Trump Encourages Aggressive Response to Protests

[Fenixgoon]

An agitated Trump encourages governors to use aggressive tactics on protesters

President Donald Trump, agitated and distressed after three nights of violent protests in dozens of cities across the country, including outside of his home, told the nation's governors in a video teleconference Monday to aggressively target violent protesters he said would only respond to a...

www.cnn.com

"You have to dominate or you'll look like a bunch of jerks, you have to arrest and try people," the President told governors in a call from the basement White House Situation Room.
In the conversation, which also included law enforcement and national security officials, Trump also emphasized it was his belief the violence is being brought on by forces from the "radical left".
"It's a movement, if you don't put it down it will get worse and worse," Trump said. "The only time its successful is when you're weak and most of you are weak."

Because nothing says authoritarianism like going hard on protests.

Quite the opposite - every governor needs to walk down, talk to the protestors, and then advocate for change. Yes there is a lot that can be done grassroots, but culture is set from those in leadership. Time to step up.

 

[fskimospy]

An agitated Trump encourages governors to use aggressive tactics on protesters

President Donald Trump, agitated and distressed after three nights of violent protests in dozens of cities across the country, including outside of his home, told the nation's governors in a video teleconference Monday to aggressively target violent protesters he said would only respond to a...

www.cnn.com

Because nothing says authoritarianism like going hard on protests.

Quite the opposite - every governor needs to walk down, talk to the protestors, and then advocate for change. Yes there is a lot that can be done grassroots, but culture is set from those in leadership. Time to step up.

‘Aggressive’ is one way to put it. ‘Psychopathic’ would be another one.

I’m sure all the small government conservatives who were recently arguing that mask requirements were government tyranny will be using their second amendment rights to defend their fellow citizens from this assault by the government.

Any minute now.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Idiots seem to be calling for Kent State all over the country. Let's hope cooler heads prevail.

 

[fskimospy]

Oh and in case anyone is wondering how bad this could get Trump is literally on the record saying the Tiananmen Square massacre was a good thing.

This is why you don’t put incompetent psychopaths in power.

 

[woolfe9998]

Yes it's psychopathic, and it's also an electoral strategy. If police are aggressive, they will hurt people. Which in turn creates more grievance against police, which in turn ratchets up the looting and burning. Part of it is Trump rallying his racist base, but the other part is trying to grab swing voters who are fearful of rioters. Once again, Trump will be the law and order guy who will protect us from this barbarian horde, just like he said he'd build a wall to protect us from the rapists and thieves.

I think the media would do well to ignore these provocations from Trump rather than amp them up by making them front page all day every day.

 

[zinfamous]

My mom made a good point the other day: Biden needs to go ahead and name his VP, and they both need to just be out there and being leaders. Trump can't do it. He's never lead a fucking thing in his life, and this is plainly obvious.

Biden doesn't even need to mention Trump; he just needs to get out there and be the face and voice of leadership. Do the job of President, because we've only had a steward for the last 3.5 years.

Today Biden was out in the streets at some protest sites and has been visiting churches and speaking to the people. That, alone, shows the stark contrast between the only president that we have and the bunkerFuhrer funneling rage through his tweetfingers.

 

[fskimospy]

Yes it's psychopathic, and it's also an electoral strategy. If police are aggressive, they will hurt people. Which in turn creates more grievance against police, which in turn ratchets up the looting and burning. Part of it is Trump rallying his racist base, but the other part is trying to grab swing voters who are fearful of rioters. Once again, Trump will be the law and order guy who will protect us from this barbarian horde, just like he said he'd build a wall to protect us from the rapists and thieves.

I think the media would do well to ignore these provocations from Trump rather than amp them up by making them front page all day every day.

I hear you but I’m not sure how the media can responsibly ignore threats by the president and other senior government officials to employ the army against US citizens.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

My mom made a good point the other day: Biden needs to go ahead and name his VP, and they both need to just be out there and being leaders. Trump can't do it. He's never lead a fucking thing in his life, and this is plainly obvious.

Biden doesn't even need to mention Trump; he just needs to get out there and be the face and voice of leadership. Do the job of President, because we've only had a steward for the last 3.5 years.

Today Biden was out in the streets at some protest sites and has been visiting churches and speaking to the people. That, alone, shows the stark contrast between the only president that we have and the bunkerFuhrer funneling rage through his tweetfingers.

Meanwhile, the GOP twitter stated that because it took him 2 days he failed the leadership test. Where the fuck does that put Trump's grade for the test; Absent?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I can’t wait for the audio of this call to leak

 

[akenbennu]

CNN had a partial recording earlier already.

 

[zinfamous]

Meanwhile, the GOP twitter stated that because it took him 2 days he failed the leadership test. Where the fuck does that put Trump's grade for the test; Absent?

I dont even....

 

[zzyzxroad]

When the powder keg explodes, shot it.

 

[akenbennu]

Meanwhile, the GOP twitter stated that because it took him 2 days he failed the leadership test. Where the fuck does that put Trump's grade for the test; Absent?

He was still eating the paper.

 

[K1052]

He also called for states to pass new flag burning laws because he's got the Supreme Court in his pocket now.

This whole place is verging on a failed state and the Republicans who said Obama was a tyrant for trying to get people healthcare coverage made it happen.

 

[woolfe9998]

I hear you but I’m not sure how the media can responsibly ignore threats by the president and other senior government officials to employ the army against US citizens.

They can't really ignore them, but they don't have to put them front and center all day, every day, as CNN does, for example. It's a question of emphasis, placement, frequency. CNN is a for profit business who has been making bank off of anti-Trump grievance since day 1, and I think that is influencing their coverage choices, without consideration of the consequences.

Even worse, the media has reported on several incidents of police clashing with rioters by improperly suggesting that the police are trying to harm protesters when they are clearly not. Examples: surrounded police cars moving glacially slow through crowds are said be be "plowing through" said crowds, even while there is zero evidence of death or injury. Or having a headline that says police in Texas are "shooting at protesters" but you find out in paragraph 3, if you bothered to read past the headline, that they're shooting rubber bullets. That is adding kerosene on top of Trump's gasoline.

Every morning I open up cnn.com and I see incitement, whether by bullhorning Trump's own politically motivated incitement, or by adding incitements of their own. It's irresponsible journalism.

 

[thilanliyan]

Where the fuck does that put Trump's grade for the test; Absent?

Can't get a "F" if you don't participate!!...right?

 

[soundforbjt]

Now Trump is getting Barr to designate ANTIFA as a domestic terror organization and believe it or not, I saw Trey Gowdy on Fox saying it's a horrible idea. What is it with some repubs sounding reasonable lately ?

 

[hal2kilo]

Would anybody have expected anything different from Trump?

 

[fskimospy]

They can't really ignore them, but they don't have to put them front and center all day, every day, as CNN does, for example. It's a question of emphasis, placement, frequency. CNN is a for profit business who has been making bank off of anti-Trump grievance since day 1, and I think that is influencing their coverage choices, without consideration of the consequences.

Even worse, the media has reported on several incidents of police clashing with rioters by improperly suggesting that the police are trying to harm protesters when they are clearly not. Examples: surrounded police cars moving glacially slow through crowds are said be be "plowing through" said crowds, even while there is zero evidence of death or injury. Or having a headline that says police in Texas are "shooting at protesters" but you find out in paragraph 3, if you bothered to read past the headline, that they're shooting rubber bullets. That is adding kerosene on top of Trump's gasoline.

Every morning I open up cnn.com and I see incitement, whether by bullhorning Trump's own politically motivated incitement, or by adding incitements of their own. It's irresponsible journalism.

I agree with you that the media’s bias towards sensationalism has made them make dubious coverage choices.

One thing though while yes they should mention they are shooting rubber bullets those are still extremely dangerous and the fact that they are now firing them at protesters many times without provocation is something that absolutely must be told to the public.

 

[interchange]

Like it or not there are a ton of people out there with the view that tensions can only be eased once someone wrangles control over the situation by force. We all see the problem with violence and destruction of property. Threats and escalation are not the way, but I do not see most people who jump to a show of force as response here as representing different interests. Certainly some do, and there is no reason based on history we should accept Trump as a capable leader regardless of his intent. For the rest, I hope we can at least get to a place of "agree to disagree" instead of further dividing the nation.

 

[vi edit]

Bitch in Chief calls for Tough Guy Response while cowering in a bunker.

 

[Jhhnn]

Who knew that Trump is an Accelerationist?

Far-Right Infiltrators and Agitators in George Floyd Protests: Indicators of White Supremacists

Widely broadcast real-time video images challenge our beliefs about who is really protesting and for what reason.

www.justsecurity.org

 

[interchange]

I agree with you that the media’s bias towards sensationalism has made them make dubious coverage choices.

One thing though while yes they should mention they are shooting rubber bullets those are still extremely dangerous and the fact that they are now firing them at protesters many times without provocation is something that absolutely must be told to the public.

We should really be focusing on stopping looting and violence and enlisting protester's aid in finding out who is undercutting their efforts to assist them. If there is no credible threat of violence, never should force be applied. We should not go in with full riot gear, etc. unless it is necessary to protect the people.

 

[fskimospy]

Like it or not there are a ton of people out there with the view that tensions can only be eased once someone wrangles control over the situation by force. We all see the problem with violence and destruction of property. Threats and escalation are not the way, but I do not see most people who jump to a show of force as response here as representing different interests. Certainly some do, and there is no reason based on history we should accept Trump as a capable leader regardless of his intent. For the rest, I hope we can at least get to a place of "agree to disagree" instead of further dividing the nation.

Do you think those same people thought the armed protesters threatening the Michigan legislature into closing down should have been resolved by force? I suspect they did not.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Like it or not there are a ton of people out there with the view that tensions can only be eased once someone wrangles control over the situation by force. We all see the problem with violence and destruction of property. Threats and escalation are not the way, but I do not see most people who jump to a show of force as response here as representing different interests. Certainly some do, and there is no reason based on history we should accept Trump as a capable leader regardless of his intent. For the rest, I hope we can at least get to a place of "agree to disagree" instead of further dividing the nation.

Doc, there is no agree to disagree over killing a black man in custody with knee on neck.