Agitators

As Trump has called protesters at his rallies “disruptors,” I keep waiting for him to use the word “agitator.” That’s what white southerners called blacks and people from the north who went down South to fight for civil rights. Trump has spoken about the “good ole days” when those who protested would be taken out on a stretcher. You know, like the protesters at Kent State. Charming guy, that Trump.

In 2008 Senator Barack Obama held a rally for his presidential campaign at Mary Washington University in my city of Fredericksburg. The roads were lined with protesters. It’s what they do. I don’t think any major presidential candidate has ever held a rally in modern times without protesters. They’re at Clinton’s, Sanders’, Cruz’s, and Rubio’s…well, no one is going to Rubio’s lately. It’s not unique. Trump’s supporters are upset protesters come to his rallies. I bet George Wallace’s supporters didn’t like it either.

What is unique is that Trump calls them out. He brings himself down to their level and then he keeps going down. He puts a spotlight on them and makes a huge spectacle that there’s a lot of people who don’t like the product this snake-oil salesman is peddling.

Then Trump talks about beating them up. He says they have it coming. He wants them stripped of their coats and thrown out into the snow. He promises to pay legal expenses for anyone who assaults a protester. Who could have predicted violence would happen?

Instead of calming it down and asking his supporters to refrain from violence, he’s blaming the protesters. They stick the bad finger in the air so they’re asking to be sucker punched. He’s even blaming Bernie Sanders accusing him of sending people to disrupt Trump’s rallies. Trump refuses to take any responsibility for his actions. What a fine, mature president he will make.

I think if Trump is elected president he’s going to focus more on his critics than on his job. He’ll probably give winks and nudges about going after his critics, like he did Sunday about sending his people to Sanders’ rallies. Will Trump go after comedians, political opposition, talking heads, newspaper columnists?

What will he do to cartoonists?

One protester did rush the stage and attempt to take the microphone away from Trump. Trump accused him of being ISIS. He once stepped on dog poo and claimed it was left by a dragon.

I don’t think anyone should prevent Trump from speaking. Go ahead and protest. Also let Trump speak. The nation needs to hear what he has to say so they can continue to protest against his ideas. We also need to know there are people supporting him and they vote. Those people are scarier than Donald Trump.

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