In a NYC press conference at Trump Tower held to discuss his infrastructure campaign promise (notably, no legislation has been filed and no details have been outlined to date), and, in response to press questions regarding his delayed condemnation of white supremacists, the KKK, and others,Trump launched a spirited defense of the Alt.right, the white nationalists and supremacists, and blamed the riot on the "Alt.left!" The predictable result is that whatever "credit" he achieved through his scripted second statement on Monday (referred to as the "hostage statement"), he torpedoed on Tuesday. In addition to attacking the "fake news", he attacked those who blamed the incident on the "Alt. right", racists, and other extremists. Instead, he again laid blame on both sides and then, incredibly, suggested that "good people" were "quietly marching" to protect the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. (The Charlottesville City Counsel recently voted to remove the statue from its current location.) With torches burning and mob member shouting KKK slogans, "blood and soil", "you will not replace us", "Jews will not replace us", "we will take our country back" and other hateful and provocative slogans, the mob surged forward with clubs, guns, and shields. It was quite the scene as some counter-protesters arrived to denounce racism, separatism, and the KKK. President Trump stunned those present at the Tuesday press briefing with his insistent defense of those who brought on the violence as being the fault of "both sides." Of course, just one side carried burning torches. Only one side shoved and pummeled a group of Black Ministers on the edge of the park - and continued the attack as counter-protesters tried to save those being assaulted. And, just one person, James Fields - a white nationalist - rammed his car into a group of counter-protestors standing up against hate and racism and murdered 32 year old Heather Heyer, a woman who was peacefully protesting the KKK and the Neo-Nazi marchers. Perhaps Trump thinks that Heather was at fault for just being there.....
The Wednesday press headlines reported that the Attorney General Sessions had assigned his office to explore federal charges against James Fields, the driver of the car that killed Heather Heyer. Many others joined in condemnations of Trump's "shared blame" comments including Senators Marco Rubio, Jeff Flake, Susan Collins, Orin Hatch, Cory Gardner, John McCain, Check Grassley, and Rob Portman. Numerous House Republicans joined in taking exception to Trump's comments including Speaker Paul Ryan. Other Republican activists joined in calling on their leadership to take a stand - against the white supremacists by whatever name and against Trump's statements as well. Even Fox News commentators broadcasters were aghast at Trump's comments and could not believe the Tuesday reversal of his more reasoned and reasonable comments of Monday. His Tuesday remarks were obviously intended to withdraw what he had said just 24 hours earlier and to defend and revert to his earlier comments of Saturday - that "both sides were to blame" as though there was some moral equivalency between those who stood for hatred and racism and those who stood up in defense of liberty and equality; between those who espoused Neo-Nazi ideology and carried the Nazi flag and those who fought against the Nazi ideology of racial purity and superiority in World War II.
Trump did, however, get some compliments. In addition to Newt Gingrich, author of the Contract on America who's wife was recently appointed as US Ambassador to the Vatican, Trump also attracted thanks and complements from David Duke, former"Grand Dragon" of the KKK, and Jason Kessler, the organizer of the "Unite the Right" demonstration in Charlottesville (although he commented that he could not understand how Trump could "give his beautiful daughter to that Jew"). The anti-Black, anti-Jewish, anti-immigrant, and white supremacy chants repeated over and over by the Alt.right marchers, cast a substantial "stain" on the fabric of the American Dream and the American ideal. Those who stood up to protect the promise that is America like Heather Heyer, and those who spoke out in defense of equality, human rights, and justice for all, were the real heroes of Charlottesville. The Senators, House Members, other elected officials, and just plain folks who spoke out against the KKK, Neo-Nazis, white supremacy supporters, anti-Semites, and racists who want to trigger a race war in this country are also to be complemented for their willingness to take a stand and to be heard. For Trump, however, to take a stand in support of the notion that Robert E. Lee and George Washington are comparable "leaders" in our history, and that the bigoted white supremacists and those advocating equality and liberty are somehow "morally equivalent" is an outrage. Perhaps we should all lean out a window as Peter Finch did in the 1976 film, "Network" and scream into the dark gloom, "I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore." It is long past time......
STAND UP! SPEAK OUT! MARCH ON!
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