Donald Trump has exhibited the violence that is in his makeup throughout the presidential campaign and continuing into his presidency.
#In at least two debates among the Republican candidates for president in 2015 and 2016, Trump said he would kill the families of terrorists. He has never repudiated that position.
#Also in the debates, Trump said he would allow military troops to take actions that violated the Code of Military Conduct and other restrictions. When he was asked by a debate moderator if commanders would issue such an order to their troops, Trump replied: "They will, believe me." The Trump campaign staff then put out a statement saying that all existing laws restricting military behavior and actions would be followed.
#In a March 9, 2016 interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Trump was asked if he had reversed himself on killing the families of terrorists, his answer was: "I didn't reverse anything." Trump then contended that he never said he would kill the families, but had only said "go after them." In that interview he called for the laws on terrorism to be "a lot tougher." "We have rules that are very onerous." Cooper: "When you say increase the laws and do more with waterboarding, what is that specifically?" Trump: "I'll work with the generals." Then Trump reiterated his support for waterboarding.
It is not clear from that interview if Trump was also saying that restrictions on the behavior and actions of military troops were also "very onerous."
#During the GOP presidential debates, Trump sad he would "go well beyond waterboarding" in a torture program. During the Transition period between his election victory and taking office, Gen. James Mattis told him that he could accomplish more with a few "cigarettes and a sixpack" than he could by the use of torture. Right on the spot, Trump designated Mattis as the person who would decide if and when torture should be used. After talking with intelligence officials well into his presidency, Trump said they had convinced him that torture "works." Torture "works" is apparently President Trump's current position.
#On a day in March 2016, Donald Trump said that women who have abortions must pay a penalty. Before 5 p.m. Eastern time that very day, the Trump campaign issued a statement saying that mothers-to-be who have an abortion are "victims." In an interview with CBS political reporter, John Dickerson, Trump said that "abortion is murder." Given that murder does not have a statute of limitations in all or virtually all legal jurisdictions, this means that self-aborters, and those who perform abortions can be charged with murder; also, those who bring their fetuses to an abortionist can be charged with being accessories to murder. Trump's most recent position on abortion seems to be that he supports exemptions in cases of rape or a threat to the pregnant women's physical safety.
#At his campaign rallies, Donald Trump was generally hostile to protesters. At one rally, he said he would pay the legal expenses of anyone who beat up a protester, and at another rally he said he would like to "slam his fist" into the face of a protester.
#While president, there have been notable instances in which Trump has threatened or acquiesced in doing harm to others. There were, of course, the infamous chants of "Lock her up!" leveled at Hillary Clinton without the niceties of being indicted and then convicted in a court trial. There was the time that Trump said that Hillary, as president, might be taken out by a zealous Second Amendment supporter. He later passed it off as a joke, as he has done in other occasions when what he said has stirred up hostile reaction.
#At a recent breakfast event in New York City, Trump said: "Basically, that person [the whistleblower] never saw that call, he never saw the call -- heard something and decided that he or she whoever the hell they saw -- they're about a spy." "I don't know who's the person who gave the whistleblower the information? Because that's close to a spy." "You know what we used to do in the old days when we were smart. Right? The spies and treason, we used to handle it a little different than we do now."
#Treason is a crime punishable by death. According to Axios, for the 25th time, Trump has accused someone,or something, of acting as a traitor. Included in the list are: those behind the Russia investigation, the Russia investigation itself, Democrats who speak about North Korea, Democrats who take action to protect immigrants at the southern border, Hillary Clinton, Andrew McCabe, and newspapers such as the Washington Post and The New York Times.
#Commentators often refer to "at least a dozen" women who have claimed that Trump sexually assaulted them. A more accurate group number is "nearly two dozen." A publication came out a few months ago that showed the photo, name, and a brief description of twenty women who claimed Trump had sexually assaulted them. A few said Trump aggressively kissed them against their will. Added to that list would be Jean Carroll, who recently claimed Trump had sexually "penetrated" (raped) her in a clothing change room in a Macy's store. Also added would the woman who fled a lawsuit after Trump became president, alleging that Donald Trump raped her when she was 13 years old. She withdrew her lawsuit when she began receiving death threats. The 23rd person would be Trump's first wife, who initially charged in their divorce filing that Donald had dragged her by the hair, and threw her down the stairs. She withdrew that charge in the final divorce settlement.
Showing posts with label Trump: torture "works". Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trump: torture "works". Show all posts
Friday, October 4, 2019
Monday, October 29, 2018
Trump and His Supporters Acting Badly
Assaulting Journalists Is A.O.K. for Trump and Supporters
At a recent rally in Montana, President Trump was pumped up in recounting the physical beating of a "Guardian" journalist by Rep. Greg Gianforte. "By the way, never wrestle him. You understand that? Never. Any guy that can do a bodyslam, he's my kind of...he's my guy." "I shouldn't say this. But they're nothing to be embarrassed about." Trump then turned to his left, raised his right arm over his head, cradled his left arm over an imaginary body, and slammed down his right arm."
The people arrayed behind Trump broke out in expressions of unrestrained joy. The irony of this display is that the GOP has been labeling the Democratic Party as a "violent mob."
Those who voted for Donald Trump for the presidency had ample evidence of the violence is Trump's being. At his campaign rallies, Trump repeatedly urged violence toward protesters. Three of his outbursts stand out: 1. He expressed his desire to slam his fist into the face of a protester; 2. He said he would pay the expenses of anyone who ran into trouble for physically assaulting a protester; and 3. He expressed a yearning for the olden days when protesters required medical attention.
During the presidential campaign, Trump called for acts of violence that violated international treaties and/or U.S statues, or went to the extreme end of a violence spectrum. At least twice in the campaign, he vowed to kill the families of suspected terrorists. He has never disavowed that promise. He said he would authorize the use of torture that went well beyond waterboarding. He reversed that position during the transition period when General James Mattis told him that he could accomplish more with a few cigarettes and a sixpack. That was not the end of it, however, as, after talking to a few intelligence officials, Trump became convinced that torture "works" -- that is apparently his current position. He said he would order his military commanders to permit their troops to commit war crimes. When asked if his commanders would follow his orders, Trump answered: "They will. Believe me!" The Trump campaign team issued a statement in early March 2016, stating that existing law would be followed. That statement was then muddied later that month, when in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Donald Trump said that the laws on dealing with terrorism were too strict, and he would try to loosen them up.
Abortion is a special case: In his adult life, Donald Trump has held a variety of positions on it. He was once pro-choice, but in early March 2016, he said that women who have an abortion must pay a penalty. Before that day was over, Trump said that women who have abortions are "victims." In June 2016, during an interview with John Dickerson of CBS News, Trump said that abortion is murder. Given that most, or all, U.S. legal jurisdictions do not have a statue of limitations on murder, any person who has performed an abortion could be charged with murder; also, any woman who has taken a fetus to an abortionist could be charged as an accessory to murder. Trump's position, if adopted, would mean prison time, or even Death Row for many people. This would be violence by proxy.
At a recent rally in Montana, President Trump was pumped up in recounting the physical beating of a "Guardian" journalist by Rep. Greg Gianforte. "By the way, never wrestle him. You understand that? Never. Any guy that can do a bodyslam, he's my kind of...he's my guy." "I shouldn't say this. But they're nothing to be embarrassed about." Trump then turned to his left, raised his right arm over his head, cradled his left arm over an imaginary body, and slammed down his right arm."
The people arrayed behind Trump broke out in expressions of unrestrained joy. The irony of this display is that the GOP has been labeling the Democratic Party as a "violent mob."
Those who voted for Donald Trump for the presidency had ample evidence of the violence is Trump's being. At his campaign rallies, Trump repeatedly urged violence toward protesters. Three of his outbursts stand out: 1. He expressed his desire to slam his fist into the face of a protester; 2. He said he would pay the expenses of anyone who ran into trouble for physically assaulting a protester; and 3. He expressed a yearning for the olden days when protesters required medical attention.
During the presidential campaign, Trump called for acts of violence that violated international treaties and/or U.S statues, or went to the extreme end of a violence spectrum. At least twice in the campaign, he vowed to kill the families of suspected terrorists. He has never disavowed that promise. He said he would authorize the use of torture that went well beyond waterboarding. He reversed that position during the transition period when General James Mattis told him that he could accomplish more with a few cigarettes and a sixpack. That was not the end of it, however, as, after talking to a few intelligence officials, Trump became convinced that torture "works" -- that is apparently his current position. He said he would order his military commanders to permit their troops to commit war crimes. When asked if his commanders would follow his orders, Trump answered: "They will. Believe me!" The Trump campaign team issued a statement in early March 2016, stating that existing law would be followed. That statement was then muddied later that month, when in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Donald Trump said that the laws on dealing with terrorism were too strict, and he would try to loosen them up.
Abortion is a special case: In his adult life, Donald Trump has held a variety of positions on it. He was once pro-choice, but in early March 2016, he said that women who have an abortion must pay a penalty. Before that day was over, Trump said that women who have abortions are "victims." In June 2016, during an interview with John Dickerson of CBS News, Trump said that abortion is murder. Given that most, or all, U.S. legal jurisdictions do not have a statue of limitations on murder, any person who has performed an abortion could be charged with murder; also, any woman who has taken a fetus to an abortionist could be charged as an accessory to murder. Trump's position, if adopted, would mean prison time, or even Death Row for many people. This would be violence by proxy.
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