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Fasism on the right, Imperialism on the left. What US citizens have been saying is there is no good choice. Many Americans have been caught in the lesser of two evils conundrum for years. Now we’re being told not to be concerned with genocide as long we’re still all good. And main stream news makes sure viewers turn away from the slaughter so long as viewers best or least worst option is all that needs be considered. If Americans continue to look away and only selfishly worry for themselves, then we are an empty citizenry. I have been a Democratic Party member and supporter my entire life. Bought into the spoiler rhetoric. It is now apparent both parties are irreparably broken.

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It’s the saddest thing in the world watching grown adults sharing the photo of Trump raising his fist with the American flag behind him, as if this disgusting charlatan is a hero. Trump has done everything in his power to make America nastier, more violent, and more hateful. I’m not blaming him for what happened, but he is a wannabe tyrant who doesn’t give a fuck about America.

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I'm blaming him for what happened. This is the world he is encouraging. You can't be that much of a hateful person and target that many people for violence and not expect some of it to come back on you.

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He does give a fuck at the moment because America can launch him into Trump's imperial presidency. Until Trump got interested in power through presidency, he was not known to be a prominent flag hugger. Now that patriotism is easily marketable, wowee Bob, he's America's #1 narcissistic patriot.

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The choice is so stark and clear that I don't understand why more people do not see it.

Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect president. But today there is a president who is a president, and an ex-president who was never a president. There is no contest here.

There are no "two evils". If you think there are, I personally think you should reassess that because Trump's unfitness for the gig is so blatant.

My only misgivings about Joe--and they are strong--are his commitment to Netanyahu and his incomprehensible policy toward Israel's invasion of Gaza. But other than that, back in America, he's done alright by me.

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Who on the left supports imperialism?

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I support helping Ukraine, hands down. If left untended and allowed to fall, Putin will sweep. Honestly, how do you define imperialism with regard to Biden?

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You can start with the Squad minus Rashida Tlaib and work your way up from there. They all support Biden even through a continuing genocide and endless military expansion.

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When the choice is biden or trump, what would you have them do? Support the guy who, not only would continue the genocide, but bring it home?

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Would you please explain what you mean? And what are examples of Biden's "endless military expansion"?

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"Since the inception of the theoretical literature on fascism, theorists have connected this politics to the appeal of the ideology of patriarchy." Anti-abortion laws and Project 2025 are both intergal to patriarchy. Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, 7/13/24: "Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI) said yesterday that if Trump wins reelection, the U.S. should work its way back to 1960, before “the angry feminist movement…took the purpose out of the man’s life."" Only female Secret Service agents are being harassed over what happened to Trump. There are about 11 abortion rights ballot initiatives for November, with women being the leading force behind these. I'm a 72 year old, retired, professional white woman and I am completely sick and tired of the patriarch. I also don't believe I'm alone; even my 26 year old daughter is tired of having male work colleagues mansplain things and having her boss look at her boobs when he talks to her. There are now more women registered to vote then men and we saw how powerfully women took to the streets in the Women's March. Black women voters are also pissed off, with good reason as they have had it even worse, and they aren't going to vote for Trump. I think you're going to see a huge turnout of women voters in November and most of them won't be voting for Trump.

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Was it Reagan who said strong and wrong always beats weak and right? If this were an attempt on Biden lord knows what Trump and his ilk would have said. Laughed like at Paul Pelosi? Signaled to do better on the next attempt? I think They are complacent with the expectation, “we go low and they go high”. To the point that they’ve baked it into their strategy. This is the man who wanted to open fire on protesters. Personally, I hope they all sleep with one eye open including the corrupt justice’s. Take heed at what it is to be on the receiving end of the domestic terrorism that is their trademark. If the circumstances were reversed trump would have called the shooter a patriot and fine person. The retribution candidate just got a taste of his own medicine. While I agree with all the platitudes under normal circumstances, is that the reality we live in? I have very conflicted feeling. I get tired of feeling like dems show up at a knife fight with a stuffed animal.

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Generally agree with this analysis. I think there is also a particular attraction to willful violence in American culture that is not reducible to macho performance or even gun culture. Along with that, it reflects a pervasive loneliness, suppressed sense of helplessness/lostness, that facilitates the Savior/Strong Man cult even more powerfully than in countries in which church, family, and traditional communities ground identity more strongly. And, of course, that's that the Strong Man promises to make "great again."

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The would-be “assassin” may have believed that Tr*mp and/or MAGA posed an immediate threat to his life and well being. Pennsylvania is a Stand Your Ground state.

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It’s the saddest thing in the world watching grown adults sharing the photo of Trump raising his fist with the American flag behind him, as if this disgusting charlatan is a hero. Trump has done everything in his power to make America nastier, more violent, and more hateful. I’m not blaming him for what happened, but he is a wannabe tyrant who doesn’t give a fuck about America.

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This assassination attempt further muddies the waters that were already bordering on opaque. I hope we can learn more about the motivations of the gunman. I don't know about the rest of your readers, but I feel that events in the US are spiraling out of control.

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Thankfully, the assassination attempt failed, but already—as if they were drooling about how they could use this— Republicans in New York State are irresponsibly blaming hatred by DEMS (even as the shooting was apparently by a white male Republican, mixed up, bullied, small 20 something who found solace in imagining an assassination attempt making him larger.)

And, as they politicize this to their advantage, these craven Republicans are NOT missing a beat ignoring the calls for calm reason.

Instead, they are taking advantage of the nation's pause to send our well wishes to Trump that he recover, and using it. It sickens me.

Folks better wake up. I hate to be this person but this reminds me of the movie, the Manchurian Candidate. Watch that movie tonight if you want to be reminded of the cruelty and the deprivation of humanity that fuels politics. The re-imagining of history is what got us to this point.

That major newspapers continue to let Trump spew racist hatred without challenge saying they are just journaling what he said.

The Fourth Estate is as much to blame for this than Trump at this point.

* * *

Why is every major media outlet falling for this recasting of Trump as a victim. He is not that. The chickens have come home to roost, as Malcolm X, once said on the eve of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He was not saying that JFK deserved to die, but what he was saying that the supremacist violence that led America to kill black folk wantonly has come to claim one of its own when White folks could not see that such violence would eventually come back to claim one of their own. That's what I feel—honestly.

The shooter was Republican registered though he once donated to a progressive PAC in his adolescence (way before he was able to vote).

The shooter/would-be assassin was white young and male, a known profile for people who assassinate folks in American history.

According to his classmates this kid was know to be a terrible shot in rifle club, and he was VICIOUSLY RIDICULED by his White classmates for it.

This was an angry White man who perhaps saw something in Trump, or about Trump, or about what Trump believed that clicked something in his head that triggered such a violence response as possible or reasonable.

And yet, no one saw this 20-something. They looked past him. They invisible-ized him. Made him feel small.

What would make him feel great again?

What would Make America—the assassin's reimagined America—Great Again.

What would Make Him Great Again

Inside his head did he think?:

"I'll take the president out and start Armageddon. That would get me noticed. And when I succeed, everyone will know my name."

*

Why are people who know the hate that Trump has wrought and made normal in America toward Black and queer folks like me and toward women folk and Mexicans and those from "sh*thole countries" not being interviewed to remind people about the hatred that got us to this point.?

Literally Trump lied and lied and lied at his debate with Biden and the story the next day, DEMS ate one of their own.

Too many DEMS did this though they knew the Supreme Court would codify what Black folk like me knew—that no one in America has any right that a White *MAN* was bound to respect—and DEMS, lacking any couth or Discipline or knowledge that all elderly suffer whiffs of stumbling with words—

Knowing this DEMS ate their own after the debate and gave Trump a pass.

There were DEMS who were thinking all the time that Trump was right about Biden (that he was too old).

Just like Republicans DEMS saw an opportunity when Biden stumbled.

DEMS -- conservative, independent, moderate, liberal, progressive -- almost all of us came for our own. We were, in some ways, WORST THAN TRUMP.

In some ways, we, on the left, ARE TO BLAME—but not for the violence Trump has brought to America and to his own doorstep. THAT—IS—ON—TRUMP.

We are to blame for allowing his hatred to be normalized by doing less than we could to respond to it ALWAYS with VIGOR

Too many times those opposed to trump who were politicians called for debate, and reasoning around supremacy. Like there was something to debate about white supremacy.

Too many journalists and talking heads normalize this by pretending we can sit down and debate:

1) Whether Trump's racist, hateful rhetoric is too much; or

2) Is Trump just saying what some Americans feel.

It is, of course, both.

But why do we normalize by debating whether white supremacy has a place in our world?

For giving Trump a break.

For journalists not challenging his racist, misogynist and supremacist bona fides every chance we get.

*

Sure—

take a break—

for decorum—

for peace—

to give us all a chance not to say that the chickens are coming home to roost even though that is the gosh darned truth.

*

Let's all play pretend for a week—

sing kumbaya—

while republicans print his bloody ear on a t-shirt to raise money so that that their plans to turn america into a white supremacist dictatorship goes forward.

*

WAKE UP FOLKS—

Trump will play you all like fools after this attempted assassination.

*

But sure, let's give him and the Party of Supremacy a week to canonize their hate monger.

Let's all sit quietly and think—oh—they are just SAYING they will seek political retribution on DEMS for them creating a climate where our candidate was nearly killed.

Let the chickens continue to roost and the progeny they birth will be coming for folks who are not white, are not men, are not heterosexual, are not Christians.

*

DOES NO ONE SEE THE PARALLELS BETWEEN NAZI GERMANY AND THE UNITED STATES WE LIVE IN? NO ONE?

Trump literally praised Mein Kampf, Hitler's blueprint to demagoguery and supremacy as something that spoke to him. "Mein Kampf" translates to "My Struggle" in English. Hitler wrote a book in which he was victim. Trump states it influenced his political strategy.

When people show you who they are—believe them. I have no faith that this changes Trump. It's another opportunity for him to improve his brand of hatred.

*

Cue the Republican convention posters on the convention floor with Trump bloodied and fist pumping. I am actually not mad at Trump's fist pump. That should be how any candidate who gets his ear whistled and nearly cut off by a bullet might respond.

Still, Malcolm X was controversially clear about this. Political violence has context. Malcolm did not wish JFK dead; he put the violence that took a political life in context. So, should we.

And we should be truthful about it and—

NOT—

REWRITE—

HISTORY.

*

I am upset but honestly, when all is said and done, not at Trump. Trump is a supremacist. I know what to expect from him. What I did not expect was for reporters, DEMS, and others who know exactly what is going on to keep allowing the response we have not to be full-throated in a way that consistently uplifts people who are downtrodden.

You allow white Christians to walk all over Black people, Jewish People, Women, folks who are raped and need abortions, queer people, folks looking to be treated as humans though they are transgender—

THAT—

IS—

ON—

YOU—

ME—

ALL OF US.

*

So, for the good of the Republic, let Supremacists breathe. To reorganize. To plan a convention of hatred with posters outside and t-shirts in the halls of Trump's bloodied ear. Let us bury our heads. Cool the temperature with some sense of couth, some sense of convincing ourselves we need to give supremacists a break. We do that and guess what: PROJECT 2025 IS MADE REAL.

*

Trump's campaign put his fist pump with bloody ear on a t-shirt to fundraise. Let the reification of Trump as a Saint begin. It sickens me, honestly.

What also sickens me? That this guy, 20-something year old and bullied got within 150 yards of an ex-President. That Dems are calling for calm playing into the hands that we are to blame. Calling for calm is respectful. Let's be respectful, but let's Stop being inane and insane patsies to supremacists.

Trump has spent the better part of eight years denying he raped a woman, calling for military to basically shoot Mexicans at the border, calling the nations of people of color 'sh*thole" countries, whistling at anti-Semites that Jews are part of the problem, hating on Black folk my policies that he supports; appointing folks who seemingly have no qualms allowing voting rights to expire for black people, and because he was shot by a misplaced Republican who probably thought he could start a race war, we are suppose to sanctify him as a victim.

I am thankful that this displaced, bullied, white youth did not get his dream of starting a race war, but let's be clear headed about how we respond.

Trump the candidate is a man who in no uncertain terms has hated upon people, raped people, grabbed women's private parts, called for violence in so many ways.

But the DEMS are to blame?

In response, we claim silence and allow him to be sanctified? Not gonna happen in my household. I'll tell you that.

*

The only thing that can come good of this is Trump not using this to gain sympathy and donations and marching himself into the presidency.

That's happening already.

Good luck, my American compatriots, if you don't wake up and see this how Trump sees it. A time not only to recalibrate but ultimately double down. In some ways, it doesn't even matter who or why someone did this. What matters is how we respond to it.

Yes, denounce political violence. But don't give this supremacist a chance to reimagine himself a victimized savior. That's what I think.

Organize. And get folk to see Trump exactly for what and who he has proven himself time and again to be: an unapologetic supremacist.

We need to be clear here, redouble our efforts, and keep this Manchurian Candidate and his Project 2025 from becoming our reality.

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Is it just me, or is Trump's arm in the air giving Hitler?

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I think this is all a-stage play from the jewish Lobby they want trump to come to power. We all know Isreal is losing its post. They are now seen as a terrorist organization they've been losing in media and around the world. Since beginning of 2024 they have stolen more lands from palestinians in west bank. More importantly in 2016 election the isreali Jewish American Billionare gave Trump 20million to transfer The American Embassy from tel aviv to Al quads Jesusalem. This years election the jewsh billionare widow told trump if he takes west bank fully include it into isreal then they would give him 120million for his campaign. So it is all clear. This shooting the acting the way trump is actually staging down his snippers already know the shooter and its clear hit me in my ears and in my chest and you will die for a good cause like things. Come out in a video and state you hate trump you hate republicans and that you are facist wearing a facist shirt. It is all staged and well orcestrated

Making things short it s an Isreali propaganda for trump to come to office as Biden is politically dead because both Biden and Trump both are there to suck the d… of the isreali lobby and the jewish doners specially Netenyaho.

Free free USA from Isreali Jewish Lobby and make usa democratic and free its people and free free Palestinian from Israeli zionist terrorism

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Fascist parties in most cases come into power only with the help of other parties as they singularly do not have the majority. It happens when some of us feels that the fascist propaganda is not directed at us, but sooner or later it will turn against you also.

DT can come to power because some of us do not realize that the happening on the other side of the world would have an impact our politics. Expressly the ongoing Genocide in Gaza is having an impact on our electoral politics. Israeli policies are obviously having an outsized impact in our domestic politics. An assassination attempt on one Presidential candidate will certainly have an impact on our domestic political environment.

Election is still a few months away but the die is cast in favor of the Republicans, because what the Republican presumptive nominee showed was the physical strength of getting up after being shot and people are comparing with the onstage debate performance of Biden.

It is time for Biden and Harris to move out and let the Democrats freedom to chose a viable candidate now to argue from a point of strength and Biden's economic and other domestic policy records and for sure skip the support of the ongoing Genocide in Gaza. Even today the Israelis bombed another UNRWA run school in Gaza. The bombs being used in Gaza has provided by Biden/Harris written all over them.

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Reports say Trump was not shot. A person w a gun, w/ no scope, stood on a nearby rooftop and took aim. Glass was hit and a piece of glass richoted and cut him on the outer ear.

Meanwhile another was killed and others were shot and impacted. Who are they and what happened to them?

I recall the Secret Service w/ high powered rifles w/ scopes on them on all the rooftops in DC and or Baltimore; surrounding a visit or rally like this from a candidate for Pres, even Governor.

Why did Secret Service allow shooter on nearby rooftop?

?

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We're fucked!!!

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It's sad that only Joe Biden and Donald Trump are main candidates for the upcoming election for a country of 340 million people. Where is rest of the adult population? If Trump is 'fascist' I see no reason to praise Joe Biden. Should we ignore the genocide in Gaza and keep bashing Trump? I am fully aware that Trump's policies will not be any different from Biden's as for as Palestine is concern. Both sides of American politics are rotten. There needs to be a rethink in American politics which I don't see at the moment. However, people of intellect and integrity should start thinking on how to change the direction of American politic.

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How ironic. The AR15 promoting g*n & political violence party/mouth pieces got a small taste / close encounter with a real g*n totting nut case. How shocking, how horrendous! Think & compare the hundreds/even thousands of children, blacks & other citizens killed in easy gun access massacres in America. Not to mention the 10s thousands of Palestianian youths & civilians killed by American weapons in the last 10 months in Gaza & West Bank (100 thousand more killed by rascist & aparteid national Zionists & immoral murderous IDF by all means possible). Criminal Tr*mpy got off easy. Not overly shocking, but definitely horrendous.

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You need an editor.

Deena Stryker

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All indications are that this was NOT an act of "political violence" at all. Just yet another suicidal bullied kid with easy access to an AR-15 trying to be remembered for something. Apparently, he had been rehearsing his suicidal rampage for months, long before the Trump event was even announced. The campaign rally was just a target of opportunity. It could just as easily have been a school, a theater, a shopping mall or a garlic festival. What needs to be addressed (as usual) is bullying, mental health resources and gun control.

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