There apparently is a limit to what Trump will say. Other right wing dog-whistles have been megaphoned by Trump.
This is an excellent article. Thank you.
The ammosexuals always talk about Democrats being “gun grabbers”
Yeah, armed conflict with the government is pretty well-defined:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
We have a ballot box for a reason. Vote, don’t shoot. George Washington came out of retirement because of Shay’s Rebellion. He saw the danger posed by armed insurrection against the government as a form of political speech and advocated for a stronger federal government because of it.
“If government shrinks, or is unable to enforce its laws; fresh maneuvers will be displayed by the insurgents – anarchy and confusion must prevail – and everything will be turned topsy turvey in that state.” - George Washington
The second amendment was written in a time with no standing army, so they put it in there so the country would have a “well-regulated militia” for emergencies. Certainly not for armed insurrection against the government or government officials.
All these right wing nut jobs should be hugging the violent extremest who killed all those cops. That is what a 2nd Amendment solution looks like when you let individuals decide what is and is not government tyranny and how to remedy the situation.
He is an embodiment of their ideals and they should be celebrating him.
Why does Drumpf think that only his supporters own guns or would pursue “Second Amendment Remedies”?
He is fomenting revolution. Treason
Thank you TS for this article. No Constitutional right is absolute. Our “right” to personalself defense is self evident and does not come from any air, water or fire god. The 2nd amendment is not a license to shoot up the government but exactly the opposite- to provide the state with an civilian based armed defense in lieu of no standing army. And who’s gonna come out on top in the firefight between a bunch of Clivon Bundy yahoos or Seal Team 6? Suck on that Poopy Pants Ted and Orange Hitler.
Drumpf is too stupid/incurious to see through to the potential outcomes of spewing this idiocy. But if using it gets him cheers and adulation…well, then, no problem. It’s all about the attention.
How many amendments have their supporters identified by name, rather than by the general civil-liberties concerns they espouse? Maybe the first, maybe the tenth.
I agree, the Donald is/has become a parasite, his food is attention. And for me the irony is using ideas and phrases that gives him the attention he craves are from the fringes. He touts himself as a populist but he hasn’t lived the life of the supporters he’s courting.
I’m one of those who has called for Second Amendment remedies. I’ve said for a long time that we should remedy the Second Amendment.
Great article.
As stated, the second amendment was written at a time of ne standing army. It is now obsolete.
I suspect a great many right-wingers believe (not without reason) that the overwhelming majority of white police and members of the military will be on their side when the balloon goes up in what they also believe is the coming racial and anti-tyranny (read: return to white supremacy) war.
Yes but both sides do it, right? My favorite example of both side-ism was in an article in the NYT (I think) a few years back. After listing all the violent rhetoric from Republican politicians, it then quoted a Democratic politician saying something like “victory is in our sights.” Seriously. (Those violent Democrats apparently want to kill their own victory.)
I hope this country can survive the violent nihilism of the Republican party.
Trump’s comment is what most people realize is a thinly veiled threat. He is echoing and encouraging the notion that the 2nd Amendment is there to allow citizens to take up arms against a government that they find tyrannical. We’re not idiots and we know what he meant, joking or plausible deniability not withstanding.
It is and has been for some time in this country a cold civil war going on. A majority of voters electing Barack Obama, a man of color, escalated that cold war and Trump has always been right in the middle of it. There is now a solid minority that does not accept as legitimate any president they did not vote for, or laws they do not agree with, or the validity of any position they do not share. Trump played to them with his birther nonsense, in the GOP primary, and now in the general election. His rhetoric of the election being “rigged” and Obama “founding” ISIS and Hillary being a “crook” and his supporters needing to exercise 2A rights and take matters into their own hands and comes from the same playbook.
In the old days, this kind of incitement to overthrow the legitimately elected government would be considered sedition. But I’ve got some news for that crowd, which is now about 25% of the adults in this country. If Trump is somehow elected, it will be US who revolt and will not accept a Trump presidency no matter what. We will not pay taxes. We will not recognize the authority of the government. WE WILL BUY GUNS AND FIGHT YOU AND YOUR GOVERNMENT.
Trump’s election will not be legitimate now under any circumstances. He will have secured votes based on threats and intimidation, not argument and persuasion. He would be the tyrant, not the legitimately elected current president he has declared is the enemy of the country.
Anyone supporting Trump and his brand of politics is asking for – knowingly or otherwise – for a second American civil war. Will there be violence? Probably.
This is a good article and a handy reference for examples of these dangerous (to people and democracy) statements. I think it would be even better if the ellipsis wasn’t so large between these two parts:
In 2010, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) posted on social media “Don’t Retreat, Instead - RELOAD!” while pointing to a list of Obamacare-supporting lawmakers.
…
Giffords was shot in the head in 2011 in an assassination attempt while meeting with constituents in Tucson.
“What political leaders say matters to their followers. When candidates descend into coarseness and insult, our politics follow suit. When they affirm violence, we should fear that violence will follow,” Giffords said in the statement.
What limit?
This is a sobering read. Thank you, Tierney.