More Donald-Trump-Incited Violence Results In 11 Dead At Pittsburgh Synagogue

So, the right-wing media has been pushing this conspiracy theory that the caravan on it's from Honduras (which is currently in Mexico) is being funded by George Soros. Also, that there are MS13 gang members and Middle Eastern terrorists in the midst of the group of largely military fighting age men. Clearly it is a planned invasion to bring death to America via our completely unprotected (aka wall-less) southern border.

What follows is a tRump-inspired fear mongering attack ad put out by the awful Marsha Blackburn. Don't vote for her opponent running to be senator from Tennessee (Phil Bredesen) she says. Because he is "dangerously wrong".

What is dangerously wrong is that republicans think there will be no consequences to their pushing absurd conspiracy theories in order to gin up their poorly educated and bigoted base. Yesterday the news was that the correctly labeled #magabomber was caught. He only TRIED to kill 13 "enemies of the people". Luckily his incompetence resulted in none of his bombs going off.

Whereas the Synagogue shooter killed 11 people. As per Wikipedia, the 46-year-old Robert Bowers social media "cover picture was a photo with the number 1488, which is used by neo-Nazis and white supremacists to evoke David Lane's Fourteen Words and the Nazi slogan Heil Hitler". He also believes there is a "white genocide" taking place.

Although Bowers thought tRump was not doing enough because "there is no #MAGA as long as there is a [Jewish] infestation". tRump supporters will, of course, deny that their Orange leader is in any way responsible. I'm not buying it. This attack marks a surge of anti-Semitism. The ADL says "2017 saw a nearly 60% surge in reported anti-Semitic incidents - which came on top of a 35% increase the year before".

So why such a dramatic rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes in the last 2 years? Might it be that a White-Supremacist-supported candidate was "elected" predisent? I say YES. Remember the march in Charlottesville where NAZIs and people waving Confederate flags chanted "Jews will not replace us"? This was a rally to Unite the Right. Donald tRump acknowledged that these were his peeps when he declared them "very fine people".

David Duke, who was at the rally, said "this represents a turning point for the people of this country. We are determined to take our country back. We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump. That's what we believe in. That's why we voted for Donald Trump. Because he said he's going to take our country back. And that's what we've got to do".

Take our country back from who? Obviously, given who is talking, we know he's talking about minorities. After a Black man served 2 terms as president finally things are back on track with a White Man in the White House (not a Black man and not a White woman). A White Man David Duke knows is fully on board with their agenda. And David Duke is NOT wrong. Donald tRump has signaled to them (given that he can't come right out and proclaim he is a proud White Nationalist) that he stands with David Duke and his people.

Another signal came recently when tRump declared himself to be a "Nationalist". He left off the "White" part, but AGAIN, the racist MAGA supporters knew what he was talking about.

Steve Bannon, the former White House adviser who helped Trump craft his campaign, has long embraced nationalism and rejected "globalism". The right-wing website he edited, Breitbart, regularly expounded on such themes and has continued to do so after Bannon's departure. After Trump's speech Monday, the site highlighted Trump's nationalist declaration on Twitter. Breitbart's association with the neo-fascist movement calling itself the "alt-right" has led to many people conflating nationalism with "white nationalism", which not only claims a given nation should take priority, but that the white race should be protected and valued above all others. In Europe, many nationalist movements that oppose an international world order and immigration into the continent are often overtly aligned with white nationalists and anti-Semitic groups. For many of the president's critics, Trump's embrace of the nationalist label signaled that he also embraces the racism and xenophobia associated with those movements. ("I am a nationalist": Trump's embrace of controversial label sparks uproar by William Cummings. 10/24/2018).

"For many of the president's critics"? Sure, but also for many of his fans. Also, in regards to "conflating", that is a word that is often used to criticize anyone trying to equate two things that are NOT the same. But here the Nationalists themselves "conflate" (i.e. "to fuse into one entity; merge") Nationalism and White Nationalism. The White Nationalists know tRump is simply leaving off the "White" when he proclaims himself to be a Nationalist. Which is why they applaud Donald tRump's strongest declaration yet that he is one of them.

pic.twitter.com/K9Wyu7cSA6

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) October 23, 2018

Donald tRump, of course, condemns the Synagogue shooting. But only because he has too. To keep up the paper-thin charade. If Robert Bowers bought the charade is of little consequence. Donald tRump began the fear mongering concerning the caravan. Fear mongering which was taken up by the right-wing hate machine. A right-wing hate machine that Bowers listened to. And why he carried out his attacks.

Cause and effect. A somewhat indirect line from tRump to Bowers. And this time the right can't call the attacks a "hoax" as they did in regard to Cesar Sayoc. None of his 14 bombs exploded and nobody was killed they say. Bowers killed 11 people. And, yes, as far as I am concerned it is because tRump has dog-whistled to and emboldened the bigots on the right.

SWTD #410