The Elephant In The Room

It’s hard to write about anything without mentioning the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Saturday at an election rally in Butler, PA, which left one attendee dead and two others severely injured. Political violence is never okay and never justified. In order for democracy to work, our elections must be entirely free, fair, and safe. That’s an American value that must be respected by all, across party lines, in order for our country to succeed.

Frankly, though the attempt on Saturday was a shock, it was only somewhat surprising given the heated political rhetoric of recent years — and history of right-wing political terrorism, including the attempt to overthrow the Government and murder the Vice President on January 6.

Saturday’s shooter being a young Republican, who recently graduated with honors from community college and was headed to a four-year university in the fall, is further evidence of a radicalized Republican base under Trump’s leadership.

This is going to change the next four months dramatically — but how? Only time will tell. The stakes, somehow, seem even higher for this election.

Monday marked the beginning of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, with big news on night one as Donald Trump announced first-term Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his pick for Vice President. Vance, a 39-year old who first assumed public office in January 2023, is primarily known for his 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.”

Speakers including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) made it clear that attacking Transgender Americans will remain a key pillar of the Republican Party of 2024. We’ve covered the hateful things they say plenty, so that’s all the coverage I’ll give them this week.

Vance is also a former “never-Trumper” turned… I guess Trump’s choice to assume the nuclear codes if something were to happen to the 78-year-old (if he were to win in November).

Vance is about as hard-right as it comes. In a candidate questionnaire, he said he was for national mandated reciprocity for concealed carry permits, strongly disagrees with LGBTQ+ legal protections, calls Critical Race Theory “racist and… a threat to our nation,” and says he opposes abortion even in cases of rape an incest — only favoring an exception for the life of the mother. He’s said he opposes same sex marriage, and would oppose the Respect for Marriage Act.

Since taking office last year, Vance has introduced a bill to ban all Trans-related healthcare for minors, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and operations — and punish providers with up to 15 years in prison. He’s introduced a bill to block gender-neutral markers on U.S. passports.

Vance also fully embraces the cynical antagonization of LGBTQ+ people for political gain. He regularly repeats “groomer” tropes, antagonizes school faculty, and accuses them of sexualizing children and hiding such efforts from parents.

In 2022, Vance even claimed that Biden was risking war with Russia — not because of its occupation of Ukraine — but because Putin “doesn’t believe in transgender rights,” a claim Politifact rated as “Pants on Fire.”

The Bottom Line

Donald Trump has, since he began running for President a decade ago, been consistently and prominently criticized for violent campaign rhetoric, and “raising the temperature” in political discourse. He’s famously called for protesters to be attacked by supporters — and offered to pay their legal bills — or roughed up by security. He’s labeled his opponents as enemies of the people, demonized the “lying press,” and… well, instructed supporters to “take your country back” and “walk down Pennsylvania Avenue” on January 6, 2021. They then stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the election and assassinate Vice President Mike Pence. This event has been linked to nine deaths, and has resulted in nearly 500 prison sentences (and counting).

The antagonism of minority groups, repeal of reproductive rights, attacks on educators and literature, and violent populism… it isn’t new. It’s how the Nazis gained control.

The whataboutism, false equivalencies, and disinformation have become so deeply entrenched in our rhetoric that it’s hard to even begin a conversation with somebody who doesn’t agree with your political views.

How can they not see what we see? And somehow they’re thinking the same thing about us, and it’s hard to believe that. It’s hard to accept that.

But we are social creatures. This is how we behave. We tell stories, share feelings, make comparisons, and create social circles that compliment our personalities and views. Social pressure differs dramatically from area to area.

In order to lower the temperature a bit, we all need to feel personally responsible for de-escalating heated political fights — especially on social media. Resist the urge to share that meme. Find a polite way or more private way to engage. Don’t read comment sections. Remember to post about other things.

And, speaking from personal experience, don’t forget self-care in tense times like these. Now is a great time to grab a haircut at your favorite salon, hit the pool, or spend the day at the spa.

But don’t lose focus. This November will have repercussions for generations.

Vote.