An average Joe’s view of Trump’s violence
by digby
Friday night, in a twist of irony, an angry mob of anti-free speech rabble rousers chanted “We stopped Trump,” seemingly oblivious to the fact that they were the ones who actually paved the way for Donald Trump’s candidacy. This mob of racist and clueless protesters also helped remind Americans what they would see more of if far-left policies, political correctness and the entitlement culture continue to take hold in America.
Donald Trump’s rise in the GOP primary is in part a result of the rejection of the very behavior that was on display Friday night in Chicago. Not only has the attitude of the protesters helped create Donald Trump the presidential candidate but they may have just helped propel him into the White House.
Want an example of just how stupid these people are? A rally that would have been attended by thousands and streamed by thousands more who already support Donald Trump was now seen by millions of people who may not be political ideologues and are currently undecided voters. They just got a taste of what a Bernie Sanders and perhaps Hillary Clinton presidency would look like. And they don’t like it. Suppression of free speech. Mob rule. Caving to the demands of a radical minority due to intimidation and the fear of the threat of violence. Americans know that a dangerous precedent is set when you allow folks like this to believe that they can control the narrative by intimidating others to accomplish their agenda.
The one characteristic that most left-wing protesters share is that they don’t really know why they are protesting. Fox News’ John Roberts was on the streets of Chicago to speak with some of the protesters.
“Why do you want to shut down Trump’s rally”, Roberts asked several individuals. “I don’t want to give my reason” replied one protester. In other words, “I have no idea why I’m out here but I got nothing better to do and I’m always up for causing some trouble.”
Another protester responded, “I’d rather not answer that question” – perhaps because they could not answer that question. I’m so passionate about this cause that I can’t remember why I’m here. Those were just two of the individuals who didn’t get the memo from the radical groups that typically organize these protests. Many others fell in line with the standard talking points straight from the left-wing protest playbook. Always say “We are against hate” when asked about your motives. Can’t go wrong with that answer. I think most of us are against hate.
How many of these anti-hate warriors would have turned out if Assad, Kim-Jung Un or the Ayatollah Khomeini had been giving a speech? To be fair, one can’t be everywhere and must prioritize. They only protest real hate like Republican politicians, conservative authors and talk show hosts. Genocidal dictators don’t quite represent the same level of hate.
So, who will win when thousands of “pajama boys” try to take down the Alpha-male? Donald Trump is not a conservative. Most of the protesters are not aware of that. They’re not really sure why they were there to begin with. Trump is a populist. Millions of Democrats and Independents have again witnessed the behavior of a relatively small number of radicals and will likely reject this behavior. Americans of all political leanings cherish their free-speech rights. But they do not condone the use of free speech as a means to suppress others’ free speech.
Want to know why Donald Trump is so popular with many Americans today? He is the antithesis to the culture that was on display in Chicago on Friday night. A culture that makes people think they are entitled to suppress the speech of others with whom they disagree. Maybe they felt like Trump was violating their “safe space” and it was their right to shut the rally down. The protesters celebrated what they perceived to be a victory last night. But they may have just helped the man they profess to loathe so much.
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