation with authoritarianism hardened into something more sinister. There’s no limit to what Trump will inflict to get reelected. His own sister called him a cruel human being.
He called protesters “ter.rorists,” and suggested they should be locked up for at least a decade to silence them, encouraged the use of force against American citizens and the free press, and promised to unleash the military on American citizens. These are the actions of authoritarian regimes in countries the world over.
In many countries around the world, it would be distressing, but not surprising to see the government use the fear of terrorism to demonize and encourage the use of force to squash these protest movements. Playing up violent acts committed by a small minority is right out of the authoritarian playbook.
It shifts focus away from Trump's many failures, and assigns blame to a boogeyman. This step alone is critical for Trump. Trump is not to blame for the systemic racism and injustice, but addressing it is the LAST thing he would ever want to do. Why? Well for starters, he himself is a ra.cist.
Trump is not inciting this violence alone, either. Not long after he tweeted his baseless plans for ter.rorist designation, Matt Gaetz took to Twitter with a threat of his own, writing, “Now that we clearly see Antifa as ter.rorists, can we hunt them down like we do those in the Middle East?”
Trump's actions have already caused immense pain to everyday Americans and the American way of life. They set a dangerous precedent. We are on a perilous path. We are now seeing how Trump and those around him who share is authoritarian impulses respond protests that resulted from genuine grievances. Consider how they will handle the protests that almost certainly will erupt if Trump tries to postpone the election, steal the election, suppress the vote in Democratic areas, or refuses to accept its result if he loses.
In a 2016 replay, Trump recently refused to say whether he would accept the election results if he loses. That was a clear threat, and a warning. Trump has identified his true enemies, — and
It is America's constitution, and us.
Trump doesn't even need Pence as a running mate. Trump's running mate is tyranny.
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