As expected those who get their votes or make their living from stroking the ugly Republican Base took no time to weigh in on who is responsible for our racial divide and last night’s violence in Dallas.
“Blacklivesmatter is a terrorist group.” Rush Limbaugh
“Blacklivesmatter is no different than the KKK.” Tomi Lahren The Blaze (Glenn Beck)
“Black Lives Matter Puts a Target on Police Officers.’ Rudy Giuliani
“This anti-white violence is because of Obama.” Representative Steve King
“This is now war, watch out Obama, Watch out black lives matter punks, real America is coming after you. “Former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh
“Blood is on your [media] hands for not telling the truth about the sick violence of black lives matter.” Sarah Palin
“White Americans despise this crew, and if black Americans don’t understand that, we’re gonna grow further apart.” Bill O’Reilly
“The country needs to condemn and shun this movement called Black Lives Matter.” Milwaukee Sheriff David Clark [black]
“Liberal politicians who label police as racists—specifically Hillary Clinton and Virginia Lt. Governor Ralph Northam—are to blame for essentially encouraging the murder of these police officers tonight.” Trump Virginia campaign director Corey Stewart.
But the coup de grace came from my very own Texas talk radio host and now Lt Governor Dan Patrick:
“Too many in the general public who aren’t criminals but have a big mouth are creating situations like we saw last night, all those protesters last night, they ran the other way expecting the men and women in blue to turn around and protect them—what hypocrites! I do blame people on social media with their hatred toward police, I do blame former Black Lives Matter protests.”
There were two surprises though which are important enough in this matter to give credit where credit is due:
“White people just do not understand what it is like being black in America.” Newt Gingrich.
And Donald Trump who not working up white people into an angry frenzy based on bigotry of one sort or another in his rally speeches had someone else write a reasonable message on Facebook. But just you wait for his first rally!
One more thing on that facebook speech. Originally it included this sentence.
The senseless, tragic deaths of two motorists in Louisiana and Minnesota reminds us how much more needs to be done.
As Alton Sterling was not a motorist, it was later edited to read.
The senseless, tragic deaths of two people in Louisiana and Minnesota reminds us how much more needs to be done.
Even when they went back, thought about it and edited it, there was still no mention of them being black.