Assertion and Demonstration

Last updated on: August 24, 2017 at 2:20 pm by Mark Shea

Assertion and Demonstration 2017-08-24T14:20:45-07:00 Mark Shea

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Editors of America make the charge:

President Donald J. Trump appeared before thousands of his supporters at a 2020 re-election rally in Phoenix on Aug. 22, where he defended his actions as president, excoriated his critics and derided the institutions of the republic. While the country has seen much of this before, the event in Phoenix shows that the president prefers to continue to campaign and stir up mobs instead of attempting to govern and serve the country. Yet campaigning is a poor substitute for governance, and stoking rage is no substitute for developing policy and building coalitions. The president’s inflammatory and occasionally incoherent address, moreover, was a grab-bag of half-truths and reckless accusations, red meat tossed to the ravenous crowd who filled the convention center. During 90 minutes:

Mr. Trump misrepresented his actions in the immediate aftermath of the tragic events in Charlottesville, omitting that he had expressed a moral equivalence between the neo-Nazi demonstrators and their counterparts.

Mr. Trump accused the national media of deliberate dishonesty in reporting his statements regarding Charlottesville, which were covered in their totality across media platforms.

Mr. Trump undermined the rule of law by boasting that he will pardon the convicted criminal Joe Arpaio, not as an act of merciful justice, but to celebrate Mr. Arpaio’s flouting of court orders and immigration laws during his tenure as sheriff in Phoenix.

Mr. Trump repeatedly used racial and ethnic coding to accuse the media and the establishment of trying to rob “us” of our “history and our heritage.”

Mr. Trump claimed against ample objective evidence to the contrary that he has so far managed the most successful presidency in history.

These statements by President Trump are beneath the dignity of his office and are an affront to the intelligence of the American people. His characterization of the national news media is especially galling: “You would think they’d want to make our country great again, and I honestly believe they don’t. I honestly believe it,” he said. While the press is not above critique, Mr. Trump’s statement is an indiscriminate assault on the patriotism and integrity of the press from the man who swore an oath to preserve, protect and defend its freedom.

Polybius, the ancient Greek historian, could have been a pool journalist reporting on Mr. Trump’s performance in Phoenix: “The common people feel themselves oppressed by the grasping of some, and their vanity is flattered by others. Fired with evil passions, they are no longer willing to submit to control, but demand that everything be subject to their authority. The invariable result is that government assumes the noble names of free and popular, but becomes in fact the most execrable thing, mob rule.”

The one who leads a mob—no matter how large—is a demagogue. President Trump’s reckless disregard for the truth, the rule of law and the institutions of the republic are a clear and present danger to the body politic. We the people must use all peaceful, lawful means at our disposal to check his power and limit the damage.

And, as if he had been paid by them to prove their point, GOP dirty tricks op Roger Stone threatens death and violence against those who so much as think of impeaching Trump:

“Try to impeach him, just try it,” he said, becoming animated. “You will have a spasm of violence in this country and insurrection like you’ve never seen.”

Speaking of paid ringers, of the cherished lies of the Trump gang is the “paid protester”. You know, this guy:

Image result for paid protester cartoon

Here’s the thing, despite the deathless faith of the Trump supporter, there is, of course, no There there.

There is however, the documented fact that Trump himself hired a paid actors to cheer for his campaign.

And there’s this:

Of course, the same people who shout about the “paid Soros protesters” for whom there is no evidence shout “fake news” about the paid Trump demonstrators for which there is hard documentation.

I wonder why the people who are so certain of this conspiracy never go wherever it is they believe these thousands of paid protesters go, sign up, get the check, and expose the whole operation?

I think the only think this really illustrates is a pattern that has become more and more obvious with Trump and his true believers. It is this:

With the Party of Trump accusation is always a form of confession.

Uncategorized

Evidence for the Impeachment

Life in the Banana Republic of Trump's Amerikkka

Previous Post

August 24, 2017

Deacon Steven Greydanus and I had a great conversation yesterday

Next Post

August 25, 2017 Fr. Robert Spitzer is So Great

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 September 2006 June 2006 July 2005 April 2005 May 2002 April 2002 0000

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz