Back in 2011, someone (I know the name, but will not write it) attempted a second amendment solution on a problem that was represented (to this unnamed person) by Gabby Giffords. The GOP’s font of word salad at the time was Sarah Palin, and the following was written as an observation that her militaristic jargon prior to the shooting had changed abruptly to an emphasis on individual responsibility, and now no one is to blame but the shooter.
I was looking for something I could adapt for today’s thinly veiled call for assassination by Trump, and damned if I found something I don’t have to change a bit.
I’m the voice of opposition in a fast-decaying land
I can mobilize an army who will follow my command
I’m a master of the media; they’re puppets in my hand
I’m conservative, intelligent, and strong!
I’m the future of the party; I’m the darling of the right
I can focus on the issues like a crimson laser sight
With opponents in my crosshairs, I will exercise my might
Cos they’re evil, and they’re wicked, and they’re wrong!
I can motivate the populace, with no more than a word
I can make them true believers, though the message is absurd
I can obfuscate the issues till reality is blurred
There is little—nearly nothing—I can’t do!
I’m an awesome force of nature, moving mountains with a wink
I can rally up a million men, and tell them what to think
I have finely tuned my rhetoric to bring them to the brink
And I’ll exercise my power over you!
[the inevitable occurs*]
They could never hold me liable for an incident like this
They could try to say I’m culpable, but patriots insist
It’s your own responsibility when something goes amiss
Sometimes people are just ready to explode!
I’m not running, I’m not shirking, and it’s not like I don’t care
I’m just looking at the evidence, and finding nothing there:
How could words have repercussions? They’re just pressure waves in air!
Now it’s time for my supporters to reload!
*remember, this was originally written after an assassination attempt. Thus, the chilling omen. Rolling Stone has a not-to-be-missed analysis of Trump’s latest dog-whistle, which it terms an example of stochastic terrorism:
Let’s break that down in the context of what Trump said. Predicting any one particular individual following his call to use violence against Clinton or her judges is statistically impossible. But we can predict that there could be a presently unknown lone wolf who hears his call and takes action in the future.
Stated differently: Trump puts out the dog-whistle knowing that some dog will hear it, even though he doesn’t know which dog.
I used the word “inevitable”. I hope I am wrong.
Related: https://freethoughtblogs.com/cuttlefish/2011/01/13/battle-hymn-of-the-republican/
and: https://freethoughtblogs.com/cuttlefish/2011/01/12/individual-responsibility-and-sarah-palin/
Me too. I must admit given the levels of fevered, apoplectic hatred directed his way and the number of people foaming at the mouth still at his presidency I have been expecting Obama to be assassinated for years now. Throughout his term in fact. and I don’t want to jinx it now. (Yeah, some slight superstition here. Fuck it.)
Him and Hillary Clinton and a lot of others get credit from me for courage in the face of such vitriolic unhinged antagonism that could easily end up in their deaths.
I hope it doesn’t. I hope their securty details and FBI, CIa and other three letter acronymns are constantly doing their hob against domestic terrorism. Because, sadly, they really , reallyneed to be.
Rhetoric of hate gets good people needlessly killed all too often. Please lets see no more of it. Also no more Trump let alone as POTUS.