I had time to watch some of the Sunday news shows this morning. & I gotta say: I was disappointed as usual. Granted, I only watched half of Jake Tapper's show before I had to go out & do something but in the segment I did watch, Tapper got senator Schiff to denounce "antifa": hooray?
I also watched most of Chuck Todd's show, and at least they had a discussion about tactics on how to confront fascists: one pro-confrontation one against.
I agree violence is not the answer unless it's self-defense. But the problem I see is this constant moving of goalposts. Trump will only say nazis & white supremacists did something wrong if democrats condemn "antifa" which is irrelevant when it to comes to Charlottesville because "antifa" didn't kill anyone.
Because of this false equivalence, I'm afraid the most extreme consequence we could eventually face is normalizing nazis & white supremacists as just members of the mainstream right-wing. & then, as the media always does with other subjects, say: "the other side did this -- But most importantly; will you condemn extremists on your side?".
All this is playing into Trump's hands, no doubt.
The Washington Post reported that Trump's support actually rose among his base after Charlottesville:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/after-charlottesville-republicans-remain-stymied-over-what-to-do-about-trump/2017/08/19/774bddd4-81d4-11e7-ab27-1a21a8e006ab_story.html?utm_term=.9a4b7d927e0f
"A GOP strategist working campaigns in red and purple states said that while support for Trump generally declined slightly since Charlottesville, support rose among his base, after a decline last month because of the failure on health care and revelations about the Russia investigation. This strategist said many Trump supporters applaud the president’s continuing desire to shake up Washington, favor his economic priorities and admire his willingness to speak his mind."
Which brings us back to why Trump's coming to Phoenix (press reports say it's either to pardon Arpaio or to do some other action to attack his opponents & cause controversy). But it's basically just Trump wanting to reinforce his base.
Problem is, all this controversy has real-life effects on the Latino community here. Just when we thought Arpaio had retired & would be away from the spotlight he loves so much. Trump will inflame racial tensions again by potentially pardoning him & no doubt railing against "illegals", because how would you know who is an "illegal", anyways? As everyone knows, racial profiling, of course, which includes all Latinos regardless of status.
I'm afraid it's gonna be a long week.
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