Back from a Break

Came back from Florida today.  Here's what's going on.

According to President Trump, "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides."

This was a comment he made during a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.  Not really anything one may disagree with there.  Hatred, bigotry, and violence on ANY side should be condemned.  However, let's just try to identify the "many sides" engaged in these activities to which POTUS is referring..

1 person was killed after being struck by a car driven into a crown of protesters who opposed the views of the KKK, neo-nazis, skinheads and white supremacists.  The car was driven by James Alex Fields.  James is from Ohio.  He killed a 32 year old woman who was crossing the street.  19 others were injured, 5 of them critically.  “James Alex Fields Jr.... is charged with one count of 2nd degree murder, 3 counts of malicious wounding and one count of failing to stop at an accident resulting in a death,” Col. Martin Kumer, the superintendent of Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, 

James was attending an event right-wing blogger Jason Kessler had planned what he called a "pro-white" rally to protest Charlottesville's decision to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a city park.  I am not particularly familiar with Jason Kessler, but if he considers being white in the U.S. to be a condition which requires the advocacy of a rally, he obviously has a very loose grip on reality.

It is 152 years since the Civil War ended.  This period does need to be remembered in its historical context.  A bunch of rich white guys wanted to preserve and protect there investment.  Their primary labor force (slaves) was at risk.  Fearing the imminent loss of this asset they proclaimed themselves to be above the law and seceded, thereby threatening the existence of the union.  Those who proclaimed their allegiance to the Confederate States of America became rebels and were engaged in treasonous behavior.  The worst of these offenders were Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy and Robert E. Lee, Commander of the Confederate Army of North Virginia.

So James showed up at an event to protest the removal of a statue celebrating the life and actions of one of the worst Americans in history.  As an aside, please do not feel compelled to inform me the rebels who died and the leaders who survived are recognized as U.S. veterans and citizens.  I am well aware of this.  They are so only by the generous auspices of the United States of America government.  That very same government which they sought to sunder.

Apparently James felt so strongly about supporting the memory of an American traitor it seemed reasonable to him to kill someone with a motor vehicle.  He was from Ohio, a state which overwhelmingly supported Trump in the Presidential election.   It would seem James and POTUS share at least 1 attribute.  James was participating in a right wing nationalist activity and, according to Steve Bannon,  “Trump is a product of a seething populism and nationalism that is the driving political force.”

However, to be fair, how many people did the counter-protestors kill or send to the hospital?  That would be 0.  For me, this makes it rather difficult to identify the "many Sides" that need to be condemned.

The side that concerns me is the people who feel it is necessary to arm themselves to be protected from the sign wielding opposition.  The side that kills people with cars.  The side that call Jews "kikes".  I am more concerned that the U.S. has a President who lacks either the courage or moral compass to call out these actual Nazis, racists, and terrorists.  It seems they constitute too significant a portion of his base to risk providing such leadership.

I am not surprised this is the action of a gutless, draft dodging, foul mouthed, entitled, dishonest, bully.

Whaduyathink?