On the same night that a 20-year-old murdered a firefighter and father, wounded two others and tried to assassinate Donald Trump, four people were murdered and 10 more wounded at a birthday party in Birmingham, Alabama. Just a few hours earlier in Birmingham, a man, woman and child were found shot to death in a car. The following day, there was a mass drive-by shooting in Mississippi, which claimed the lives of four people. And as we all know, a week earlier here in Chicago, more than 100 people were wounded by gunfire — 21 fatally — during the long July Fourth holiday weekend.
The past two days, there have been incessant expressions of shock at the shooting at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania. Countless politicians and pundits have called for “unity” and expressed their thoughts and prayers for the victims. Yet all of these shocked reactions and pleas for unity ring so hollow.
The horrific absurdity of gun laws in America hit home on Sunday when the authorities in Milwaukee, which is hosting the Republican National Convention, admitted that anyone with a properly licensed assault rifle could walk around downtown Milwaukee and the outer perimeter of the RNC because Wisconsin is an open carry state. Assault rifles will be allowed, but paintball guns and tennis balls will be banned.
This dystopian reality has been brought to you by the Republican party, its minions on the Supreme Court and gun manufacturers who give GOP politicians millions of dollars annually to ensure Americans have unfettered access to guns. It has nothing to do with the Founding Fathers or the Constitution. It’s all about money and power and a sickening identity of gun worship the GOP has cravenly crafted over the last 50 years. So remember these facts when the next mass shooting takes place, and when you see Republican politicians calling for unity. What the GOP is really asking for is for us to forget that their lies and greed for power have created a society of fear and murder in America.
Barry C. Owen, Lake View
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Political candidates must be protected
Where were the drones that day? I’m very upset with our government’s protection of our candidates.
Nancy Frugoli, Park Ridge
Wishful thinking on assault weapon ban
Dare one hope that gun-loving Republicans in Congress might reconsider their reluctance to prohibit the sale of assault weapons in the wake of the Pennsylvania shooting at the Trump rally? Probably not. The National Rifle Association ties are strong, memories are short and Donald Trump was spared.
Dan McGuire, Bensenville
Dem criticism led to violence
It comes as no surprise that some nut took a shot at Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Instead of debating the issues and facts that concern Americans (taxes, the economy, government spending, crime, immigration) the many Democrats have attacked Trump by mantra calling him a “racist”, “Nazi”, “threat to our democracy” and “worse than Hitler.
This emotional radical rhetoric was a dog whistle to the deranged to take action. It was only a matter of time before some ugly event occurred.
Tom Murray, Barrington
Thoughts, prayers and moving forward
In light of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump Saturday, and in hope that this does not ignite a flame at this perilous time in our country, I have this advice: We offer thoughts and prayers after every school shooting, and certainly thoughts and prayers should be offered to our former president.
But I recall after the horrendous January school shooting in Iowa, where one student was killed and seven people injured, Trump had this to say, “It’s just horrible, so surprising to see it here. But have to get over it, we have to move forward.”
Will we be able to move forward after his assassination attempt?
Thoughts and prayers for our country.
Elizabeth Butler Marren, Beverly
Trump’s raised fist image will knock out Biden
Donald Trump’s fantastic and timely photo-op drives the last nail into Joe Biden’s candidacy coffin. It’s time for younger and more dynamic candidates. My choice would be a Joe Manchin/Kamala Harris or a J.B. Pritzker/Cory Booker ticket.
Kevin Berg, Fox Lake
Competing conspiracies are ridiculous
Within minutes, the Republicans blamed the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on President Joe Biden. Biden had only spoken the truth, namely what Trump already declared publicly about becoming a dictator if elected again and decreeing authoritarian rule. It wasn’t that long ago that every single day after the 2016 election, the entire world witnessed lie after lie from Trump and his confusing, disconnected ramblings whenever he was near a mic.
Historically, most dictators, tyrants, despots, autocrats and oppressors of any sort increase their security exponentially. They also wreak havoc against anyone deemed disloyal or a threat to his authoritarian ambition, often inflicting pain, torture, banishment, injuries and even death. Saturday’s incident, which conveniently left a dead assassin unavailable for questioning, has others saying it might have been an attempted assassination by design, a false flag, a con, a scheme. Now, Trump can unleash his personal armed security, ready to rid any suspected threat violently just like King Henry VIII, Pol Pot, Hitler, Stalin, and others like them after they experienced an assassination attempt. The “staged” assassination conspiracy theory is out there and is just as ridiculous as the Republicans’ conspiracy theory or as Trump likes to preface his ramblings with, “People are saying…”
Jude Smallwood, Royal Palm Beach, Florida
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