Demonizing or excusing Trump?

Originally published in www.examiner.com
on March 12th, 2016
 Words and Images by Don Juan Corzo

Some media outlets are still wondering if Republican frontrunner Donald Trump is partly to blame for violence and the environment of hostility at his rallies through his campaign.

On Friday a Trump rally was postponed in Chicago after tensions rose and a clash erupted between the supporters and protesters of the controversial real estate tycoon. Afterwards, Trump told CNN's anchor Don Lemon he didn't “regret at all” making comments that might have incited his supporters to attack protesters in the past few months.

Fox News and other right wing-leaning media outlets reported the rally was cancelled because of “violent protesters” without recognizing Trump's comments and supporters have contributed to that hostile environment.

During an interview with Fox News' talk show host Sean Hannity, Trump complained how media don't report disruption or protesters at Hillary Clinton or Senator Bernie Sanders rallies. However, major outlets like CNN have, indeed, reported protests in their rallies, but unlike Trump, both democratic candidates haven't encouraged supporters to attack the protesters. Furthermore, that hasn't been the case either in the other Republican candidates' campaigns whose rallies haven't been characterized by violence or threats towards protesters, or even journalists as has been the case in Trump's events.

Journalists are depicted in a negative light by Trump as recently as the rally in Dayton, Ohio following the chaos in Chicago. They have not been exempt to the violence at his rallies.

TIME Magazine photographer Christopher Morris was slam-choked by one of Trump's secret service agents for barely stepping out of the media area at a rally in Virginia in late February. A Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields was manhandled by Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on at a rally in Florida on February 8^th. There's a real concern in the members of the press about the freedom of the press under a Trump presidency.

Photo credit: Don Juan Corzo

Using his experience in media's modern mold of Jackass and the Kardashians, the businessman-turned-reality TV star is effectively exploiting the anger in the American population tired of the establishment, specifically the “poorly educated” since they seem to be the easiest to influence with a populist front.

Trump is also deflecting his polarizing effect at the rallies and blaming it on the establishment, and even on President Barack Obama depicting him as a divider. Instead of taking charge of the toxic nature his rallies have grown into, he's excusing his supporters' aggressiveness on peaceful protesters by saying they have “unbelievable anger" at the state of the nation, the economy and the U.S. current position in the world now.

Trump has been asked on repeated occasions directly or indirectly to address his supporters about the hostile atmosphere in his rallies, but he keeps giving evasive answers about how successful his campaign is, or how “loving” and “amazing” his supporters are, or how protesters are really “dangerous,” “bad dudes.”

In his attempt  to further manipulate people's minds, the New York businessman has suggested that while the police are doing a good job maintaining control of the crowds, he wishes they weren't so afraid of acting with strength out of fear of getting in trouble or losing their jobs.

If the University of Illinois was vetted by the Trump campaign as a rally location, Trump knew the risks involved there and pulled the plug on the event in the last minute in “a strongman political tactic,” to create the incendiary situation between protesters and supporters, who had been there for hours waiting to see the candidate.

MSNBC's Chris Matthews told Trump he believed he “could have predicted this” confrontation when the GOP frontrunner told him that “two people that are experts said this increases the vote for Trump.”

Maybe Trump will tone down his provocative rhetoric and try to bring some civility into his campaign, but one only can wonder and brace for what would happen after he gets elected.

As a young protester said in the aftermath of chaos in the university pavilion in Chicago, “I'm for freedom of speech, but not for hate speech.”
Trump would be wise to heed those words, even if he was to become POTUS. 

True Trump Quotes

“Maybe he should have been roughed up, because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing,” - Trump on a protester who was attacked by supporters at a rally in Birmingham, Alabama on November 21^th, 2015.

“Don’t give him his coat! Keep his coat. Confiscate his coat. You know it’s about ten degrees below zero outside.” -Trump to his security personnel kicking out protesters on January 7^th, 2016 in Vermont.

“Knock the crap out of ‘em. Would you? Seriously. Ok? Just knock the hell—I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees.”  -Donald Trump on protesters at rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on February 1^st, 2016.

“I’d like to punch him in the face, I’ll tell ya.” - Trump on a protester who was kicked out at rally in Las Vegas on February 22^nd, 2016.

“I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They’d be carried out on a stretcher, folks.” - Trump at same rally in Las Vegas.