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Blame for political violence falls mainly on Trump

To the editor:

I am writing this letter in response to the editorial in the June 19 Sentinel. In the editorial, the writer posed the question: “Can you imagine the outrage that would have ensued had the actor resembled former President Barack Obama?”

To answer that question, nothing would have happened. In 2012 a Minneapolis production of Julius Caesar had an Obama lookalike star as Caesar. He too was assassinated. The conservative publication called the “American Conservative” reviewed the play and said that this Caesar was clearly intended to be Obama. They praised the production as “riveting.”

In 2015 another production of Julius Caesar by the Trinity repertory company in Providence featured a middle aged female Caesar wearing a pant suit who was stabbed to death. Clearly this was to represent Hillary Clinton according to the media and reviewers of the play. Where was the outrage from the right? Or when Ted Nugent in 2016 said Obama and Clinton “should be tried for treason and hung”? Not a sound from the right!

I find the hypocrisy unbelievable. The Republicans and the right want to blame the Democrats and those on the left for the violent rhetoric and now the recent attack on the Republicans playing baseball. All one has to do is look at the violent rhetoric from Trump on the campaign trail.

Some examples: Trump’s response after one of his fans beat up a protester. Did trump denounce the violence? No, his response was to comment: “I thought it was very, very appropriate. And that’s what we need a little bit more of.”

Or at another event when trump reminisced about the old days when protesters “would be carried out on a stretcher.”

Also during his campaign Trump offered to pay legal fees for his supporters if they attacked people. “If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato knock the crap out of them, would you?” Trump then added: “I promise you I will pay for your legal fees I promise.”

So we have to most powerful man in our country inciting violence, yet the left is being criticized and blamed for political violence. We have a Republican candidate physically assault a reporter because the reporter asked him a question. Where was the outrage? There is no place for violence or violent rhetoric in our political process, and blame can be placed on both sides. However, Trump has significantly polarized this country with his violent rhetoric to his political base and he has done absolutely nothing to unify this country.

Because Trump is in the position as the most powerful and influential man in this country, and his lack of effort, willingness or inability to denounce violent rhetoric from both Republicans and Democrats in an attempt to unify our country, a major portion of blame for the state of our country’s political unrest lies squarely on his shoulders. And I have the feeling it will only get worse throughout his term.

Rob Kerstetter

Lewistown

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