Let's start with an important caveat. The investigation into
the potentially explosive devices
– which were mailed to the homes of former President Barack Obama and
former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to CNN addressed to
former CIA director John Brennan,
and other leaders –is still unfolding. So it is not prudent to dwell at
this point on the possible nature and background of what appear to be
attempted terrorist attacks, which came on the heels an explosive device
that was sent to
liberal billionaire George Soros on Monday.
But
it is both possible and necessary to say that the deeply toxic,
increasingly partisan American political climate has at least provided
fertile ground for anyone even contemplating such politically motivated
attacks. It is also both possible and necessary to say that US President
Donald Trump has been the key driving force behind the unprecedented
deterioration of the political climate in this country.
He ran and won his presidential race on a campaign based on
fearmongering and ad hominem attacks against political rivals and the
news media, which
he has repeatedly labeled as the enemy of the people.
He has a long-established track record of using cavalier language
and vague threats against anyone who expresses disagreement of criticism
of his policies or statements. Just a few examples in Clinton's case:
allowing raucous crowds to chant "lock her up," proposing the "Second
Amendment people" can do something to stop her, suggesting her Secret
Service personnel no longer carry guns and "let's see what happens to
her." It's not a leap of logic that some die-hard Trumpers could see his
statements as tolerance, if not an outright call,
for politically-motivated violence.
After
the death of a counterprotester
at a right-wing march in Charlottesville, Virginia, Trump – who just
a day ago casually and without garnering huge media attention described
himself as a "nationalist" at a Texas rally – initially hesitated to
offer a clear condemnation of the right-wing extremist perpetrator.
At his campaign rallies, he has repeatedly insinuated violence
against the media and opponents. And less than two months ago, in a
closed-door meeting with evangelicals, Trump warned the group of
"violence" from the left should Democrats win the midterm election.
Trump's
rabble-rousing rhetoric is based on a winning-at-all-cost attitude that
accepts no criticism and knows no compromise. While that is a
problematic disposition in a person, it is a dangerous disposition in
the president of the world's most powerful nation.
In the brief three years since his arrival onto the political scene he
has single-handedly transformed the Republican Party into his own
political fighting machine. And as a consequence, he has fomented and
ramped up the already existing deep divisions in the country to an
extent hardly deemed possible. That some of his supporters – or anyone
at all, for that matter – may interpret the president's rhetoric and
behavior as a call to exert violence against his political detractors
should surprise no one.
Read more: Opinion: Politically motivated violence in Trump′s America is no surprise | Opinion | DW | 24.10.2018
