Throughout his presidential campaign, Donald Trump has portrayed a dark and divisive vision of America and has become both an inspiration and a vehicle for unapologetic racists. In no small part due to the climate of intolerance, hate, and ‘us versus them’ he has inspired, Trump campaign events and Trump-inspired acts of bigotry, intolerance, violence, and harassment have risen to such a volume that America’s Voice has been tracking them on a “Trump Hate Map,” which has been updated with unfortunate frequency over the past year.
It’s in this disturbing context, and with a litany of Trump-inspired acts of violence and hate in mind, that we view Trump’s 2nd Amendment comments yesterday. Separate from trying to assess Trump’s forethought, it is clear that the comments can easily be interpreted as a veiled threat of violence against his opponent – who Trump continues to delegitimize at every opportunity.
These comments serve as further reminders that Trump is unfit for the presidency and that there is no middle ground for Republicans when it comes to his campaign. As New York Times columnist David Brooks recently stated of the Republican fence-straddlers, ‘if you’re not in revolt, you’re in cahoots.’”
In light of these latest comments, Republicans like Senator Burr need to answer, once and for all, whether they think Donald Trump is actually fit for the U.S. presidency.
“Donald Trump showed up yesterday in North Carolina and called for the assassination of Hillary Clinton and not a single word from Senator Burr,” said Tim Eakins, Director of North Carolina’s Voice. “Enough is enough Senator Burr. Trump’s violent and unhinged behavior has no place in North Carolina, and you must rescind your endorsement of Donald Trump.”
