The Political Impact of Failed Assassination

[Kishkumen]

Democrat officials have offered more sympathy and compassion (by at least a factor of ten) to Trump (a man they continually say is a threat to democracy itself) in the past few days then they ever have for the victims in Palestine. I have no idea what fresh level of hell awaits this country after November, but I am absolutely sure we deserve it.

I would say that has everything to do with having the political liberty to do so. The comparison seems viable on the surface, but AIPAC is deadly to careers and relevance in its political sway.

[Molok]

Democrat officials have offered more sympathy and compassion (by at least a factor of ten) to Trump (a man they continually say is a threat to democracy itself) in the past few days then they ever have for the victims in Palestine. I have no idea what fresh level of hell awaits this country after November, but I am absolutely sure we deserve it.

I would say that has everything to do with having the political liberty to do so. The comparison seems viable on the surface, but AIPAC is deadly to careers and relevance in its political sway.

I understand the logic in what you're saying, but frankly, I find that disgusting.

[Kishkumen]

I understand the logic in what you're saying, but frankly, I find that disgusting.

Why? Do you think it is necessary to kill your chance at effectiveness in politics by doing the pure thing? Or is it that you think opposition to Israel's politics and lobby is anti-Semitism?

I disagree with both ideas.

[Molok]

I understand the logic in what you're saying, but frankly, I find that disgusting.

Why? Do you think it is necessary to kill your chance at effectiveness in politics by doing the pure thing? Or is it that you think opposition to Israel's politics and lobby is anti-Semitism?

I disagree with both ideas.

I understand that comprise and discretion are necessary to be an effective politician. Ignoring a wholesale genocide that your country provides the weapons for is just a line too far for me. I would much rather simply retire and find a new profession than do that, and I judge the character of everyone who doesn't make that choice.

But of course, I'll be making the "right" decision this November, because I do genuinely believe that Trump IS a threat to democracy, but I won't feign any bit of distress that he was almost killed, nor would I if he had actually been assassinated. The amount of people Trump has angered, in a country with this many guns? I'm surprised it took so long.

[Kishkumen]

I understand that comprise and discretion are necessary to be an effective politician. Ignoring a wholesale genocide that your country provides the weapons for is just a line too far for me. I would much rather simply retire and find a new profession than do that, and I judge the character of everyone who doesn't make that choice.

But of course, I'll be making the "right" decision this November, because I do genuinely believe that Trump IS a threat to democracy, but I won't feign any bit of distress that he was almost killed, nor would I if he had actually been assassinated. The amount of people Trump has angered, in a country with this many guns? I'm surprised it took so long.

I don't think that Biden is ignoring a wholesale genocide. He is doing as much as he thinks he can in the situation. Maybe he could do more. It is difficult to tell in this most complicated and fraught of situations. It is one in which you are definitely damned if you do and damned if you don't. The problem is that, in this instance, Hamas staged an invasion of Israel and kidnapped people. The fallout from that, given the political realities, is tragic but totally predictable. Republicans continue to criticize Biden for "siding with the terrorists," if he applies the gentlest of brakes on Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza.

[Doctor Steuss]

I thought it seemed shown the donation was by another person of the same name as well, having seen similar postings. I appreciate ceebs challenging that, too. Better to know I was wrong and have a chance to correct.

So the sequence of events is that he made a donation to ActBlue at the age of 17 and registered as a Republican after he turned 18. His dad was a Libertarian and his mother was a Democrat. It's really difficult to pigeonhole this guy politically.

One of interesting (and hard to deal with, on a human level of needing to be able to categorize, and find patterns) things of modern extremism -- particularly online -- is that it doesn't necessarily have definitive ideology. Sometimes, it's merely the glorification of violence. Sometimes it's just a need to "get even" with the world at large, and that need can find a scapegoat in places that don't necessarily fit within our socially well-defined groups and tribes.

From a recent interview with a former classmate of the shooter, it sounds like he was bullied brutally. Isolation, and being enveloped by cruelty can be fertile breeding ground for forms of violent extremism that don't necessarily fit within reasons that we can define or understand.

[Kishkumen]

One of interesting (and hard to deal with, on a human level of needing to be able to categorize, and find patterns) things of modern extremism -- particularly online -- is that it doesn't necessarily have definitive ideology. Sometimes, it's merely the glorification of violence. Sometimes it's just a need to "get even" with the world at large, and that need can find a scapegoat in places that don't necessarily fit within our socially well-defined groups and tribes.

From a recent interview with a former classmate of the shooter, it sounds like he was bullied brutally. Isolation, and being enveloped by cruelty can be fertile breeding ground for forms of violent extremism that don't necessarily fit within reasons that we can define or understand.

I agree. I have heard conflicting accounts regarding the degree to which he was bullied. That said, I think it is clear that he was somewhat socially isolated and marginalized. Combine that with his high intelligence and love of gun culture, and the whole portrait should be cause for concern. On the other hand, any of those problems might apply to lots of kids who would have never done this.

[ceeboo]

. I don't see much evidence to support a political motive.

I read that and froze - So I read it again.

An attempted assassination of a former US President at a political rally and "you don't see much evidence to support a political motive?"

I guess it's possible that you're right, but given the reality here, I would say it's around 99.9% that this was politically motivated.

[Kishkumen]

I read that and froze - So I read it again.

An attempted assassination of a former US President at a political rally and "you don't see much evidence to support a political motive?"

I guess it's possible that you're right, but given the reality here, I would say it's around 99.9% that this was politically motivated.

Did John Hinckley, Jr. have a political motive for shooting President Reagan?

Take all the time you need to think about the question.

[Kishkumen]

When we speculate on the motives of Crooks, it is important to note that he lived less than an hour and a half by motor vehicle from the site of the rally.

In other words, it is not as though he had to make extraordinary preparations to put himself there.

We are probably not looking at an elaborate plan hatched long in advance. This piece of information makes his behavior seem more like seizing of an opportunity.