Donald Trump’s surrogates and campaign supporters claim that his words have not incited violence and that it is, instead, the other side – Bernie Sanders’ and Hillary Clinton’s supporters(the far left) – who have perpetuated violence.
His talking heads on the news networks are likening his words inciting violence to women wearing short skirts asking for rape. Which, according to them, isn’t true at all. Women don’t ask for rape by wearing revealing clothing. Except that’s what these same talking heads have been saying is exactly the case. Every Evangelical I know implores women to dress modestly because it causes men to have thoughts. And women are responsible for what happens to them when men have thoughts.
I would argue that what Trump has done in his rallies is much different than that, though. If a woman wears a short skirt and walks past a man and yells, “Come on, rape me, I dare you,” then, yes, she is, quite literally asking to be raped. No woman in her right mind would actually do that. And, I would argue, if the man raped her he would still be responsible for his actions, but she couldn’t be absolved of her participation in the act either.
That Trump would actively call for his supporters to punch dissidents in the face, that he’s offered to pay their legal fees, is exactly endorsing violence. Apparently, though, while he believes that his own words don’t cause anyone to participate in violence, he does believe that a protester’s words do. His supporters are only reacting to the protesters. He is “having his people look into” the seventy-eight year-old coldcocker’s legal situation and quite possible offering to pay his legal fees because the protester provoked the old man by taunting the crowd and flipping the bird at the crowd as he was being escorted out of Trump’s rally.
Let me get this straight: Donald Trump’s provocative words do not cause reactions. Protester’s provocative actions do.
I in no way condone the protesters disrupting or causing violence during these rallies. But I also know from personal experience that bullies cannot be reasoned with. You can’t ask a bully nicely not to take your lunch money. Minorities know this, too.
If black students in the sixties hadn’t had the courage to sit at lunch counters instead of their designated seating areas in the back of restaurants they’d still be sitting there today.
If Rosa Parks had quietly moved to the back of the bus and given up her seat for a white bus rider, blacks would likely still be relegated to the back of the bus.
If Amzie Moore and Fannie Lou Hamer hadn’t actively pushed her counterparts for voter registration minorities wouldn’t have a voice at the ballot box.
If not for planned marches on Washington and Selma, Alabama many blacks would still not be eligible to register to vote, among many other things. Do we need a reminder of what those things looked like?
Donald Trump keeps saying he longs for the good old days. Is this what he means? You, know, the good ol’ days when protesters were carried out on stretchers?