Who pulled the trigger?

Re-electing a president through assassination

The big news today was of course the attempt on Donald Trump's life.

It was also an example of media madness—or maybe just American madness.

The Telegraph wrote:

Those alive in 1963 still ask each other what they were doing when they heard John F Kennedy had been shot. In decades to come, they will ask: “Where were you when the bullet missed Trump?”

While the media were clearly disappointed that Trump had survived, little attention was paid to the attendee who was killed or the two others in critical condition— who were barely mentioned.

Trump, however, was quick to send condolences to the victims of the shooting and to organize a Go Fund Me campaign to provide donations to help the families. He will, of course, attend the funeral of the person slain— and visit the others in hospital.

Biden quickly made a speech condemning political violence, but not did not mention the single fatality or the two people in hospital. I suppose he thought that sticking to generalities was “presidential”. To me, it just looked like he didn't care.

The media has a penchant for false equivalences— and jumped on on the issue of “political violence’, using the occasion to recall the “deadly” January 6 “attack”, in which one person was killed – an unarmed protestor —shot by police. Deadly only for protesters. And they got long jail terms for “insurrection. ”

The January 6 attack on the Capitol... in which an angry, violent mob of Trump supporters stormed Congress in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election – they threatened to kidnap and attack members of congress and chanted that they would hang Trump’s own vice-president Mike Pence .

Trump’s influence – and, at times, his express direction – has arguably made political violence more central, more frequent, and more bloody a force in American politics. What has changed now, with this shooting at a Trump rally, is only that it seems to have been the first time that this kind of violence has been directed at him.

While the Jan 6 protestors were certainly angry, they were hardly a “violent mob”. As protests go, they were pretty well-behaved—a bit boisterous perhaps --and I somehow doubt that any member of congress much less Mike Pence was ever in danger. They hardly “stormed “ Congress.

No matter, the media and the Democrats continue to demonize Trump as they have been doing since 2016.

That’s national politics in the US.

Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) is a real “disorder”—no matter what establishment psychologists say.

The “DNP is deranged. Most of the Media is deranged.

Of course, there is a lot wrong with Trump— as there has been the case with every American president in recent memory. He may be a moron. But demonizing him makes public discourse more and more irrational, reactive and emotional. It's institutionalized hatred of the kind you don't need in politics

The sad thing is that TDS is a sub-type of a bigger and even more troubling disorder— what you might call National Derangement Syndrome-- the entire nation deranged, searching for enemies, finding conspiracies, ever delusional, fostering hate-- and inevitably violence.

So the nation demonizes Vladimir Putin and Russia and China— and engages in proxy wars and genocide.

Ultimately you must blame the media.

Who is the shooter who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump? Was it Thomas Matthew Crooks? Did he act alone? There are rumors and conspiracy theories germinating already. But one thing is clear.

Thomas Matthew Crooks did not pull the trigger. That was the media. They want Trump in prison or dead.

Irrational of course, this incident, on top of past attempts of demonization almost certainly guarantees Trump re-election.

He now cannot lose.

“Chappy”

Hard at work, setting up my apartment.

Chappy will at first find refuge in a cage, where he can touch noses with Ichi. I don’t expect it will take very long for the two to get along. It will take longer for Chappy to accept me— weeks I am sure, maybe longer than that. That's okay —because Ichi needs to feel that his relationship with me you secure— then he can bond more easily with his little brother . Feral cats take time . Trust is earned.

Since I was a feral kid, I understand!

I am considering names for Chappy. Right now he responds to the name Chappy but it reminds me too much “chapping” — the medical condition. For those who sent suggestions thank you so much!

One time when I was homeless and out of work, some nice people gave me shelter in their front room which I shared with a fox. . He slept on one side of the room— and didn't come close but tolerated my presence— as I slept under the fish tank in an army surplus sleeping bag.

Mutual respect. As time passed, he got closer and closer. I imagine if I'd stayed longer, he would've eventually curled up with me to keep warm.

Please show your support for Chappy and Ichi and my “feral” writing by buying us a coffee here —or click on the picture.