August 24 to August 25, 2020.
Monday night at the RNC, Donald Trump gave a national audience to the McCloskeys, the couple that pulled an assault weapon and handgun on peaceful protesters in St. Louis. They were then arrested, with the DA stating, “It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in a nonviolent protest, and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis“
In their speech, they said “Whether it’s the defunding of police, ending cash bail so criminals can be released back out on the streets the same day to riot again, or encouraging anarchy and chaos on our streets, it seems as if the Democrats no longer view the government’s job as protecting honest citizens from criminals, but rather protecting criminals from honest citizens.” And added, “What you saw happen to us could just as easily happen to any of you who are watching from quiet neighborhoods around our country.”
At the same time as their speech, protests in Kenosha, WI turned violent when some protesters started fires at local businesses and shot fireworks and threw water bottles at officers guarding police and court buildings.
Meanwhile, along the Gulf Coast, the second tropical storm in days was exploding in intensity over the now normally 90+ degree temperatures of the Gulf of Mexico, some 25 years after initial warnings of the catastrophic impacts of Global Warming were first called a hoax.
In Illinois, having heard and repeated on social media, the same vitriol spewed by the McCloskey’s, several teenage boys with assault weapons headed for Kenosha, intent on protecting property. On video one of the young men was captured saying this about Kenosha cops: “Do you know what the cops told us today? We’re going to push them to you, because you can deal with them, then we’re going to leave.”
Soon after, his associate, 17 year old Kyle Rittenhouse murdered two protesters and injured a 3rd. Rittenhouse was then seen walking, assault rifle on his side, towards cops who told him to leave the area.
After a NBA playoff win, an emotional Doc Rivers, holding back tears, said, “My dad was a cop. I believe in good cops. We’re not trying to defund the police and take all their money away. We’re trying to get them to protect us, just like they protect everybody else… How dare the Republicans talk about fear? We’re the ones that need to be scared. We’re the ones having to talk to every black child. What white father has to give his son a talk about being careful if you get pulled over? It’s just ridiculous. It just keeps getting … It keeps going. There’s no charges. Brionna Taylor, no charges, nothing. All we’re asking is you live up to the Constitution. That’s all we’re asking, for everybody, for everyone.”
Four years ago Trump’s dystopian fear got white high school educated voters, men in particular, to abandon the Democrats in droves. Some did so asking “what’s the worst that could happen?” We’re seeing it. Every day. And now he is trying to scare them again. The future of America depends on whether those same voters see the worst and blame him, or blame those he blames.
Patrick On Politics 