This weakling needs to pack up and go home
On Saturday, a Pittsburgh synagogue was attacked by a white terrorist. Reports are that at least eight people have been shot and killed by the assailant on Shabbat. “President” Donald Trump’s response, just a day after a weak response to the capture of the #MAGAvan bomber terrorist? Trump suggested in statements shortly after the synagogue attack that the situation would have seen “better results” if there was armed security at the synagogue. He also talked about bringing the “death penalty into vogue.”
As noted, no individual can be directly blamed for the actions of another. But for the President of the United States to repeatedly refuse to say anything, to have no ideas, is appalling. Eight people are dead, and no, having an armed guard at the synagogue is not a solution. Trump stated: “They had a maniac walk in and they didn’t have any protection and that is so sad to see. If you take a look at it, if they had protection inside the results would have been far better … He was able to do things he shouldn’t have been able to do.”
Results? Just a maniac? These are lives you are talking about, not widgets. Have you no decency, no shame? And here is a clue: every white person who commits acts of terrorism is indeed a terrorist. Terrorism is defined generally as “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” This assailant and murderer is a terrorist, period.
Finally, the idea of having “protection” everywhere is antithetical to who we are as a nation. We are not a military state and that is not the solution. If you think hard enough, there are things that can be done – but Trump is too weak, and too lacking in empathy, to have any ideas. What is saddest about our nation today is that no one on the right, or in the GOP, is even willing to agree that we have a problem. Something needs to be done. And it is not thoughts and prayers. I am confident the attendees at the synagogue were deeply in prayer, and it did not work.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.