OPINION: Donald Trump’s Shooting Reveals That Americans Are Fed Up
Calls to condemn political violence are hypocritical, at best.
U.S. President Donald Trump at the 101st by U.S. Department of Agriculture is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
While speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump was grazed by a bullet. Trump was in the middle of a speech when shots rang out, and the Secret Service quickly covered the former President. When news of this incident broke on Twitter, the phrase “THEY MISSED” trended.
Users who tweeted “they missed” were referring to the fact that the sniper did not kill Donald Trump and only grazed his ear. Many notable political figures, including former President Obama, immediately condemned this. He wrote, “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics. Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery.”
Obama’s sentiment was echoed by some on the left, including President Biden, who said: “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. Everybody must condemn it.” These responses elicited anger from users who were concerned about the lack of condemnation for Israel’s genocide in Palestine.
According to Al Jazeera, the death toll could be in the ballpark of 186,000. Yet, for Democrats, there is more sympathy for the man who said Israel needs to “finish the job” during a Presidential debate. Moreover, President Biden has been funding the genocide in Israel but claims there is no place for political violence in our democracy.
Acutally, there is.
From the Trail of Tears to American slavery, violence has long held a place within the American democracy. After World War 2, the United States admitted Nazis into the country under Operation Paper Clip. There are also the assassinations of prominent Black leaders like Patrice Lumumba, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Fred Hampton, and Medgar Evers. For brevity, I will leave it there, but the idea that violence is mismatched with America is incorrect.
Sadly, the media has minimized political violence. Take the recent events in Palestine, for example. The media calls it a “war” in Gaza although it meets the criterion for genocide. At the same time, there has been a lack of reporting from major media outlets about how much money Biden is sending to Israel.
America is rife with violence, and both parties are notorious for inciting that violence. The Republican Party has gained considerable media attention for issues such as school shootings and the January 6 insurrection, but the Democratic Party has two party leaders (Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris) who contributed to the prison industrial complex, which is violence in and of itself.
As we grapple with hypocrisy from the liberal left, I think of Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, where he said:
I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
These words hold to this day.
If there is one thing I could definitively say as an American citizen, it’s that people are fed up with the political establishment and the lies on both sides. On the right, we have lies about gun control (which we need if presidential candidates are being shot). On the left, there are lies about Biden’s declining health and his viability as a presidential candidate. In the middle, where I believe many Americans lie, are desperate people. For Millennials and Gen Zers, a crucial voting bloc, we are desperate for relief from the pandemic, living wages, the ability to buy a house, and the assurance that there will be social safety nets when we reach retirement age.
Yet, all we get is a stunt from a tyrant and an incomprehensible speech from our elected leader. If we are to thwart Project 2025, we cannot continue on the path that we’re on. Biden’s campaign is pulling political ads and sending thoughts and prayers to the man who they’ve deemed an existential threat when they should be solidifying their strategy moving forward. Meanwhile, for the common folk, we are left wondering what the future will look like.
About This Rwebel
Javanna is a multifaceted professional with a rich background in writing, education, and media. She holds a Master of Science in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in English, which has fueled her passion for storytelling and communication. Javanna is the CEO and founder of Rwebel, where she produces books, articles, and multimedia videos about culture and difference.
