Rawstory recently reported that there have been at least 30 arrests for threats of mass since the mass shootings that occurred in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. On the one hand, their report is alarming; however, it is excellent to know police departments across the country are taking threats more seriously. They have learned from the mistakes of the past. It is not a best practice to underestimate or take lightly any reports of threats against the public.
I won’t mince words here. It’s my personal belief that there is a particular resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, who is perhaps directly to blame for the rise in threats made by evil men against the public. It has become apparent that Trump’s dog-whistle tactics are deliberate, and he knows at this point, there is a segment of his followers who will violently act out.
Trump has instigated fear and loathing among the very worst of his supporters, coupled with a pro-gun stance, and blatant calls of violence against protestors at his rallies. Trump has given the green light to all the hateful derelicts of the country. He sold his soul to the NRA for millions in election donations. He refuses to call out white nationalists and still defends the Charlottesville Nazis as “Very fine people,” although they convened with Tiki torch, Nazi favorite chants of “Jews will not replace us” and “Blood and soil.”
The methodical labeling of brown people as “others” and positioning them as scapegoats for all of the white people’s problems, has its consequences. One consequence Trump is banking on is that such a divisive strategy will win him a second term in the White House. It is a dangerous game that encourages a sense of lawlessness where people are emboldened to act on their worst impulses without fear of repercussion. It’s almost like the film “The Purge,” where the President of the United States has given everyone the green light to go out and wreak havoc.
The result is more mass shootings and fragile male egos; pathetic boys blaming the world for all their own bad choices in life, stockpiling guns, gutting pulled over by cops drunk with a loaded AK-47 rifle in the seat, threatening to kill the “invaders” from Mexico, threatening to shoot up another gay night club, or promising to kill everyone in an act of revenge for getting dumped by their girlfriend.
Yes, at the end of the day America has a gun problem. Let’s keep it real though, she also has an American, white, male nationalist problem. That problem is made even worse by easy gun access and laughable, barely-there background checks.
As of the date of August 31st – one day before this story publishes, it is essential to note that an active shooter was killed by cops today in Odessa Texas, while one remains at large. When the Odessa police chief addressed the press, he could only offer the following, “All we know at this time, is that the shooter is a White Male.”
In closing, might I add, to reiterate – the shooter was neither Black, nor Mexican, nor Middle Eastern. As such is the case, I draw no conclusions here. I’ll leave you to reach your own.
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Check out the Rawstory report here
This piece is an opinion piece by one Contributing Writer for Instinct Magazine and may not reflect the opinion of the magazine or other Contributing Writers.
