Trump, the Instigator
Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(Germany) on 30 October 2022
by Tatjana Heid (link to original)
The hammer attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband has horrified people. However, one person has remained silent.
Since the year Donald Trump became president of the United States, threats against members of Congress have multiplied. They are a reflection of the us-versus-them mentality that has poisoned American society since then. As a figurehead of the Democrats, Nancy Pelosi has been among the most hated politicians in the United States for years.
The former president has had a significant part in that: Trump likes to call Pelosi “Crazy Nancy” and radical Republicans echo him. They didn’t raise a hammer, like the assailant against Pelosi’s husband did, they also didn’t storm the Capitol in Washington; they let others do that. However, the verbal instigators are just as guilty — if not more so.
An Opportunity Wasted
The attack on Paul Pelosi has horrified people, but just as with the attack on the Capitol, the one man who should have said something has kept quiet for now: Trump. Thus, an opportunity to deescalate is wasted once more. Instead, the fatal message is: Political violence is not to be condemned without exception. After all, the government is not legitimately in office.
This is yet another frightening sign so close to the midterm elections. Pelosi’s husband will assuredly make a full recovery from the attack. However, eventually someone will not be that lucky. It is only a matter of time.
Since the year Donald Trump became president of the United States, threats against members of Congress have multiplied. They are a reflection of the us-versus-them mentality that has poisoned American society since then. As a figurehead of the Democrats, Nancy Pelosi has been among the most hated politicians in the United States for years.
The former president has had a significant part in that: Trump likes to call Pelosi “Crazy Nancy” and radical Republicans echo him. They didn’t raise a hammer, like the assailant against Pelosi’s husband did, they also didn’t storm the Capitol in Washington; they let others do that. However, the verbal instigators are just as guilty — if not more so.
An Opportunity Wasted
The attack on Paul Pelosi has horrified people, but just as with the attack on the Capitol, the one man who should have said something has kept quiet for now: Trump. Thus, an opportunity to deescalate is wasted once more. Instead, the fatal message is: Political violence is not to be condemned without exception. After all, the government is not legitimately in office.
This is yet another frightening sign so close to the midterm elections. Pelosi’s husband will assuredly make a full recovery from the attack. However, eventually someone will not be that lucky. It is only a matter of time.
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