Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Donald Trump, the 2nd Amendment, PTSD, & Me

I can't wait until tomorrow morning to post this.  It must be said, and it must be said NOW.
*****

It caused me to gasp aloud, cover my mouth, and shriek inside my skull.  The Republican nominee for President of the United States sent me crashing into tears and sweats and No No No No ringing in my ears.  Susan Collins is right; the man shows no empathy.

At a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, this morning, he said this:
If she gets to pick her judges...... nothing you can do, folks.
(Pause. Tilt of the head.  Quick glance at the podium as he turns to the front and finishes:
Although the 2nd Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know.
Trump's people can spin that six ways from Sunday, but they can't take away my gasp.  They can blather on about the power of unification but my heart and my brain and my fight-or-flight reflexes were all in agreement - he was wondering if those with guns might use them against a sitting President of the United States.

His people can assure me that he was speaking about the NRA's massive electoral presence until they run out of breath, but I heard it, undiluted, and, I know what he said.  He didn't mention lobbyists.  He said The Second Amendment People.  Am I the only one who conflates that with Those Who Own Guns?

Do I think he really was calling on armed assassins to stalk Hillary's bus?  No, but only because that would require a plan and I don't think there's much chance of The Donald coming up with a plan for anything.  No, because I don't think there's much connection between his mouth and his brain.  No, because if it were a credible threat the Secret Service and the FBI would be all over him..... wouldn't they?

Has he deadened our senses so much that we are able to laugh and take his words, the best words, the really good words, as sarcasm, as a throw away line, as meaningless?  Rational people, the Trump supporters told me on NPR, would know what he meant.

I think Gabby and Mark said it best:  
Donald Trump might astound Americans on a routine basis, but we must draw a red line between political speech and suggestions of violence. Responsible, stable individuals won’t take Trump’s rhetoric to its literal end, but his words may provide a magnet for those seeking infamy. They may provide inspiration or permission for those bent on bloodshed.
Gabby and I have standing on this issue.  We were shot by a young man seeking infamy, a young man whose passions were inflamed by hateful rhetoric, a young man who had easy access to a Glock 9mm and the bullets that perforated my hip and Gabby's brain and killed Christina-Taylor. 

This is real stuff, Mr. Trump.  I cried.  I sweated.  I shook and am still shaking.  I was having a very nice day until you opened your mouth.  Now, I'm sad.  I'm anxious.  I'm quivering.

You are a blowhard.  You are hurtful.  Your actions shame the party of Abraham Lincoln.  All that is global.  Today, you hit me where it hurts the most.  

It's unforgivable.  

18 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing. Strong and powerful words!

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  2. Do I have your permission to post this directly to FB? I know you did in response to my latest, but I'd like to post it as a stand-alone. Or perhaps you would and I can share. I love you, honey.

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  3. I am so sorry for what you have had to endure and that this hate-filled man has caused you this pain. I too heard his call for violence and was horrified. This is monstrous.

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  4. Just before his comment, there were some things shouted out from the audience. It seemed to me he was responding to whatever it was they'd said. I sure wish someone would report just what was being shouted out. I am offended and sickened beyond words!

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  5. The media created this firestorm by clipping his actual quote. If I was you, I'd quit listening to media news for now, read it as it's easier on the nerves. When I heard the clip, I thought my gosh how could he say that-- then I heard the actual whole thing-- "Hillary wants to abolish -- essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know. But I tell you what, that will be a horrible day, if Hillary gets to put her judges in, right now we're tied."

    He clearly was not suggesting Second Amendment believers would shoot her but that they could block her judges if there are enough of them. I am not a Trump supporter but the media is infuriating me for how dishonest they are being on his comments. If you listen to CNN or MSNBC, it's all you get on every program-- pro Hillary, ignore anything she says that is not right, and distort what he says. I've given up on cable news and stick to reading what is going on.

    To me, the distortion of what he actually said, the way they brought in assassination on the headlines confirmed how I feel about them right now even without the NYTimes journalist admitting it's what they are doing to 'save' America.

    The Second Amendment, in my opinion, has already been distorted from its original meaning-- the well-regulated part. The Founding Fathers knew it couldn't be anything goes and yet that's where we are.

    Yes, the Clinton camp immediately jumped on this last brouhaha, but I expect it from them. What has upset me is the media and how this impacted those with Post Traumatic Stress is just one of the reasons they should be ashamed of themselves. They will do anything it seems and don't care who they hurt.

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    1. It's insulting to continuously attribute Trump's nonsense to media spin, or HRC twisting of facts. Everything Trump says and does is on videotape-you can watch it unfiltered, as many have, and see that neither his rationalizations, or his staffs uncomfortable defense of him, makes any sense. He clearly relates "2nd Amendment people" action after the fact of a Clinton nomination, not before the election. If he meant otherwise, then he should have said so. A presidential candidate who is so imprecise with his language is equally dangerous, as every speech a President makes is scrutinized by foreign leaders.

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    2. I told you what I believe he meant. Are you aware that Hillary in 2008 actually said she'd not drop out of before the convention because there sometimes were assassinations. Who thought she encouraged one? People who despise Trump believe everything he says is bad and the worst possible take. I am not voting for him but it is not necessary to ignore the negatives on Hillary or make him into a demon. I am old enough to have seen this happen twice before with Goldwater and later Perot. In the case of what Trump said, my bigger objection to the media was how they clipped it at that would be horrible, hence distorting totally the meaning with no possible way to see it otherwise. Unless someone believes all 2nd Amendment believers want to shoot someone, this can be taken as I took it that the 2nd Amendment believers could do what McConnell is doing this year to Obama's Supreme Court nominee. Hillary has openly said she wants to take the guns like they did in Australia. Those who want that are happy at the idea. She has been open about it and hence is likely to appoint judges who would do that also. I am voting for her anyway because of the alternative but I don't kid myself she might try for this and I want to keep my guns-- with no intention to kill anybody with them.

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    3. I hear you, Rain, and you are right in that the media is trying to make up for the free publicity they gave that buffoon that shot him into the limelight. They are WAAAAY late on this bandwagon - he was saying outrageous things for years and the news just led with it and laughed and got high ratings. Now, when they see what they have wrought, they are horrified.

      Well, too damn bad. They are wrong. It does not need to be replayed over and over. The unstable person (like my shooter, like Rabin's shooter) just hears the inflammatory nature (no matter what Trump meant) and takes it as permission.

      As Hillary said, I don't want your guns. I want to keep you from getting shot by someone who shouldn't have one.

      The PTSD person gets the willies with every replay - and that, too, is on the media. GRRRRRRRR.

      The man in the red shirt behind Trump at the rally said today that this was "the kind of thing you don't say in public", likening it to drinking in front of the preacher and cursing in front of a lady. I don't think that rousing an involved electorate is something you can't do in front of the preacher. Whatever Mr Trump meant, it is, as Anonymous says, imprecise language at best. Language that can be twisted to such awful results (Gabby, me, Rabin) is terrifying in a President and is, I know, why you are voting for Hillary. I know it's hard for you, and I love that you are putting country before disgust <3
      a/b
      I cannot wait for this to be over.
      a/b

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  6. Much as I dislike / fear (same responses) Trump, I think he stepped on his tongue ... again. He doesn't really WANT to be President and the powers that be need to put him out of his misery. I'm not suggesting that anyone poison his martini. That would only kill his taster ... but there are legal and political methods for ending this imbroglio ~

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  7. No one has the right to encourage assassination. No one has the right to hurt you! I am angry and considering what to do. His being given de facto permission to spew hatred and incite violence is more disturbing, if that is possible, that the actual threat. Hugs, kind, protective, and healing thoughts!

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  8. If he meant that Congress would block her appointments he should not have said "Second amendment people" he should have said Congress. And the reaction of the man with the red shirt sitting behind Trump's left was pretty clear, so at least one person in the audience thought he was calling on people to shoot Hillary. I'm sorry for the pain you're going through Ashleigh. It's going to continue to be a long ugly campaign I'm afraid. I too am #settlingforHillary.

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  9. That made my stomach drop and my heart race. Unbelievable. I am so sorry you had to hear this, but I am glad you posted about it.
    It makes it seem just a bit less just 'settling'

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  10. Just heard on NPR that the Secret Service has had more than one conversation with the Trump campaign about his statement. Of course Trump sent out a Tweet saying there has been no such conversation.
    I am so sorry. I thought of you right after I read what he said yesterday. xo

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  11. They can try to spin it six ways from Sunday but if you want to know how he really meant it, look at the reactions of the people behind him while he says it. There's at least 3 people that visibly react with humor. They wouldn't have if he'd been talking about uniting with the NRA. They would have applauded, or cheered perhaps, knowing looks of approval. But they laughed and smiled. They knew what he meant, Trump knows what he meant and we do too.

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