Breaking story, NY Times
**Threadbans**
briany
Susan678
Time for some perspective….
First off, an assassination attempt on a political figure - REGARDLESS of what you may think of him, his politics, behaviour or history - is NEVER acceptable in a democracy or even just a civilised society. Some of the comments overnight on this thread are frankly an embarrassment and those posting such idiocy should take a long, hard look at themselves this morning.
Secondly, despite all the vitriol and whining from some of the regulars posting on this thread and the others, Trump has a legitimate right (barring any further legal actions against him) to run again for office under the American political system. It's up to the American people to decide if he's fit for office, not some hyper-obsessed posters on a small Irish forum and certainly not some extremist with a gun.
Thirdly, the most damaging thing that has occurred in America in the last decade is not the "rise of Trump", but the rise of this divisive, aggressive and polarised style of debate and politics - this simplistic "good/bad", "with us or against us", "if you support this, you must automatically support that" reasoning that has spread not only through that country but to the rest of the Western world thanks to the cancer that is much of social media, and which we here in Ireland have soaked up like a sponge at not only individual levels, but in media and politics here as well - the effects of which have been very evident and damaging on a multitude of key issues facing our own country.
Fourthly, the most worrying aspect of the current situation in America is not which of the two old men being offered is the best choice (in my view NEITHER is fit for office incidentally), but the effect it's having on America itself. We are watching a country which has never really gotten a handle on its internal divisions and social problems slide into an abyss regardless of which "side" wins. I genuinely could see a situation in the coming years where the Union splits or a state of civil war erupts no matter which of them is ultimately elected (and Harris would be no better in preventing that either!)
This is something which we in the West should be extremely concerned about, for we have have already seen how several of America's historical enemies are prepared and indeed moving to take advantage of the instability and paralysis caused by this internal conflict (eg: Putin). We in the West have a naivety, or perhaps more a conceit or arrogance, that everyone else wants to be like us - not so, in many cases they simply want what we have and are prepared to take actions that we are no longer able to decisively respond to (again, Putin). It doesn't have to involve soldiers or tanks either as we've seen with the use of again social media to poison the democratic process or sow dissent among domestic populations. It doesn't even have to be foreign actors doing these things either as we've seen even here in Ireland with the one-sided coverage and "far right" (or far left!) screeching on many key issues we face.
A strong, politically united America is something we need to support our way of life and the ideals we've adopted, yet watching some of the regulars here be short of breaking out the popcorn over an assassination attempt on someone they simply don't like is not only ridiculous, it's INCREDIBLY short-sighted. This isn't reality TV or fantasy entertainment - it's the future of a country and perhaps the future of our own in some respects that hangs in the balance at this stage.
…seriously whats wrong with people! no it wasnt staged, it was really real!
great ratings to be fair.
They cant pick a new candidate now after this, it's going to be Biden. Unless they do disclose a medical issue that precludes him from running which seems unlikely
An ar-15 so standard school shooter style of weapon. One other person is dead and another is in a serious condition.
Are you genuinely that naive?
You’d have to say it seems to have been a staged event
ah i think its over for the dems, trump will be elevated even further from this, his base will love this…
You do know he's a proven rapist, right? He hasn't been dehumanised half enough.
The polarisation of this incident here is so depressing but also so predictable.
It's the left's fault! It's the right's fault! CNN are bad! It's a conspiracy! It's a false flag! I'm happy people died! I'm sad more people didn't die! Whatabout x? Whatabout y?
Their system of 2 major parties who are obviously growing more and more apart is the cause of this polarisation. It's rubbish.
Imagine if something like this happened in Ireland (I know it's hard to do). There isn't a chance that anything other than universal condemnation by all parties and supporters would happen.
Is is confirmed Trump was shot by a pellet gun and the teenager responsible was subsequently killed by secret service?
So is Cavan to be fair. But we don't put too much pass on them and it works out fine
It's mental though to think the consequences that bullet could have had. Probably not to the same extent as Gavrilo Princip's, but there could end up be a lot of decisions made throughout the world over the next 4-5 years that might not have been made had it been over an inch more
America is an open air asylum. Should be ashamed of itself.
I don't agree. If the Democrats pick a new candidate they have a great chance of winning. There is still a long time until the vote, the bounce Trump will get will have dissipated by then. They need to pick someone at least mediocre though to beat Trump.
…countries fcuked!
Seems to have done his best to muddy the waters it would seem.
"I hate Republicans, I hate Trump"
The tolerant left in action.
like this .
Sky in Australia is like US Fox on steroids. Even for clips about the UK regarding Brexit. They would be more like GB News than the Sky over this part of the world.
The CNN stuff was picked up by Australian media
This is the lefts fault? The people that want to curb gun ownership. The people that want to be more inclusive?
At no point have the left done anything to lead to this. Trump welcomed an assignation attempt on Pence on Jan 6th for goodness sake.
Trump has been dehumanising every political opponent, and some colleagues, for years.
The lad that shot at him was registered Republican.
This where censorship or calculation falls on its arse:
I fully support your ability to post your views freely.
In doing so, you show everyone how terrible the events are, how frightening it now is that we are in a place where politics encourages such thoughts, and how **** ignorant and stupid you and your ilk are for your approval and sponsorship of murder.
downplaying in what way??? It’s plastered all over everything.
Speaking of gates, has your oul' fella stopped hanging around outside the school gates over at Wilson's?
But back on topic, I think the demonisation tactics are part and parcel of US politics and have been for decades. Many campaign ads are attack ads. Even for local level politics
The Democrats and their left wing media have opened the gates for this kind of carry on, they dehumanized the man so much anything is game
This whole incident and his immediate reaction to it guarantees Trump wins the election....100%.
Democrats may as well leave Biden in place to take the loss.
A Rapey Right is what you get when you're rich. You can grab them anywhere. They'll let you do anything.
While the "Rapey Right" will try to frantically downplay yet another insane Republican cheerleader.
Have a fake one on the wall already beside the Time Magazine front covers.
