“Punishable by death”
Trump calls for the execution of Democratic Elected Officials
It should come as more of a shock that the President of the United States is calling for his political opponents to be jailed and murdered, as he did on social media yesterday. It was front-page news, but it still feels like it should be a bigger story. But America is a nation that has normalized political violence beyond what I could ever have imagined. Just over a year ago, we reelected a man who attempted to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power in part by inciting an insurrection. A man whose supporters breached the U.S. Capitol and erected a gallows with a noose right outside.
There’s no doubt that Trump wishes death and violence on all who oppose him. He makes that on the regular. Trump isn’t a popular president at the moment, but he does have a loyal base of support who have shown again and again that they’d be willing to enact violence on his behalf. He incites these folks with a steady dose of red meat, continually encouraging violence in various forms.
You’ve probably seen the video from Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, calling on anyone and everyone with a voice to “pick a fucking side” and “draw a line in the sand.” It went viral online yesterday, and the fear and anger Murphy is clearly feeling are visceral, not to mention the exhaustion that he and all of his colleagues must be feeling.
What triggered Trump’s calls for execution was a video featuring members of Congress who are veterans or former national security officers. The video calls on military and intelligence officers to refuse to follow illegal orders, to honor their oath to the Constitution, and “Don’t give up the ship.” Trump’s response, of course revealing exactly why the message is necessary.
The members of Congress in the video aren’t backing down. They released a joint statement saying: “We are veterans and national security professionals who love this country and swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation. What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law. Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty.”
At this point, I’m running out of ways to talk about political violence and how we’re all in danger because of MAGA’s continual incitement and thirst for blood. We shouldn’t have to live like this, and we shouldn’t accept it. Senator Murphy is right that it’s not enough for politically engaged people to be speaking out. We need a broader coalition of people with influence. Anyone with a voice, for any reason, needs to speak up.
If people in your life are looking for the courage to do so, it’s worth pointing out that Trump is deeply unpopular. Even Fox News polling has him underwater on the economy. And I’ll talk about this more on Sunday, but the MAGA coalition is showing cracks as well. Trump is lashing out, and continually escalating out of desperation. He’s a lame duck president whose attempts to consolidate power haven’t entirely gone to plan.
Every day, more Americans realize this is no way to live. Eventually, we will hit a critical mass. Solidarity is the only way forward.
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