Trump Uses Mount Rushmore Speech to Deliver Divisive Culture War Message

[Ender]

When he included the entire Democrat Party In his speech.

I think in general that there are three major positions: right, left, and far left. The right is composed principally of Republican politicians, and the voters who support them. The far left contains most of the leadership of the Democrat party, while the left is composed of those who support them. That is, there is very little political support for positions that are not far left. When Trump castigates “Democrats” it is the far left leadership he opposes, and not simply those in the Democrat party who don’t vote for him.

He accepts a citizens right to peacefully protest and has strongly condemned the violence which is the same position you have taken. Nor has he said anything contrary to the other positions you have expressed. It ought to be obvious who he was referring to with his condemnation, and it wasn’t people like you.

You need to recognize that, as much as you dislike Trump, it is the leadership of your own party that fails to represent those positions you have taken. There is a serious divide in the country today, and however moderate you feel your opinions are you should begin to recognize that there is no political support for them within your party. You may be of the left, but they have moved to the far left. That is now your choice.

 

[Rubee]

In a sense you are right: there is an “us against them” situation in the country now. That’s what the riots and cancel culture is all about.

Certainly a two-way street.

 

[PaulinVA]

I think in general that there are three major positions: right, left, and far left. The right is composed principally of Republican politicians, and the voters who support them. The far left contains most of the leadership of the Democrat party, while the left is composed of those who support them.

Or, alternatively:

Trumpublicans → Republicans → Independents. ← Democrats ← Far left Democrats

The Republicans and Democrats are shrinking, the Independents are growing, and the far left and far right are not large but are the most vocal.

 

[Victoria33]

Instead of actually reading, or quoting, from the Presidents speech you quote an opinion from the NYT.

That is actually what youve got here.

Opinion, from someone who hates Trump.

Yes, it is just the left wing being hateful. Pity.

 

[Ender]

The Republicans and Democrats are shrinking, the Independents are growing, and the far left and far right are not large but are the most vocal.

It’s not clear what would be considered far right. Yes, I suppose you could include white supremacists, but that would be a handful of nut jobs with no political clout whatever. I include in the far left those prominent governors and mayors who refer to rioters as protesters, the media that denigrates our past and approvingly reports on the statues being demolished, and all those in Congress who are now either openly supporting socialism, or supporting those who do. Where is the far right analog of this?

 

[PaulinVA]

Where is the far right analog of this?

Number one, your definition the far left is wrong. The far left is AOC and the Occupy Democrats.

For the far right, look to the head of the Trumpublicans who uses white supremacist dog whistles and wants to preserve monuments and statues to racist traitors, meets peaceful protestors with force so he can, like an autocrat, stage a show for his supporters implying he supports their ideals when he doesn’t.

I don’t know, maybe Banana Republicans instead of Trumpublicans.

 

[Nepperhan]

In a sense you are right: there is an “us against them” situation in the country now. That’s what the riots and cancel culture is all about.

I think you are wrong. The protest marches have been far more diverse than Trump’s Mount Rushmore divisive speech. The only us against them seemed to be safety vs. brutality.

 

[silentwitness]

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

PaulinVA, she has a PhD in Women’s Studies.

Also the term Political Scientist seems an oxymoron that confused people bestow on themselves. In my experience very weak courses put the term ‘science’ at the end of their title in a vain attempt to give it more gravity.

I have an actual Science degree. There’s nothing scientific about politics in my opinion.

If you provide a link to her TED talk I’ll happily listen to it if you promise to discuss her argument with me afterwards.

Otherwise I’ll assume you posted her as a joke.

 

[Ender]

Number one, your definition the far left is wrong. The far left is AOC and the Occupy Democrats.

Yes, that’s my point, and Al Gore, the putative Democrat nominee for president, has already said he would put AOC in charge of his climate/energy policy. As for the Occupy Democrats, again, I agree. That is precisely the mindset behind the rioting: it is occupation on steroids.

For the far right, look to the head of the Trumpublicans who uses white supremacist dog whistles…

Dog whistles…by that I assume you mean you can’t refer to something actually said and instead rely on characterizing a contrary, but otherwise innocuous position, as evil. “Dog whistles” are easy to denounce. Specific comments not so much.

…statues to racist traitors…

Ah, like those at Mt. Rushmore? Lincoln and the Emancipation Statue? The white supremacy statues of Jesus? Francis Scott Key? Father Junipero Serra?

…meets peaceful protestors with force so he can, like an autocrat, stage a show for his supporters implying he supports their ideals when he doesn’t.

Again, all of this relies on the creation of a narrative that describes an otherwise unremarkable event as the second coming of Hitler. As I said earlier, describing rioters as peaceful protesters is a hallmark of the far left.

 

[JonNC]

Not at non-political events.

Yes. At virtually all events a president attends.

It is expected that Trump would slam the Democrats at his political rallies. It is not expected or proper for him to do it at 4th of July Celebration or a Boy Scouts of America gathering or any number of other non-political events that Trump has turned devisive.

But Democrats can and do. All the time. With the help of its media mouthpieces.

 

[LeafByNiggle]

LeafByNiggle:

Not at non-political events.

Yes. At virtually all events a president attends.

Untrue. Prove it. Take any President of the last 100 years. You won’t find a single one that has so badly politicized non-partisan events.

It is expected that Trump would slam the Democrats at his political rallies. It is not expected or proper for him to do it at 4th of July Celebration or a Boy Scouts of America gathering or any number of other non-political events that Trump has turned devisive.

But Democrats can and do. All the time. With the help of its media mouthpieces.

You are not going to drag in the media, are you? This isn’t about the media. This is about the actual mouth of the President - not some supposed “mouthpiece” - another claim you cannot support, but I am not going to argue about it here.

 

[silentwitness]

Dog whistles…by that I assume you mean you can’t refer to something actually said and instead rely on characterizing a contrary, but otherwise innocuous position, as evil. “Dog whistles” are easy to denounce. Specific comments not so much.

It’s interesting how it is only the Democrats that seem to hear these racist dog whistles.

 

[Nepperhan]

It’s interesting how it is only the Democrats that seem to hear these racist dog whistles.

Only the Democrats knew what the ‘welfare queen’ or “Willie Horton” stuff was about? I doubt it.

 

[JonNC]

Untrue. Prove it. Take any President of the last 100 years. You won’t find a single one that has so badly politicized non-partisan events.

The last one. The one before him. And certainly the one before him. My goodness, Bill Clinton was an expert at it. Ronald Reagan was no slouch, either.

You are not going to drag in the media, are you? This isn’t about the media.

When one talks about the Democrat Party, their propaganda wing is obviously part of the conversation.

 

[PaulinVA]

Otherwise I’ll assume you posted her as a joke.

Sigh. No, I didn’t.

From her University Bio:

Bloom holds a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University, an M.A. in Arab Studies from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and a B.A. from McGill University in Russian, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies.

Yes, that’s my point, and Al Gore, the putative Democrat nominee for president,

What? I think you’re in the wrong century.

Ah, like those at Mt. Rushmore? Lincoln and the Emancipation Statue? The white supremacy statues of Jesus? Francis Scott Key? Father Junipero Serra?

I hope you know that these are not the traitors and that I wasn’t referring to them. It’s possible to makes ones points without turning to wild exaggeration.

As I said earlier, describing rioters as peaceful protesters is a hallmark of the far left.

Or people telling the truth. it’s right there on video. You can’t make peaceful people into rioters just by saying they are.

 

[LeafByNiggle]

LeafByNiggle:

Untrue. Prove it. Take any President of the last 100 years. You won’t find a single one that has so badly politicized non-partisan events.

The last one. The one before him. And certainly the one before him. My goodness, Bill Clinton was an expert at it. Ronald Reagan was no slouch, either.

Note: JonNC was unable to come up with a single instance of any of these Presidents so terribly politicizing non-political events.

You are not going to drag in the media, are you? This isn’t about the media.

When one talks about the Democrat Party, their propaganda wing is obviously part of the conversation.

We are talking about the President. Not the Democratic Party. No President - Democratic or Republican - has ever so badly politicized non-political events like the 4th of July. I have thoroughly documented the worst parts of the most recent speech. Nothing comparable exists from any other President (unless maybe you go back more than 150 years.)

 

[hope]

That’s a news article, not an opinion column. Did you read the article?

Here is one of your quotes.

— Standing in a packed amphitheater in front of Mount Rushmore for an Independence Day celebration, President Trump delivered a dark and divisive speech on Friday that cast his struggling effort to win a second term as a battle against a “new far-left fascism” seeking to wipe out the nation’s values and history.

This is opinion you should differentiate between what is opinion and what is news and not confuse the two.

I read the actual speech not opinion piece masquerading as a news article. To be credible you should do the same.

Nice ad hominem, though.

Did you consider this a nice one too?

I think you post silliness.

Or do you just accuse others in order to not answer a legitimate observation.

Instead of actually reading, or quoting, from the Presidents speech you quote an opinion from the NYT.

Do you know what an ad hominem is? Because this certainly isn’t one.

No, it actually was specifically a “Us against them” speech. Exactly what we did NOT need right now.

Was it now? Who do you think was the “us” and who do you say is the them?

Y’all are missing the point: Times of tribal divisions call for a leader who can unite folks as to their common interest. We don’t have such a leader in Trump.

You are missing the point that the division come from opinions like yours. Who attack when ever they can without any substances.

 

[silentwitness]

Sigh. No, I didn’t.

Then if you post her Ted talk and/or argument we can discuss.

Your call.

 

[PaulinVA]

Then if you post her Ted talk and/or argument we can discuss.

Your call.

Right back at you. I don’t think she has a Ted talk.

Then if you post her Ted talk and/or argument we can discuss.

Your call.

The Ted talk is on terrorism, so doesn’t apply.

I’m just going to leave it at believing her about the non existence of left wing fascism.

 

[silentwitness]

I’m just going to leave it at believing her about the non existence of left wing fascism.

ok then but it is not simply that there is a left wing Fascism but that Fascism is left wing.