IT WAS TRUMP’S FAULT!

In its discussion of the arrest of the bombing suspect on Friday night CNN rightly cited Trump’s divisive rhetoric as a contributing factor to the bombing attempts – something Trump himself refuses to admit – but each commentator and analyst, in a purposeful attempt to seem fair, specifically emphasized “it was not Trump’s fault”.

While I can understand and appreciate CNN’s not wanting to contribute to political divisiveness and present the appearance of fairness, we must tell the truth and call a spade a shovel.  It WAS Trump’s fault!

Trump’s consistent encouragement and praise of physical and verbal attacks against his perceived enemies, and, being his enemies, therefore the enemies of the people and the state, in speeches made to his cult of ignorant followers at rallies, both during the campaign and continuing as President of the United States, sent a clear message to his “people” that this behavior is OK.  Specifically, if the President of the United States, the alleged “leader of the free world”, says this behavior is acceptable and praiseworthy then it must so.

Trump is telling his people, who wrongly believe, as he himself does, that he is infallible, and also, strangely, that he is their “champion” and “savior”, that people who question, challenge and oppose him must, by virtue of doing so, be bad, have no value, are true enemies of the people, and deserve to be attacked and punished.  And his ignorant core cult takes his message to heart.

Sadly, the bombing suspect is a true representative example of Trump’s core cult of ignorant racists – the now organized, empowered and energized by Trump block of voters that the Republican Party apparently believes it needs to pander to in order to win elections. 

The suspect had in the past threatened to throw a bomb in a conversation with a Florida utility representative regarding a personal financial matter, but did not follow through.  While he has a long history of verbally attacking politicians and support of white supremacy and radical right philosophy, beginning well before Trump’s emergence as a politician, he had never sent the perceived enemies of his cause bombs before,  He only did so now because of Trump’s encouragement and praise of attacks against his political enemies, and he specifically targeted individuals who vocally opposed and denounced Trump and were called out by name by Trump.

Trump obviously did not directly participate in the making and mailing of the bombs, nor did he specifically tell the suspect or others like him to send bombs to his enemies, but Trump’s words and tweets are directly responsible for the actions of the suspect.

If Trump was not who he is and did not say and tweet what he has said and tweeted this man would have not made and mailed these bombs.